2020 NFL Mock Draft: Tua Tagovailoa heads to South Beach

By Brad Weiss | Aug 31, 2019

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 01: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to pass the ball in the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs during the 2018 SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

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IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 08: Defensive end A.J. Epenesa #94 of the Iowa Hawkeyes gives chase to runningback David Montgomery #32 of the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half on September 8, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /

. Edge. Iowa. A.J. Epenesa. 17. player. 60

The Minnesota Vikings had a down year across the board in 2018, as they failed to make the playoffs after reaching the NFC Championship Game the year before. Kirk Cousins put up his usual solid statistics, but the team was just off from the get go, and could never play the kind of consistent football you need in a very tough NFC North.

As they head into the 2019 campaign, they are one of those bubble playoff teams, and it will really depend on what this defense can do this upcoming season. Last season, the defense was wildly disappointing, especially Everson Griffin, who will look to get back to his elite status this Fall, and help lead the Vikings back to the playoffs.

Griffin left the team in September to take care of himself mentaly, which was the right thing to do. However, if he is not back to his old self in 2019, the team may decide it is time to move in a new direction, and A.J. Epenesa from Iowa is an elite edge rushing talent. The Vikings are certainly going to challenge in the NFC North in 2019, and if Griffin is right mentally, and physically, look out.

Albert Okwuegbunam. 18. player. 123. . Tight End. Missouri

The Dallas Cowboys have a serious issue on their hands as they enter the regular season, as star running back Ezekiel Elliott was still not with the team as of August 29. As we inch ever so close to Week 1, they are going to have to assume that they will roll without him for the season opener against the New York Giants, as he wants to be the highest-paid running back in all of football.

One area where the Cowboys got an upgrade this offseason was at tight end, where Jason Witten decided to come out of the booth and get back in a Cowboys uniform. All signs are pointing to the fact that Witten appears ready to go, but at his advanced age, the franchise has to start thinking about life without him.

Enter Albert Okwuegbunam, a tremendous tight end prospect from Missouri, who could have been a first round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. There is a good chance that Witten maybe has one or two good seasons left in him, but if the Cowboys can get Okwuegbunam in the first round next April, the franchise will finally have a succession plan in place for when he decides to hang them up for good.

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