The key winners and losers from the 2020 NFL Draft

The 2020 NFL Draft helped return some sense of normalcy to the sports calendar last week and like always, there’s a lot to dissect about how each team did post-drat, even if It’s too early to give out any sort of draft grades.

Here’s a look at three winners and three losers from the draft based off how well they filled their needs and the perceived value they received from each pick.

               Winners

Dolphins: Miami did a good job addressing their needs with their abundance of picks. They stuck to their guns by taking Tua Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert fifth overall, which I think will be the smart decision in the long run. They also added University of Southern California offensive tackle Austin Jackson and Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene in the first.

They doubled down on the O-line by taking offensive tackle Robert Hunt in the second. Miami also took defensive tackle Raekwon Davis in the second, and then they added Brandon Jones, one of the most underrated safeties in the draft, in the third round. They got solid value in fourth round guard Solomon Kindley and edge rusher Curtis Weaver out of Cal in the fifth. Weaver was projected to go as high as the second round in some mock drafts.

Ravens: The Ravens have always been one of the better teams at drafting players who fit their scheme, and that was the case again in 2020. Louisiana State linebacker Patrick Queen was a great pick at the end of the first round, and Baltimore also added Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins in the second after he slid a little bit. 

In the third, they added Texas A&M defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, who is a really solid pass rusher from the interior. Madubuike was the first of four third round picks by the Ravens, with Texas wideout Devin Duvernay taken with their second third round pick. 

The Ravens also got fantastic value in Ohio State inside linebacker Malik Harrison later in the third round before scooping up guard Tyre Phillips with the last pick in the third round. Michigan guard Ben Bredeson and Iowa safety Geno Stone were good day three picks.

Buccaneers: A trendy team entering the 2020 season after the addition of Tom Brady, the Bucs nailed their first two picks by taking Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs with the 14th overall pick and Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr in the second round with the 45th overall pick. 

Wirfs was projected to go as high as No. 4 in some mock drafts, and he’ll play a big role in helping protect Brady. Winfield is a first-round talent and the best safety in the draft, so taking him at No. 45 was a steal. 

Minnesota receiver Tyler Johnson was a good get in the fifth round, but Wirfs and Winfield Jr. are enough to make this class a win for Tampa Bay.

Losers

Eagles: I don’t hate the Jalen Reagor pick in the first round, although I think Justin Jefferson probably would’ve been a better fit. 

My main issue with the Eagles draft was wasting a second-round pick on Jalen Hurts. Even though Carson Wentz has trouble staying on the field, the Eagles have so much money tied up in him that Hurts will likely never see the field as QB1 in Philly.

I think it was a waste of a pick, and the Eagles have too many needs to make a luxury pick in the second round. 

They did shore up some of their needs in the third round and on day three. I really like their K’Von Wallace selection, but taking Hurts in the second just can’t be justified.

Packers: The problem with the Packers draft isn’t the Jordan Love pick, it’s how poorly they addressed their needs at linebacker and receiver. 

A.J Dillon is a good running back who may be able to work his way into the Packers’ rotation as a short yardage back, but there are much better tight ends than 6-foot-2 Josiah Deguara available in the third round. The Packers didn’t take a single receiver in the draft, and the lack of weapons is going to hurt them this season. 

Texans: When you only have five picks, it’s hard to have that good of a draft, and the Texans only pick with any sort of immediate value is interior defensive lineman Ross Blacklock, who they got with the 40th pick, acquired in their head scratching trade of DeAndre Hopkins. 

There isn’t much that needs to be said about the Texans other than to get head coach Bill O’Brien out of the general manager chair and hire a real GM who doesn’t trade away all his picks.