NFL DRAFT NEWS

2020 NFL Draft order set for first 20 picks

Field Level Media

December 30, 2019 at 2:56 am.

The Washington Redskins lost to close out the 2019 season on Sunday, but they might turn out to be one of the big winners of Week 17.

As a result of their 47-16 drubbing at Dallas on Sunday, the Redskins locked up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Cincinnati Bengals, despite their 33-23 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, will pick first. The Bengals locked up the top spot with an overtime loss last week at Miami.

Most draft projections currently have two players as the clear-cut top prospects entering the draft: Heisman-winning LSU quarterback Joe Burrow (who was a high school star in Ohio) and Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. Many mock drafts have Burrow going No. 1 to the Bengals and Young going No. 2.

One caveat: Young has another year of college eligibility remaining and has yet to announce whether he will leave college for the NFL or return to Columbus for his senior season. Ohio State lost to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday night.

After the Redskins at No. 2 will be Detroit Lions, whose late-game collapse at home to Green Bay on Sunday left them at 3-12-1. The Lions hold the No. 3 pick. If Burrow and Young go 1-2 as expected, No. 3 could be where the action begins in terms of teams looking to trade up.

Like the Redskins, the New York Giants lost to an NFC East foe as Philadelphia won 34-17 in East Rutherford, N.J., to clinch the division. Thus the Giants (4-12) will pick No. 4

Miami, the Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina get picks 5-7, respectively, after each finished 5-11. The Panthers and Chargers lost in Week 17 while the Dolphins’ upset win in New England cost them at least one spot. Draft position among teams with the same record is determined by a strength-of-schedule tiebreaker — the aggregate winning percentage of each team’s opponents for the entire season. Per the NFL, “the team that played the schedule with the lowest winning percentage will be awarded the higher pick.”

Rounding out the 2020 top 10, in order, are Arizona, Jacksonville and Cleveland.

Three teams currently hold multiple first-round picks with Miami holding three (thanks to the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade with Pittsburgh and the Laremy Tunsil trade with Houston). The Raiders also own Chicago’s first-round pick as part of last year’s Khalil Mack trade, and the Jaguars have the Los Angeles Rams’ next two first-round picks as part of the midseason Jalen Ramsey trade.

While the first 20 picks are set, picks 21-32 will determined by playoff results. The 2020 NFL Draft will be held April 23-25 in Las Vegas.

2020 NFL Draft first-round order (first 20 picks):

1. Cincinnati (2-14)
2. Washington (3-13)
3. Detroit (3-12-1)
4. N.Y. Giants (4-12)
5. Miami (5-11)
6. L.A. Chargers (5-11)
7. Carolina (5-11)
8. Arizona (5-10-1)
9. Jacksonville (6-10)
10. Cleveland (6-10)
11. N.Y. Jets (7-9)
12. Oakland (7-9)
13. Indianapolis (7-9)
14. Tampa Bay (7-9)
15. Denver (7-9)
16. Atlanta (7-9)
17. Cowboys (8-8)
18. Miami (from Pittsburgh, 8-8)
19. Oakland (from Chicago, 8-8)
20. Jacksonville (from L.A. Rams, 9-7)