2020 NFL mock draft: Jalen Hurts lands in Tennessee

2020 NFL mock draft: Jalen Hurts lands with Titans

By Brad Weiss | Oct 9, 2019

LAWRENCE, KS - OCTOBER 05: Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) smiles before a Big 12 football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and Kansas Jayhawks on October 5, 2019 at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, KS. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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IOWA CITY, IOWA – SEPTEMBER 07: Defensive end A.J. Epenesa #94 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates his sack during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on August 31, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /

44. . Edge. Atlanta Falcons. A.J. Epenesa. 7. player

One of the bigger disappointments so far during the 2019 NFL season has been the play of the Atlanta Falcons. Expected to challenge for a playoff spot this season, the Falcons have not played up to head coach Dan Quinn’s standards, and that could end up being the reason Quinn is fired at the end of the season.

Right now, the team’s owner, Arthur Blank, feels a coaching change is not needed, although seeing the Houston Texans drop 53 on his team has to be alarming. As it stands, the Falcons would be drafting very early in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and they may want to add an an elite edge rusher with the selection.

A.J. Epenesa is widely considered one of the better edge rushers in this draft class, and had it not been for Chase Young, he likely would be No. 1. This is a Falcons defense that has been atrocious at times this season, and based on how much time Deshaun Watson had to throw on Sunday, bringing in a pass rusher would be a wise move early in round one.

32. . Cornerback. Arizona Cardinals. Jeffrey Okudah. 8. player

The Arizona Cardinals got their first victory in the Kliff Kingsbury Era, though they had to beat the hapless Cincinnati Bengals on the road to do so. The victory was also the first for quarterback Kyler Murray, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, and a player who has proven he can be a legitimate franchise guy at the NFL level.

With their first round pick in 2020, the Cardinals may decide to focus on the other side of the ball, and Jeffrey Okudah from Ohio State would be a nice fit in their secondary. Patrick Peterson has another year left on his five-year deal he signed back in 2015, and teaming him with the young Okudah would give the Cards even more strength in their defensive secondary.

This is a franchise that needs to be built back up, but they currently have a nice blend of veteran talent to go along with some big time younger players. Kingsbury was a bit of a surprise hire, as he was not even a college head coach when he got the gig, but Murray was his guy from the beginning, and they finally got their first NFL victory together Sunday.

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