2020 NFL mock draft: Detroit Lions select Tua Tagovailoa
By Brad Weiss
50. . Quarterback. Detroit Lions. Tua Tagovailoa. 3. player
In our first shocking selection, the Detroit Lions stay at No. 3 overall and land arguably the best quarterback in the draft class. Matthew Stafford missed eight games due to injury last season, and has been beaten up during his time as the starter in Detroit, so they plan for the future without him with this pick.
Tua Tagovailoa would have been the No. 1 overall pick in this draft had he not suffered such a gruesome hip injury this season, but all indicators are that he will be 100 percent healthy eventually. Sure, the Lions do not have an immediate need for a quarterback, and they could go a number of different routes with this pick, but Tua kind of makes sense here.
Stafford is still a very good quarterback, and has long been one of the better signal-callers in this league statistically. However, he is 31 years old, and if he is coming to the end of the line in Detroit, why not bring in a player who may not be ready to play in 2020, but could certainly take over as the starter in 2021.
New York Giants. Isaiah Simmons. 4. player. 31. . LB/Safety
The New York Giants have a lot of work to do in terms of their roster, and they will enter the season with a brand new head coach on the sidelines as well. Joe Judge will get his first crack at being a head coach in the NFL this upcoming season, and comes to the Giants after winning a few Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.
The biggest news surrounding this team this past week was the retirement of Eli Manning, who started 16 seasons for the team, and led them to two Super Bowl wins. In those games, Manning was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, and you have to believe he stamped his ticket to Canton during his illustrious career.
With the No. 4 overall pick, the Giants should look to add the best defensive player available after Chase Young, selecting Isaiah Simmons from Clemson. This is a kid who can have a Derwin James-type impact as a rookie, and on a Giants defense that has been a joke for some time now, he would be someone they can build the unit around on that side of the ball.