2020 NFL Mock Draft: Full first round with playoffs looming
By Brad Weiss
54. . Wide Receiver. Philadelphia Eagles. Laviska Shenault Jr.. 21. player
The Philadelphia Eagles punch their ticket to the NFC playoffs this past Sunday, beating the New York Giants on the road inside MetLife Stadium. After beating the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16, the Eagles only needed a win against their division rival on the final Sunday of the NFL regular season, and they were able to get the job done.
The Eagles have had to deal with a ton of injuries this season, especially to the wide receiver group. If the team is picking this late in round one next April, they have to do something to bring in more talent at wideout, and Laviska Shenault Jr from Colorado would be an excellent fit for this Eagles offense.
Shenault is not only an excellent wide receiver, but he is also an outstanding return man, so the Eagles could be filling two roles with this selection. Carson Wentz has rounded back into an elite quarterback over the last four weeks of the season, and it will be interesting to see what he does in the playoffs now that Nick Foles is in Jacksonville.
35. . Edge. Tennessee Titans. K'Lavon Chaisson. 22. player
The Tennessee Titans have been one of the better stories in football this season, as the move from Marcus Mariota to Ryan Tannehill has turned them into a real contender in the AFC. This past Sunday, the Titans punched their ticket to the playoffs with a victory over division rival Houston on the road, and they will now invade Gillette Stadium to take on the New England Patriots.
One could argue that the Titans should be the favorite going into that game, as the Patriots have looked pedestrian as of late, including their Week 17 lost at home to the Miami Dolphins. For the Titans, they will likely sign Tannehill to a long-term deal this off-season, locking up a player who has become their franchise quarterback over the past few months.
In the 2020 NFL Draft, the Titans should look to bring in a player that can help them improve on the edge on the defensive side of the ball. K’Lavon Chaisson from LSU is one of the premier edge rusher‘s in this year’s draft class, and if the Titans can continue to build up their defense, this could be a team that is dangerous in the AFC for years to come.