1.01- Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
Yes, I realize it’s superflex and yes, I’m aware that Joe Burrow just completed one of the most impressive seasons any college football player has ever had. Conventional wisdom says I should take the QB here but if I’m holding the 1.01 (and in this case, I am) I’m taking the player that has the best chance of delivering a competitive edge for my dynasty roster. Elite RBs are the ultimate difference makers in fantasy football.
Taylor is not only one of the greatest running backs in college football history after AVERAGING 2,000+ yards rushing in his three seasons in the Big Ten, but also the best size/speed combination to enter the draft since Saquon Barkley (and before that, Herschel Walker.) There’s just no way I’m passing on someone who looks like the surest bet in years to be the league’s next 1,500+ yard/10+ TD player.
1.02- Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
Tyler Justin Karp – @DFF_Justin
I’ve written about Burrow once before, found here, although it was a redraft-focused article. Either way, the points I made there remain and apply to this dynasty superflex rookie draft. I believe that Burrow brings extreme upside and a high floor as a quarterback prospect. He’s coming off the best quarterback college season ever, where he completed 76.3% of his passes and threw for 5,671 yards.
In superflex rookie drafts, quarterbacks come at a premium, and Burrow is the top player on my board. I far prefer Burrow to any other quarterback, including Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert. Therefore, I’m ecstatic to grab Burrow at the 1.02 pick in this mock draft.
1.03 – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Brad Hartnett – @DynastyDiagnos1
The decision to draft Tagovailoa as the third pick in a rookie draft, like the NFL Draft, has the highest risk along with the highest reward. In a Peter King interview, a long time NFL physician stated that given the nature of Tagovailoa’s contact injuries, he is probably not at risk of them developing into chronic injuries. Arguably the greatest college football career, Tagovailoa had the top passer efficiency rating at 199.4 along with the highest yard per attempt average of 10.9. His 12.7% touchdown rating is the best in Division 1 history, and he was efficient with just 11 career interceptions.
Drafting in the three-hole we can deduct that this team is in rebuilding mode, and the choice to go with the high-risk high-reward quarterback over a top tier running back or a potentially elite wide receiver is based on this rebuild mode. Though Tagovailoa and his agent have been beating the drum that he will be available to play Week 1 of his rookie campaign, it is still optimal for long term development that a rookie quarterback not start immediately. The ability to put Tagovailoa on the taxi squad for a redshirt rookie season and stack him with Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields in the 2021 rookie draft would most likely create an instant contender.
1.04 – D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
I love CeeDee Lamb, but you draft your running backs and trade for wide receivers, and there are three RBs I’d be looking at taking at the 1.04 pick, being Taylor, Dobbins, or Swift, who I ended up taking.
The only other consideration was taking Tua Tagovailoa, but with recent reports that he may have failed at least one team’s medical assessment, the questions remain until proven otherwise. We will see on night one of the NFL Draft. I’d be taking him here if he doesn’t fall out of the top ten picks.
We all know the RB talent that has emerged out of Georgia in recent years and Swift is the latest off the conveyor belt. He’s a dynamic player, who will make defenders miss, but he also shows great patience and can catch the ball out of the backfield with little problems. He caught 73 balls in his time at Georgia.
I’m interested to see what kind of offense he lands in. I would have loved him in Houston or Arizona, but those dreams are all but done. It’s most likely to see him in a Dolphins uniform where he initially shares the backfield touches with Jordan Howard in the same way that Miles Sanders did last season.
1.05 – CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Five picks into and the first WR is off the board! CeeDee is the total package at wideout, bringing a full arsenal of traits to the table. Lamb can stretch the field and win deep, he can also create separation in the short to intermediate and still take it to the house due to his RAC ability. On top of it all, his strong hands and body control allows him to win in contested catch situations
CeeDee Lamb also has good metrics to back up his tape. This is where he separates himself from the other top WR on many people’s boards, Jerry Jeudy. During Lamb’s time in Oklahoma he commanded a significantly larger share of the receiving production than Jeudy did while at Alabama. While Lamb and Jeudy both have great film, Lamb has one of the better analytical profiles in the 2020 class, giving him the edge.
When you evaluate Lamb’s film and metrics while also considering Lamb is most certainly a first round pick come April 23rd, Lamb becomes the safest WR pick in the 2020 class. You don’t want to swing and miss in the first round of your rookie draft, and for that reason, CeeDee Lamb earns the top WR spot at the 1.05.
1.06 – J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State
The #6 spot is a sweet pick in superflex leagues this year. As long as Burrow and Tua or Herbert (mostly Tua but could change after the draft if he falls really far) go in the top 5, which it’s been standard for them to go top 3, then you’re guaranteed the pick of the litter from either of my top 2 running backs or receivers. With WR Ceedee Lamb off the board, picking J.K. Dobbins was as easy as could be. He’s my RB2 in this class behind D’Andre Swift and he could easily be in the best landing spot after the draft and push for that number one spot.
Dobbins’ receiving skills are a little suspicious from what I’ve seen from him, but his power, burst, vision, and agility will make him a workhorse at the next level as he wears down defenses every time they try to tackle him. His ability in pass protection will allow whoever drafts him to keep him on the field all three downs. He could easily have the highest floor of all running backs in this draft.
1.07 –Cam Akers, WR, Florida State
Cam Akers is probably ranked somewhere between #4-6 on anybody’s draft board but he’s the kind of back who could easily be the best in his class. He tested well at the NFL Combine, running a 4.46-sec. 40-yard dash and scored in the 89th percentile for speed score.
Akers excelled behind one of the worst offensive lines in college football. FSU’s line ranked 129 out 130 offensive lines according to PFF. Akers carries the ball 231 times for 1,144 yards and 14 touchdowns behind that line. He appears to be as situation proof as it gets.
Landing spot definitely matters but maybe less for Akers?
1.08 – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
As the draft started to get closer to my pick, I saw the chance that I would have to choose between a running back like Cam Akers or Clyde Edwards-Helaire, or a wideout like Jerry Jeudy. In dynasty, I seem to find myself leaning more towards wide receivers over running backs due to the longevity of their impact on my team. To see Jeudy still available at 1.08 felt like a win. The 6’1” All-conference wideout has the potential to be a pro-bowl wide receiver for years to come.
Picking out of the 8th spot in a 12-team league means my team is pretty solid and definitely a contender. I wanted to draft a player that has the upside to contribute from day one and likely wouldn’t need much time to develop. Jeudy’s 4.45-sec. 40-yard speed and the propensity of finding the end zone (24 touchdowns in his last 28 games) makes him a candidate to start in a flex spot on Week 1. His resume is pretty stacked, he had back to back 1,000+ yard seasons and was a Biletnikoff Award winner in his sophomore year. I’m a sucker for wideouts with crisp route running and speed, and Jeudy checks off both of those boxes.
1.09 – Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
Carl Churchill – @RookieWhisper
If you follow me on Twitter you know Jalen Reagor is my biggest 2020 Draft crush, so picking him here was a no brainer for me. Depending on his landing spot, Reagor could be my WR1 in the class, so taking him as the third WR off the board felt good. Reagor combines a great analytical profile with strong traits on the tape and plus athleticism. This makes him the total package in my opinion.
The TCU standout dropped some weight since the NFL Combine and vastly improved on his combine performance at a recent “virtual pro day”.
It is hard to believe 4.22 and 4.28 are legit 40-yard times, but with a liberal time adjust, 4.35-sec. seems more accurate. I now expect a team to fall in love with Reagor’s speed and be locked into the first round of the NFL Draft come April 23rd. There are a handful of first-round landing spots I believe to be realistic and favorable for Jalen Reagor, Raiders at 19, Eagles at 21, Vikings at 22, Saints at 24, and Packers at 30.
There were two other players I would have been excited to take here and them being Cam Akers and Justin Jefferson. With Akers off the board and Reagor currently higher in my rankings, I went Jalen Reagor at the 1.09 spot.
1.10 – Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
Considering I’ve seen Herbert go in the top half of rookie drafts pretty consistently, this pick was a no-brainer. I try to approach these mock drafts from the perspective of a person with that pick. In this case, I’m drafting at the 1.10, so my team came in third. I was one win away from the championship game. Obviously, in this scenario, I have no idea what I’m missing. However, the value of a projected starting quarterback in a superflex league is undeniable. A few weeks into the season, he will either be a usable piece in a flex spot, or a trade piece to a team that inevitably loses a starter. Herbert has the tools to be a solid pro, and we should see if his arm talent and athleticism translate relatively early.
1.11 – Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU
Billy Beaman – @WillieBeamanDFF
I have a love affair with CEH and am more than happy to take him late in the first round. Joe Burrow called him the best player he’s ever played with. He averaged over 6.5 yards per carry and finished with 55 receptions in 2019. He’s an exceptional pass catcher and has incredible game speed. Many have compared his game to Devonta Freeman and Ray Rice.
Edwards-Helaire is going to be a PPR machine. He’s expected to go on day two of the NFL Draft, likely in the second round, but a team could reach for him in the first round. His value would skyrocket if that occurred. Some exciting landing spots would be the Atlanta Falcons or Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
1.12 – Zack Moss, RB, Utah
If you’re picking at #12, congratulations on your championship! This mindset factored into the decision for me to choose Moss. Moss is my RB4 and grabbing him at 1.12 to add to a “championship squad” was a no brainer. A three-year starter at Utah, all Moss did was stock apples and potatoes working in the PRODUCE section. His per game average was 125 scrimmage yards and 1TD. The way he ran at Utah always reminded me of Kareem Hunt. The metrics seem to say the same.
Moss
Hunt
The only players left on my first round board here were Moss, Jefferson, and Hurts. I grabbed the RB as this draft is loaded at WR and I might be able to luck into Jalen Hurts falling to 2.12, right?
