Some of the best overall players available in the 2020 NFL Draft are on the defensive side of the ball. Unfortunately for a lot of teams, there just isn't the overall depth on defense as there is on offense this year.
That could lead to some reaches among teams looking for defensive help. At the very least, it will mean the top defensive players are selected early.
Unlike some of the offensive positions, however, there is a little better depth on defense. It's not quite as bleak as it is on the offensive side, especially at tight end and on the interior offensive line, which aren't deep at all and lack top-end talent.
I'll give you the defensive rankings today as we continue to run up to the draft April 23-25. The offense came out earlier this weekend.
DEFENSIVE LINE
As long as passing games have been around and quarterbacks have thrown the ball down the field, defenders who can harass quarterbacks have been a necessity.
This year’s draft offers a nice group of players capable of doing that or stopping the run if that’s needed. The Steelers look for something a little different than many other teams. They want big, long defensive ends and shorter interior linemen. They had better be able to hold the point of attack.
1. Derrick Brown, Auburn (6-5, 322) -- Brown has elite size, speed and athleticism. He’ll be a star in the NFL.
2. Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina (6-5, 324) -- Like Brown, Kinlaw has everything you’d want in a dominant defensive player. He just needs to be more consistent.
3. Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State (6-5, 266) -- Gross-Matos is a true 4-3 defensive end who offers some bend off the edge. He's not athletic enough to play edge in a 3-4.
4. Ross Blacklock, TCU (6-3, 290) -- Blacklock has the size and athleticism to play end in a 3-4 or defensive tackle in a 4-3. He’s a better pass rusher than run stopper but is good at both.
5. A.J. Epenesa, Iowa (6-5, 275) -- Epenesa might be better off adding 20 pounds and playing defensive tackle. He’s a high-effort pass rusher but lacks overall athleticism off the edge.
6. Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M (6-3, 293) -- Madubuike wins with his speed and athleticism on the interior. He’s a true junior, so there’s still room for growth.
7. Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma (6-2, 304) -- Ran a 4.79 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine at 304 pounds. Gallimore is athletic but needs to tap into that on a more regular basis.
8. Jordan Elliott, Missouri (6-4, 302) -- Could play end or tackle depending on the scheme. But he offers pass rush ability at either spot.
9. Raekwon Davis, Alabama (6-6, 311) -- Davis had 8.5 sacks as a sophomore but only two combined in his final two seasons when he got more attention. Still, his size is intriguing.
10. Marlon Davidson, Auburn (6-3, 303) -- Brown drew a lot of the attention at Auburn, allowing Davidson to put together four productive seasons. Davidson is a solid player in his own right.
EDGE RUSHERS
This is a strange classification because it can include 4-3 defensive ends or 3-4 outside linebackers. For our purposes, we will largely look at the 3-4 outside linebackers.
And beyond the top player, Ohio State’s Chase Young, it’s somewhat bleak, with a massive dropoff.
1. Chase Young, Ohio State (6-5, 264) -- Young is capable of playing in any scheme because of his outstanding athleticism. He’s a better prospect than the Bosa brothers.
2. Zach Baun, Wisconsin (6-2, 238) -- Is he an inside or outside linebacker? He can rush the passer (12.5 sacks in 2019), but he’s not the ideal size to do so and could get engulfed in the run game.
3. K’Lavon Chiasson, LSU (6-3, 254) -- His ranking is based more on projection than reality. His career-high for sacks came last season with 6.5. A hit-or-miss prospect with a high ceiling but could bust.
4. Julian Okwara, Notre Dame (6-4, 252) -- The dropoff from Young to Okwara is considerable. Okwara has ability but missed the second half of last season with a broken fibula.
5. Jabari Zuninga, Florida (6-3, 264) -- An explosive athlete who shows flashes but doesn’t do it on a consistent basis.
6. Trevis Gibson, Tulsa (6-3, 262) -- Gibson is a high-energy playmaker who forced six fumbles the past two seasons. He’s somewhat raw but has ability.
7. Josh Uche, Michigan (6-1, 245) -- A run-and-hit linebacker with coverage ability, Uche dropped into coverage as much as he rushed the passer at Michigan. More of a hybrid than a true edge rusher.
8. Jonathan Greenard, Florida (6-3, 263) -- Greenard is lacking in straight-line speed, but he does have an ability to bend on the edge that would work at outside linebacker.
9. Bradley Anae, Utah (6-3, 257) -- Anae wins with a good first step and uses his hands well, but he’s not quite the athlete needed to be an every-down 3-4 edge.
10. Terrell Lewis, Alabama (6-5, 262) -- Outstanding size and decent production at Alabama, but his injury history is a concern, especially in this draft.
LINEBACKERS
There are edge rushers and there are linebackers. And seldom are they similar prospects.
But in this year’s draft, there are some guys who could play inside or out, making them intriguing. But the biggest attribute for off-ball linebackers in today’s NFL is coverage ability. This is a good group for that.
1. Isaiah Simmons, Clemson (6-3, 238) -- Almost a hybrid cross between Chargers safety Derwin James and Steelers linebacker Devin Bush. Simmons can run and cover, while also bringing some pop.
2. Patrick Queen, LSU (6-0, 229) -- Not quite the prospect that Bush or Devin White was last season, Queen is still exactly what teams are looking for in terms of coverage and run-stopping ability.
3. Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma (6-2, 241) -- More of a classic inside linebacker, but with speed. Murray is a playmaker with surprising speed who does need to improve his instincts.
4. Malik Harrison, Ohio State (6-3, 247) -- Has good size, but more of a classic 4-3 linebacker who could slide inside in a 3-4. Offers a little bit of everything.
5. Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State (6-1, 224) -- Undersized speed linebacker who has good instincts. But he’ll be making a big jump up in competition.
6. Logan Wilson, Wyoming (6-2, 241) -- Classic inside linebacker who could eventually be a three-down player as his skills develop.
7. Troy Dye, Oregon (6-3, 231) -- A tall, rangy, instinctive defender who fills the stat boxes across the board. But his lack of bulk could hurt him in the NFL.
8. Davion Taylor, Colorado (6-0, 228) -- Built like a safety but plays like a linebacker. Also was a state champion sprinter in Mississippi.
9. Justin Strnad, Wake Forest (6-3, 238) -- Is athletic enough to have led Wake Forest in both special teams tackles and interceptions in the same season. Is coming off a torn biceps or he might be a little higher.
10. Evan Weaver, California (6-2, 237) -- An overachieving tackling machine, Weaver is the kind of player coaches love. He’s always in the right position.
CORNERBACKS
There are three positions that always wind up being overdrafted each year: Quarterback, offensive tackle and cornerbacks.
This year will be no different. But it is a deep cornerback class, if lacking in star power beyond top performer Jeff Okudah.
1. Jeff Okudah, Ohio State (6-1, 205) -- Blessed with size, speed and coverage ability, Okudah has it all and is easily the top corner in this draft.
2. C.J. Henderson, Florida (6-1, 204) -- Henderson is lightning fast and very good in coverage, but his lack of physicality keeps him a notch below Okudah.
3. Kristian Fulton, LSU (6-0, 197) -- Outstanding in coverage, Fulton allowed just a 40 percent completion rate against him the past two seasons.
4. Trevon Diggs, Alabama (6-1, 205) -- Another good-sized corner with ball skills. Diggs is the younger brother of now-Bills receiver Stefon Diggs.
5. Damon Arnette, Ohio State (6-0, 195) -- A physical corner who can play inside or out but lacks speed and might be better suited to play zone.
6. Jaylon Johnson, Utah (6-0, 193) -- Would be higher on this list but was scheduled to have surgery on a torn labrum after the combine that he played through in 2019. Given everything that happened soon thereafter, it’s unknown whether that occurred.
7. A.J. Terrell, Clemson (6-1, 195) -- Terrell can play solidly in press man coverage but does lose the ball in the air at times.
8. Jeff Gladney, TCU (5-10, 191) -- Aggressive corner who can play inside or out but lacks the size of some of the other top prospects.
9. Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State (6-2, 188) -- Long, lean corner who makes plays on the ball but is a little slower than ideal.
10. Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech (5-8, 187) -- The best slot corner in the draft, Robertson plays much bigger than his size. Also had 14 career interceptions. He’s a playmaker.
SAFETY
The Steelers’ first-round pick this year – Minkah Fitzpatrick – is a far better safety than anyone at the position in this draft.
But that doesn’t mean the draft doesn’t have players capable of helping a team early in their careers.
1. Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota (5-9, 203) -- One of the biggest reasons for Minnesota’s strong play in 2019, Winfield is the son of former the former Ohio State star of the same name. Had some injuries early in his career but put it all together in 2019.
2. Xavier McKinney, Alabama (6-0, 201) -- A do-it-all contributor for the Crimson Tide, McKinney played all over the defense, including the slot. But his lack of true top-end speed could hurt him in the NFL.
3. Grant Delpit, LSU (6-2, 213) -- A good-sized prospect who can match up against athletic tight ends and play the run well but will miss some tackles because he flies around too much.
4. Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois (6-3, 221) -- A small-school prospect with outstanding size and speed. Chinn’s combination of size and speed (4.45 40) is intriguing.
5. Ashtyn Davis, California (6-1, 202) -- A rangy deep safety who was a track star before walking on at Cal. Davis suffered a groin injury late in the season that kept him from running at the combine. Is it healed up or is it something that will linger?
6. K’von Wallace, Clemson (5-11, 206) -- Wallace has experience as both a safety and a big nickel and is solid in the box. But he’s strictly a strong safety.
7. Terrell Burgess, Utah (5-11, 202) -- Had an outstanding 2019 season, but that was his only season as a starter. Can also line up in the slot.
8. Kyle Duggar Lenoir-Rhyne (6-1, 217) -- A small-school prospect who tore up the combine. Dugger has talent but is raw. Also started just seven games in 2019 because of a hand injury.
9. Brandon Jones, Texas (5-11, 198) -- Played all over Texas’ defense, but probably best fits as a free safety, where he can use his excellent recovery speed best.
10. Julian Blackmon, Utah (6-0, 187) -- Blackmon began at cornerback – where he was an All-Pac-12 pick – but coverage issues forced him to safety. But he’s got ball skills, with nine interceptions the past three seasons.
Again, here were my offense rankings.
