Yahoo Sports 20 observations on NFL draft's top 20 of Round 1
Here’s some insight, from players, coaches and talent evaluators, on the first 20 players picked in Thursday night’s NFL draft.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Congrats to Joe Burrow. This sums him up: " “I started from the bottom, and working and working and working. That’s a theme with all the great quarterbacks, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. They didn’t have it easy at any point.” https://t.co/5PfW0APxVt
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Chase Young, Washington Redskins
I’ve long maintained that Chase Young is the best player in this NFL draft. If you had to pick the surest bet to be a Hall of Famer, it’s him. Lane Kiffin summed it up to me earlier this year: “There’s only 10 guys like him in the world.” https://t.co/4iEkdwiTzq
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Jeffrey Okudah, Detroit Lions
Jeff Okudah seems like one of the drafts safest picks. “I see him being a 10-year veteran who is going to be one of the best in the league,” Urban Meyer told @YahooSports. “It’s A-to-Z. Intelligence, character and work ethic. He could be a doctor if he wanted to.”
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Andrew Thomas, New York Giants
If you talk to people at UGA about Andrew Thomas, they stress his "high floor" and "high character." Safe pick. Very Giants.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Interesting observation by a longtime college QB coach on Tua vs. Burrow: “To me, it gets down to skill level. When Tua is healthy, it isn’t even close.”
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Mario Cristobal told us at @YahooSports Draft Show that the Oregon staff all drove to Justin Herbert's neighborhood in Eugene and blared their horns when he got picked. The perfect social distance celebration. Very cool.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
For Chargers fans, here's the backstory on Herbert, his secret life as a BIO TA and his love of science. https://t.co/XmiS6n2K4n
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Derrick Brown, Carolina Panthers
Dan Mullen sees stardom for Derrick Brown: “He was a *problem,*” Mullen told @YahooSports. “To me, he’s the guy in this league that you had to have a plan for him separately. He was really *the* guy in the league.” (Mullen will join our @yahoosports live stream later.)
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Matt Rhule’s 15-year-old son, Bryant, is a football junkie. He’s had Derrick Brown mocked to the Panthers since February.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Isaiah Simmons, Arizona Cardinals
Brent Venables laughed when I asked him what NFL teams have been asking him about Simmons: "Where do I play him?" His response? "It's not that hard." Says he can play SAM/WILL/MIKE, cover TEs, RBs and zone and man. Played the most snaps at Clemson last two years. By hundreds.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
"He's the most compelling player in this entire draft."
The Cardinals made an excellent pick according to @PeteThamel #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/3mk96iMw9c— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 24, 2020
CJ Henderson, Jacksonville Jaguars
What's Jacksonville getting? Dan Mullen on CJ Henderson: “He’s not an in-your-face guy. He’s quiet and reserved. I think that makes him different, he’s not yapping all the time. He’s a pro. He plays football and goes home.”
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Jedrick Wills Jr., Cleveland Browns
With Alabama's Jedrick Wills off the board, that's 31 first round picks in 13 years for Nick Saban. He's lost 23 games.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Mekhi Becton, New York Jets
When Louisville coach Scott Satterfield arrived 16 months ago, Mekhi Becton weighted nearly 390 pounds. He got put in a treadmill weight loss program and “hated life.” He slimmed down to 364 and blew his coach away. “I’ve never seen anyone that big move that well.”
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Henry Ruggs III, Las Vegas Raiders
One coach had a great line on Ruggs: “If Al Davis was still alive, he’d have drafted him without a doubt.” Ruggs ran the 40 in 4.27. Davis, of course, was always enamored by speed. So it's perfect @CharlesRobinson just said he's going to Vegas.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
What a cool example of the American dream coming to life. Wirfs is a small-town Iowa kid. His mom, Sarah, has worked at Target for nearly 30 years. His first NFL splurge – A Ford F-150. Now he plays with Brady and Gronk. https://t.co/OIyqJ9hO7v
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
How athletic is Wirfs? Iowa offensive line coach Tim Polasek (@coachtimiowa) said Wirfs arrived at the school being able to walk on his hands 30 or 40 yards. “He just could have kept going at 310 pounds. I said, ‘Holy smokes, this guy has a chance.’” https://t.co/x1WDsI8hQu
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Javon Kinlaw, San Francisco 49ers
Javon Kinlaw doesn't have the power of Derrick Brown. But he's twitchier and has a higher ceiling as a pass rusher. San Fran building through the line like Coughlin's Giants.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos
Asked a few coaches, scouts and assistants who they’d take between the draft’s top three WRs -- Jeudy, Ruggs and Cee Dee Lamb. Jeudy got the most votes. Lamb got a few. No one picked Ruggs. Jeudy’s ability to create separation proved the separator.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
A.J. Terrell, Atlanta Falcons
Clemson CB A.J. Terrell burst out onto the scene with a Pick 6 of Tua in the title game 2 years ago. Got beat up a bit by Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase in this year's title game. Ends up at No. 16. Good, safe pick. "He's a sniper," Brent Venables told me.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
The best comp from the NFL on Cee Dee Lamb is Larry Fitzgerald. Doesn't have the elite times. Always has the elite production.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Austin Jackson, Miami Dolphins
USC OC @CoachHarrellUSC on Austin Jackson: "You watch the tape and it’s really good, but there’s still a ton of growth there."
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Damon Arnette, Las Vegas Raiders
Both Urban Meyer and @CoachJeffHafley both told me this week that Damon Arnette could go in the first round. I didn't believe them. First shocker of this NFL Draft. What a story for Arnette, who came a LONG way this season.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
Arnette is the eighth Ohio State defensive back to be a first round pick since 2014, joining Bradley Roby (2014), Eli Apple (2016), Marshon Lattimore (2017), Malik Hooker (2017) and Gareon Conley (2017), Denzel Ward (2018) and Jeff Okudah (2020). Yikes.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
K’Lavon Chaisson, Jacksonville Jaguars
Chaisson is a pass-rush specialist. Some think of him as a bit one-dimensional, but there's always value in chasing the QB. Think Whitney Mercilus.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 24, 2020
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