Five quarterbacks land in the top six: The 2020 quarterback class was legendary, featuring Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Jordan Love and Tua Tagovailoa.
Justin Jefferson joins the Lions: Arguably the game’s best receiver goes off the board to the Lions at No. 3.
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Estimated Reading Time: 14 minutes
The NFL draft is a crapshoot.
While NFL teams do their best to forecast which prospects will translate best to the next level, the reality is that franchises rarely get a pick exactly right.
But what would a draft look like if teams had the benefit of hindsight? PFF has world-class data for every player on every play in every NFL game, dating back to the 2006 season. Knowing what we know now, here is how the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft could have looked.
Any trades made during the original draft were reversed, while trades made before the draft were kept in place.
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1. Cincinnati Bengals: QB Joe Burrow, LSU (Round 1, Pick 1)
Original Pick: QB Joe Burrow, LSU
The 2020 NFL Draft amazingly produced five of the 10 highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL: Joe Burrow, Jordan Love, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts. The Cincinnati Bengals ended up selecting Burrow with the top pick in that draft and have no regrets.
Burrow’s 94.1 PFF passing grade since getting drafted is the highest in the NFL, and he’s been the most valuable player in two of the past three seasons, according to PFF’s Wins Above Replacement metric.
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2. Washington Commanders: QB Justin Herbert, Oregon (Round 1, Pick 6)
Original Pick: EDGE Chase Young, Ohio State
Though he hasn’t found playoff success quite yet, Herbert has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL since he was drafted. Over the past five seasons, he has recorded a 91.2 PFF passing grade, which ranks him sixth in the NFL. His 15.07 PFF Wins Above Replacement in that span also ranks fourth — behind Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen.
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3. Detroit Lions: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU (Round 1, Pick 22)
Original Pick: CB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
The Lions badly needed help at wide receiver in 2020, with none of their wideouts posting even a 75.0 PFF overall grade that season. Detroit is able to nab arguably the best receiver in football here in Jefferson.
His 7,432 receiving yards in his first five seasons are 648 more than any other receiver in NFL history. Jefferson’s 93.6 PFF overall grade since he was drafted is also the best of any receiver in the league.
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4. New York Giants: QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma (Round 2, Pick 53)
Original Pick: T Andrew Thomas, Georgia
Hurts has turned into one of the best dual-threat players in the game, culminating in his Super Bowl victory at the end of the 2024 season. Over the past three years, he has earned a fifth-ranked 91.1 PFF overall grade. During that same span, including postseason play, Hurt leads all players with 52 rushing touchdowns.
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5. Miami Dolphins: QB Jordan Love, Utah State (Round 1, Pick 26)
Original Pick: QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
With Tagovailoa having suffered multiple serious concussions in his career, the Dolphins instead pick Love in this redraft. Since becoming Green Bay’s full-time starter in 2023, Love ranks eighth in big-time throws (50).
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6. Los Angeles Chargers: QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama (Round 1, Pick 5)
Original Pick: QB Justin Herbert, Oregon
When healthy, Tagovailoa has proven to be a very capable starting quarterback. His first couple of seasons were rocky, but over the past three years, he has posted an 87.2 PFF passing grade, which ranks sixth among qualified quarterbacks. That includes an outstanding 2023 in which he led the NFL with an 88.6 PFF passing grade.
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7. Carolina Panthers: T Tristan Wirfs, Iowa (Round 1, Pick 13)
Original Pick: DI Derrick Brown, Auburn
2020 was Russell Okung's final season in Carolina, so the Panthers find their left tackle of the future here in Wirfs. He’s been the second-most-valuable tackle in the league since being drafted, trailing only Trent Williams in PFF WAR. Wirfs has also been one of the 10 highest-graded tackles in every season of his career, despite moving to left tackle from right tackle in 2024.
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8. Arizona Cardinals: WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma (Round 1, Pick 17)
Original Pick: LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Lamb certainly wouldn’t fall as far as he did in 2020 in a redraft. His slide ends here. Since the start of 2020, Lamb ranks eighth among qualified wide receivers with a 91.6 PFF receiving grade. He is also tied with Terry McLaurin for sixth in the league with a 1.99 PFF WAR mark over that stretch.
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9. Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Jaylon Johnson, Utah (Round 2, Pick 50)
Original Pick: CB C.J. Henderson, Florida
Henderson ultimately lasted 10 games in Jacksonville before getting traded. The Jaguars instead draft a top-five cornerback in the league in Johnson, the third-most-valuable cornerback in the NFL over the past two seasons, according to PFF’s WAR metric.
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10. Cleveland Browns: S Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota (Round 2, Pick 45)
Original Pick: T Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama
Winfield has been one of the premier safeties in the NFL for the majority of his career. From 2021 to 2023, he was the highest-graded safety in the league. He is the rare player who can affect games in coverage, as a run defender and as a pass rusher. He should be able to bounce back from a career-worst season in 2024.
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11. New York Jets: WR Tee Higgins, Clemson (Round 2, Pick 33)
Original Pick: G Mekhi Becton, Louisville
The Jets logged the second-worst PFF receiving grade in the NFL in 2020, so they scoop up one of the league’s 15 best receivers here in Higgins. Since entering the league, he ranks in the top five at the position in contested catches (71). Higgins’ 88.2 PFF overall grade this past season placed him sixth among all receivers.
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12. Las Vegas Raiders: WR Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State (Round 1, Pick 25)
Original Pick: WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Prior to suffering a knee injury in 2024, Aiyuk had been a consistent playmaker for San Francisco. He has earned at least a 74.0 PFF receiving grade in each of his five seasons. That includes his elite 91.7 mark in 2023, which placed him second that season, behind only Tyreek Hill.
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13. San Francisco 49ers: S Xavier McKinney, Alabama (Round 2, Pick 36)
Original Pick: T Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
The 49ers had one solid safety at the time, Jimmie Ward, but needed help at the other spot. McKinney is currently the second-best safety in the league after recording eight interceptions (most) and posting a 90.2 PFF coverage grade (second best) this past season.
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14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Round 2, Pick 41)
Original Pick: DI Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
Tampa Bay was desperate for rushing help heading into the 2020 season, and Jonathan Taylor could’ve been a solution. Taylor burst onto the scene in his first two seasons, placing second — behind Derrick Henry — in PFF rushing grade and yards. According to PFF WAR, Taylor has been the eighth-most-valuable running back in the NFL over the past five seasons.
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15. Denver Broncos: G Mike Onwenu, Michigan (Round 6, Pick 182)
Original Pick: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Onwenu has been a versatile offensive lineman throughout his career, logging more than 1,900 snaps at both right guard and right tackle. Even though he’s shuffled back and forth from guard to tackle, he still has an 81.9 PFF overall grade for his career. Onwenu will help a Broncos offensive line that earned the fifth-worst PFF run-blocking grade and the 11th-worst PFF pass-blocking grade in 2020.
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16. Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Alex Highsmith, Charlotte (Round 3, Pick 102)
Original Pick: CB A.J. Terrell, Clemson
Long overshadowed by superstars T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward, Highsmith has quietly developed into one of the league’s best pass rushers. Over the past two seasons, Highsmith ranks ninth among edge defenders in PFF WAR, seventh in PFF overall grade and eighth in PFF pass-rush grade.
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17. Dallas Cowboys: CB A.J. Terrell, Clemson (Round 1, Pick 16)
Original Pick: WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
The Cowboys recorded the league’s sixth-worst PFF coverage grade in 2020, and now they look to alleviate that problem by drafting Terrell. He is the most valuable cornerback from the 2020 class, according to PFF’s WAR metric, and ranked second in PFF overall grade (82.6) in 2021 among cornerbacks.
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18. Miami Dolphins: WR Michael Pittman Jr., USC (Round 2, Pick 34)
Original Pick: T Austin Jackson, USC
Pittman has been a consistently reliable target, despite the Colts’ ever-turbulent quarterback situation. He’s posted at least a 70.0 PFF receiving grade in each of the past four seasons. His 63 contested catches since 2021 rank second among wide receivers, behind Terry McLaurin.
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19. Las Vegas Raiders: CB L'Jarius Sneed, Louisiana Tech (Round 4, Pick 138)
Original Pick: CB Damon Arnette, Ohio State
Arnette flamed out quickly in Las Vegas, playing in just 13 games before getting released. The Raiders instead select Sneed in this redraft. Though he played just five games this past season with the Titans due to a quadriceps injury, he was one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL with the Chiefs. Across 2022 and 2023, Seneed was the fifth-most-valuable cornerback, according to PFF WAR.
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20. Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Chase Young, Ohio State (Round 1, Pick 2)
Original Pick: EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU
Young’s career hasn’t fully gone as planned, but he has still developed into a solid pass rusher when healthy. His rookie season was terrific, as he ranked fifth among qualified edge defenders with an 87.1 PFF overall grade. His 132 pressures over the past two regular seasons are the 11th most at the position.
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21. Philadelphia Eagles: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama (Round 1, Pick 15)
Original Pick: WR Jalen Reagor, TCU
Reagor was infamously selected one pick earlier than Justin Jefferson and lasted only two years in Philadelphia before ironically getting traded to the Vikings. The Eagles instead select Jeudy, who has become a very solid receiver. He tallied a career-best 1,229 receiving yards this past season with the Browns and racked up the eighth-most targets in the NFL (142).
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22. Minnesota Vikings: EDGE Jonathan Greenard, Florida (Round 3, Pick 90)
Original Pick: WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
Greenard developed as a part-time pass rusher in Houston before breaking out as a starter in Minnesota last season. He has recorded at least a 76.7 PFF overall grade in three of the past four seasons. His 84 total pressures last season, playoffs included, were the second most among edge defenders, behind Rams rookie sensation Jared Verse.
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23. New England Patriots: DI Derrick Brown, Auburn (Round 1, Pick 7)
Original Pick: LB Kenneth Murray Jr., Oklahoma
None of New England’s defensive tackles in 2020 placed even in the top 32 by PFF overall grade. Brown would solve that issue as a current top-10 interior defender in the NFL. He played just one game last year due to a meniscus injury but ranked second in the league in 2023 with a 90.0 PFF run-defense grade.
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24. New Orleans Saints: G Kevin Dotson, Louisiana (Round 4, Pick 135)
Original Pick: G Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
The Saints were in the market for offensive line help in 2020, and Kevin Dotson may have been the right candidate. His statistical profile is a bit odd, but effective nonetheless. From 2020 to 2022 in Pittsburgh, Dotson recorded an 82.2 PFF pass-blocking grade, which ranked fourth among all guards. Over the past two seasons, his dominance on the ground in Los Angeles has led to an 88.6 PFF run-blocking grade, which ranks third among qualified guards.
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25. Minnesota Vikings: CB Trevon Diggs, Alabama (Round 2, Pick 51)
Original Pick: WR Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State
The Vikings have had issues at cornerback for years now. While Diggs has been a rollercoaster in the NFL, his highs are high. He led the league with 11 interceptions in 2021 and is the fourth-most-valuable cornerback from the 2020 class, according to PFF WAR.
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26. Miami Dolphins: G Robert Hunt, Louisiana (Round 2, Pick 39)
Original Pick: QB Jordan Love, Utah State
Hunt has been a solid starter for four years in Miami and one in Carolina so far. He has earned at least a 66.0 PFF overall grade in each of his five campaigns. His final stanza in Miami was his best, as he logged a career-high 73.7 PFF run-blocking grade and allowed just one sack across 376 pass-blocking snaps.
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27. Seattle Seahawks: T Andrew Thomas, Georgia (Round 1, Pick 4)
Original Pick: LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech
The Seahawks could use as much help as they can get on their offensive line. Thomas has played only 16 combined games over the past two seasons due to injury but was one of the game’s best tackles during his last fully healthy season in 2022. That year, his 90.3 PFF overall grade ranked third among all offensive tackles in the NFL.
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28. Baltimore Ravens: WR Darnell Mooney, Tulane (Round 5, Pick 173)
Original Pick: LB Patrick Queen, LSU
The former fifth-round pick has carved out a nice role for himself as a complementary receiver. His 2021 season still stands as his best, as he earned a 74.9 PFF receiving grade and recorded his only 1,000-yard season. After a couple of down seasons, Mooney was rejuvenated last year to the tune of a 74.6 PFF receiving grade.
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29. Tennessee Titans: DI Nnamdi Madubuike, Texas A&M (Round 3, Pick 71)
Original Pick: T Isaiah Wilson, Georgia
The Titans had a star defensive tackle in Jeffery Simmons at the time but would need someone to start alongside him since DaQuan Jones departed the team after the 2020 season. Madubuike has become a top-15 interior defender and ranked fourth among all defensive tackles in 2023 in quarterback pressures (65).
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30. Green Bay Packers: LB Logan Wilson, Wyoming (Round 3, Pick 65)
Original Pick: CB Noah Igbinoghene, Auburn
Wilson has been one of the few constants in the Bengals’ defense over the past five seasons. He’s developed into a solid starter, earning a 73.1 PFF overall grade over the past three seasons. That includes his 2024 campaign, in which he recorded an elite 90.0 PFF run-defense grade that ranked fifth among qualified linebackers.
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31. San Francisco 49ers: G Damien Lewis, LSU (Round 3, Pick 69)
Original Pick: CB Jeff Gladney, TCU
The 49ers had one star guard in Laken Tomlinson but needed help opposite him, especially considering Tomlinson departed the team after the 2021 season. Lewis is currently a top-15 guard in the league and has been one of the NFL's 15 highest-graded guards in three of his first five seasons.
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32. Kansas City Chiefs: S Kamren Curl, Arkansas (Round 7, Pick 216)
Original Pick: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU
Curl is one of the most underrated safeties in the NFL. Across four seasons in Washington and one in Los Angeles, he has earned a 78.3 PFF overall grade, which ranks him among the top 25 qualified safeties in the NFL. His durability is also a major asset, as he’s played exactly 2,200 snaps over the past two seasons, the eighth most at the position.