Best and worst picks from the 1st round of the 2020 NFL draft

2020 NFL Draft Busts

The 2020 NFL draft resumes Friday evening after a relatively drama-free first round that included three quarterbacks, one running back and six wide receivers. It was a big night for fantasy football players, to say the least.

But this isn’t fantasy football, and there were a handful of teams who failed to take advantage of their first-round opportunity.

It wasn’t all bad, however. Here’s a breakdown of the best and worst picks of Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Best Picks

Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Round 1, Pick 5

-Miami’s first-round haul wasn’t a resounding success (see below), but it doesn’t really matter. The only selection that fans should care about is Tagovailoa, who before suffering a devastating hip injury in November was jockeying with Joe Burrow to be the first pick overall.

RELATED: Grades for every 2020 NFL Draft first-round pick

The Dolphins secured a franchise quarterback who will lead the franchise for the next decade, assuming he stays healthy. Tua is a winner who possesses the arm talent needed to succeed at a high level in the NFL. He’s going to win a lot of games.

Panthers: Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn
Round 1, Pick 7

-There was some speculation that the Panthers would look to replace Luke Kuechly with another freakishly talented linebacker, Isaiah Simmons, with this pick, but they made the right decision by selecting Brown. Aside from Chase Young, Brown has the potential to be the most dominant defender in this year’s class.

Cowboys: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Round 1, Pick 17

-Did the Cowboys absolutely need to go wide receiver in the first round? No. But Lamb is one of the best players in this year’s draft and when paired with Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas has the potential to field a special offense. It makes sense to keep investing in Dak Prescott, who owner Jerry Jones is about to break that bank to secure on a long-term contract. With Lamb in the fold, the Cowboys have the firepower to compete with high-flying offenses like the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ravens: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
Round 1, Pick 28

-Queen should’ve come off the board a few picks earlier. The Ravens will benefit from his mini slide. A plug-and-play starter with top-tier range and instincts, Queen brings a winning character to a locker room that’s already overflowing with players who have the Super Bowl on their mind. Queen will be a decade-long starter with a few Pro Bowls on his resume before his career is over.

Worst Picks

Dolphins: Austin Jackson, OT, USC
Round 1, Pick 18

-Arguably the worst pick of the first round, the Dolphins reached on Jackson, who few if any draft analysts had pegged as a first-round pick. Miami would’ve been better served adding to their pass rush with LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson, who came off the board two picks later (Jaguars). If the Dolphins think Jackson has starting upside in 2020, they’re setting up for disappointment.

Saints: Cesar Ruiz, OL, Michigan
Round 1, Pick 24

-Ruiz is a stud. There’s no denying that. He’ll be a starter in the NFL for a long time, too. But the Saints need help on defense, and Patrick Queen was still on the board. Sure, Ruiz will help maintain a clean pocket for Drew Brees in what’s shaping up to be his final season in the league, but will he be as big of a difference-maker as a guy like Queen could’ve been? I think the answer is pretty obvious.

Packers: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
Round 1, Pick 26

-The jury was out on whether Love deserved to be a first-round pick in this year’s draft, let alone a first-round pick for a team that already has a Hall-of-Fame quarterback on the roster. It’s a sound strategy to keep the quarterback room stocked with developmental talent, but with Rodgers’ championship window closing, Green Bay should’ve focused on giving him the weapons he needs to make a legitimate Super Bowl run in 2020. Love does nothing to help accomplish that goal.

Seahawks: Jordyn Brooks, LB, Texas Tech
Round 1, Pick 27

-The biggest curveball of Round 1 was tossed by the Seahawks, which has become a common occurrence in recent years. Brooks is a quality football player who will thrive in space, but if he was Seattle’s top target, they could’ve traded back and targeted him in the second round. Maybe Brooks justifies this pick by shooting gaps and disrupting plays in the backfield in 2020, but he’ll need a big season for this selection to make sense.

Bryan Perez

Bryan is the founder of Pro Football Draft. His work has been featured on The Draft Network, NBC Sports and USA Today. Former CFL scout.

Follow him on Twitter: @BryanPerezNFL