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2020 Superflex Devy Mock Draft Round 1

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With the declaration deadline officially passing, now seems more than fitting for a Superflex Devy mock draft. The next two classes have an abundance of talent. This is just the first round of a three-round mock draft highlighting the top talent of the 2021 and 2022 classes.

1.01 Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

This is a no brainer 1.01 pick in Superflex Devy drafts. Per 24/7 Sports, Trevor Lawrence was not only the top-ranked recruit in his draft class, but he is their 6th ranked recruit of all-time (at least since they began tracking it). Mike Farrell of Rival.com referred to him as the greatest QB prospect he’s ever scouted. Lawrence entered Clemson with high expectations and has done nothing but live up to them. He officially took over in Week 5 of 2018, only losing one game since then.

Lawrence is the complete package. He has the size, arm strength, accuracy, anticipation, mental processing, mobility, etc. that you desire in a quarterback. Touted as the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, Lawrence has been locked in as the 2021 NFL Draft 1.01 for quite some time. Whatever team wins the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes next year will be incredibly fortunate. There’s no overthinking this pick.

1.02 Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

This is another pick that I think is easy to make. Much like Lawrence, Fields received heavy praise coming out of high school. Per 24/7 Sports, Fields ranked as the 2nd recruit in his class, behind only Lawrence, and the 8th best recruit of all-time. Unlike Lawrence, Fields did not beat out the incumbent quarterback. Instead of waiting another year, Fields transferred from Georgia to Ohio State.

While Georgia’s offense struggled due to Jake Fromm’s limited abilities, Ohio State’s flourished with Fields at the helm. Fields posted impressive stats through the air and on the ground.

Passing stats: 238-354, 3,273 yards, 41 TDs, and 3 INTs

Rushing stats: 137 attempts, 484 rushing yards, 10 yards (reminder that sacks are rushing stats in college)

He showed pretty much every trait one could want from a college quarterback. Head Coach, Ryan Day didn’t give Fields too many reads on his plays, so it would be nice to see a little bit more next year. Regardless, Fields can make every throw, he processes the defenses well, and he is a major threat running the ball. Seemingly bound together, Fields vs Lawrence is a battle I’m looking forward to seeing many times in the future.

1.03 Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson 

The 2020 class took a major hit when Travis Etienne decided to return to Clemson for his senior season. The decision caught many off-guard. After Bryce Love, I believed running backs finally realized that they needed to leave once they had the chance at meaningful draft capital. They did not.

Returning to school gives Etienne the chance to solidify himself as the unquestioned RB1. Blessed with game-changing speed, Etienne showed a lot more in the receiving game this year. Refining his abilities there and as an in-between the tackles runner could increase his draft capital, thus resulting in a better payday. As it stands right now, Etienne is my 2021 RB1 and 1.01 in single-QB devy leagues.

1.04 Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU

Blessed with the presence of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase tore defenses apart this season. He posted a ridiculous receiving line of 84-1,780-20. Chase averaged one touchdown every 4.2 receptions. In a season where his quarterback threw for 60 TDs, he accounted for 33% of them. On his 84 receptions, Chase averaged 21.2 yards per reception. This is incredible production from a prospect. Even if his production is cut by 30%, which is feasible without the future #1 pick, Burrow, he will still smash production metrics.

Chase has a complete skill set for a wide receiver. He can beat any type of coverage or win in any area of the field. He can take a screen pass 60 yards to the house, while also being able to beat a corner 40 yards downfield.

Barring something catastrophic happening, Chase will likely be a top-10 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. A quarterback will be ecstatic when his team selects Ja’Marr Chase; so should you. 

1.05 Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

If it weren’t for his injury, Rondale Moore would likely be my 1.01 in single-QB leagues. Despite his size (5’9’’, 180 lbs.), Rondale put up historic numbers as a freshman.

 

As a result of this statistical explosion, Moore won the Paul Hornung Award, given to the most versatile player in college football. On top of that, he was named to the First-Team All-American team by both the Associated Press and Football Writers’ Association of America. Sporting News placed him on their second team, officially making Moore a consensus All-American.

The kid is a treat to watch. His speed, agility and acceleration jump off the screen. With the NFL accepting players of smaller statures, I think Moore is coming along at the perfect time. If he falls into the right system, we could be looking at a truly special receiver at the next level. If he returns from the injury, there is a good chance he overtakes Chase as my 2021 WR1.

1.06 Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State

With only two years of playing experience, I was expecting Chuba to return to college for most of the season. His extensive workload gave me a little bit of false hope. With the declaration deadline looming, he opted to return for the 2020 college season.

Hubbard, a Canadian track star, was one of my favorite eligible backs in this draft class. It seems whenever a hole opened for him, the play resulted in a touchdown. While his speed is evident, some questions surround his interior running, tackle-breaking ability, and receiving— although I think his freshman year should have been enough to answer questions regarding his receiving ability. Returning allows him to address those concern areas. Overall, Hubbard’s burst and homerun ability make him an asset to devy rosters.  

1.07 Najee Harris, RB, Alabama 

Nick Saban does it again. Every year, he convinces players who should leave to stay in school. Two years ago, it was running back Damien Harris. This year, it was running back Najee Harris.

Only Clyde Edwards-Helaire made a bigger leap up my running back rankings than Najee Harris this year. Sharing the backfield with other NFL running backs like Bo Scarborough, Damien Harris, and Josh Jacobs, Najee Harris had minimal opportunity to be featured, and honestly, I wasn’t overly impressed when he was. This year, however, was a different story. At 6’2’’ 229 lbs., Harris’ agility, short-area quickness, speed, and receiving abilities are highly impressive. He’s big and fast, but also nimble and agile. His return to school is the one that upsets me the most.

1.08 Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

Rashod Bateman posted an impressive 51-704-6 receiving line his freshman season. This number is more impressive considering he played alongside dominator rating monster Tyler Johnson. Before the bowl game, where Johnson exploded for 12 catches for 204 yards and 2 TDs, Bateman had better statistics than him.

With Johnson gone next year, Bateman will have the chance to show himself off as the undisputed top option in that offense, although I think he showed to be the better wide receiver last year. Bateman is a very well-rounded WR prospect. He has good size (6’2’’, 210 lbs.), great athleticism, progressed as a route runner from his first year to his second, and catches everything that comes his way. This might come to a surprise to some, but as of right now, Rashod Bateman is my devy WR3.

1.09 Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

It’s crazy to think that Henry Ruggs may not be the fastest member of the 2019 Alabama wide receiving corps. True sophomore, Jaylen Waddle, is one of the most entertaining players in college football. A threat to take any play to the house, Waddle’s elite athleticism makes him one of the most valuable devy assets moving forward.

Winning most of his match-ups by speed, Waddle does need to refine his route running. He often just runs past the defender instead of manipulating him with head, body and footwork movements. If he can polish his route running, we are looking at one of the highest ceilings in the league. His speed is truly elite.

1.10 Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson

Hot take alert: Justyn Ross is currently my WR5 in the 2021 class. His play in the College Football Playoffs last year made everyone believe we were looking at the next great WR prospect. Unfortunately, he could not make the leap that I expected from him last year. If people compared his film to Rashod Bateman’s, I think they would have a hard time justifying Ross above Bateman.

I believe Ross is a good WR prospect, it’s why he’s in my top 5, but I think we crowned him too early. I have concerns with his long speed, change of direction/agility, and ability to consistently dominate the catch point. Without Higgins, Ross is projected to be the clear alpha dog for the Clemson offense. With Lawrence targeting him more, Ross could refine his game and climb back up to the WR1 spot. On the flip side, it wouldn’t surprise me if he was passed by more of these guys after him.

1.11 Max Borghi, RB, WSU

Max Borghi is the biggest loser from the declarations made by the 2020 class. Borghi went from the RB1 conversation to being firmly outside of the top three. Regardless of the decision of others, Borghi is a very talented back who is made for today’s NFL.

Through two seasons, Max Borghi has 139 receptions. This past season, after fully taking over as the starter, Borghi caught 86 passes for 597 yards and 5 TDs. He’s going to enter the NFL with one of the most impressive receiving profiles out of a running back.

When college running backs catch the ball at this rate, it’s easy to think that they are likely deficient in the running game. However, this is not the case with Borghi. A skilled runner, Borghi has the vision, strength, and agility to run inside or outside. Even with guys from 2020 coming back, Borghi is likely a first-round pick in 2021 rookie drafts.

1.12 Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State

 

With this being a devy draft, it’s about time a 2022 guy is represented. Breece Hall had an impressive freshman season, and one of the most impressive seasons of all freshmen. He showed his pass-catching abilities by bringing in 23 receptions for 252 yards and a single score. As a rusher, I love Hall’s footwork and vision. These two aspects, combined with his strength and contact balance, make him a good inside runner. His agility and speed give him the traits he needs to excel at running outside as well. While things will likely change as the class shapes up these next two years, Breece Hall is my 2022 RB1.

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Conclusion

The first round of 2020 devy mock drafts should be dominated by 2021 prospects. Beyond Breece Hall, there were a couple of 2022 guys in contention for the first round but barely missed the cut. The second and third rounds will be coming shortly!

What are your thoughts on this mock draft? Who went too early? Who went too late? Let me know on Twitter at @DFF_Steven.

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