Look, everyone knew the 2020 draft was going to be weird because of the world shutting down, but nobody expected it to be this impactful. We were all stuck at home, watching Roger Goodell announce names from his basement while wearing a sweater. It felt small. It felt quiet. Yet, when you look back at the 2020 NFL draft list, you realize we were witnessing one of the most concentrated injections of elite talent the league has seen in thirty years.
It changed everything.
Specifically, the quarterback class. Usually, if you get two franchise guys in one year, you’re doing backflips. In 2020? We got Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jordan Love. That is an absurd hit rate. Even the "misses" or the guys who took a minute to simmer have turned into fascinating case studies on coaching and environment. Honestly, the more you dig into the names called that April, the more you see how it set the stage for the current power structure of the AFC and NFC.
The Top of the Board: Burrow and the "Sure Things"
The Cincinnati Bengals didn't overthink it. Joe Burrow was the consensus number-one pick for a reason. Coming off arguably the greatest single season in college football history at LSU, he was the "safe" pick who actually turned out to be a superstar. People forget there were concerns about his "one-year wonder" status. Seriously. There were scouts wondering if he had the arm strength to cut through the wind in the AFC North.
He did.
Then you had Chase Young at number two to Washington. At the time, he was billed as a generational edge rusher, the next Julius Peppers. It’s been a rockier road for him due to injuries and trades, which just goes to show that even the most "perfect" prospects on a 2020 NFL draft list aren't immune to the chaos of the league.
Jeffrey Okudah went third to the Lions. Andrew Thomas went fourth to the Giants. Thomas is a cornerstone now, but man, those first twelve months were rough for him. He was getting beat regularly, and Giants fans were panicking. It’s a great reminder that offensive tackle is a brutal position to learn on the fly. He figured it out, though. He’s arguably the best pass protector from that entire first round today.
Justin Herbert and the Scouting Failure
If you want to talk about being wrong, let’s talk about Justin Herbert. A lot of the "draft experts" were low on him. They said he was too quiet. They said he didn't have the "it" factor at Oregon. They thought he’d be a project.
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The Chargers took him at six, mostly because Tua was gone and they needed a body.
What followed was one of the most prolific starts to a career in NFL history. Herbert stepped in because a team doctor accidentally punctured Tyrod Taylor's lung—you literally cannot make this stuff up—and he never looked back. He threw for 31 touchdowns as a rookie. It proved that sometimes the "traits" (size, arm talent, mobility) matter way more than whatever narrative people build in the media.
Speaking of Tua, the Dolphins took him at five. The "Tank for Tua" campaign was a real thing. His hip injury at Alabama was terrifying, and his pro career has been a rollercoaster of concussions and elite production under Mike McDaniel. It’s fascinating because Tua and Herbert will always be linked. One is the surgical, timing-based distributor; the other is the human highlight reel with a cannon for an arm.
Why the 2020 NFL Draft List Was Secretly the Year of the Wide Receiver
We need to talk about the receivers. It’s rare to see this much pass-catching talent in one go.
- Henry Ruggs III (Las Vegas Raiders, Pick 12)
- Jerry Jeudy (Denver Broncos, Pick 15)
- CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys, Pick 17)
- Jalen Reagor (Philadelphia Eagles, Pick 21)
- Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings, Pick 22)
- Brandon Aiyuk (San Francisco 49ers, Pick 25)
The biggest story here is obviously Justin Jefferson. The Eagles taking Jalen Reagor over Jefferson is the kind of move that keeps a fan base up at night. Jefferson didn't just meet expectations; he shattered them. He’s already putting up numbers that rival Randy Moss. When you look at the 2020 NFL draft list now, seeing Jefferson at 22 looks like a clerical error. How did 21 players go before him?
CeeDee Lamb has become the heartbeat of the Cowboys' offense. Brandon Aiyuk became a Second-Team All-Pro. Even guys like Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr., who went in the second round (picks 33 and 34), are legitimate WR1s for most teams.
It was a buffet of talent. If your team needed a receiver in 2020 and they missed, your GM deserves some side-eye.
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The Jordan Love Gamble
Green Bay. Pick 26.
The Packers traded up to get Jordan Love while they still had Aaron Rodgers. People lost their minds. Rodgers was coming off a "down" year, but he wasn't done. The move was widely panned as a waste of a first-round pick that could have been used to help Rodgers win another Super Bowl.
But look at where we are now.
Love sat. He learned. He waited three years. When he finally took the reins in 2023, he looked like a franchise cornerstone. It’s the last of a dying breed of developmental QB strategies. Most teams today force their rookies onto the field in Week 1. Green Bay treated Love like a fine wine, and it paid off. It’s one of the few entries on the 2020 NFL draft list that required extreme patience.
Deep Value: The Rounds Where Champions Are Made
The first round gets the headlines, but the middle rounds of 2020 were loaded with "glue guys" and stars.
Jonathan Taylor went 41st to the Colts. For a while there, he was the best running back in the league. Trevor Diggs went 51st to the Cowboys. He had 11 interceptions in a single season. Think about that.
Then you have Jalen Hurts.
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The Eagles taking Hurts in the second round (53rd overall) was arguably the most controversial pick of the entire draft. They had just given Carson Wentz a massive contract. The locker room was confused. The fans were livid. But the Eagles' front office, specifically Howie Roseman, believed in "QB Factory" philosophy. Hurts eventually took Wentz's job, led the team to a Super Bowl appearance, and became a finalist for MVP.
Further down the list:
- L'Jarius Sneed (Round 4, Pick 138) - Became a shutdown corner for the Chiefs' dynasty.
- Michael Onwenu (Round 6, Pick 182) - A massive steal for the Patriots on the offensive line.
- Tyler Biadasz (Round 4, Pick 146) - A Pro Bowl center for Dallas.
Lessons Learned from the Class of 2020
What can we actually take away from this?
First, the "Injury Discount" is a real thing. Tua Tagovailoa fell because of a hip. Jaylon Johnson (Bears, Round 2) fell because of shoulders. Both became elite players. If a player has top-five talent but an injury history, the teams that take the risk usually win big in the long run.
Second, environment matters more than we admit. Look at the difference between Justin Herbert's early success and the struggles of someone like Jeff Okudah in Detroit. Okudah was a great prospect, but injuries and a revolving door of coaches in Detroit killed his momentum.
Third, the 2020 NFL draft list proved that the wide receiver position has become the new "safe" bet in the first round. The league's transition to a pass-heavy, 11-personnel dominant style means these college kids are coming in more prepared than ever.
Actions to Take for Future Draft Analysis
If you're a fan trying to evaluate how your team is doing in current drafts, use 2020 as your benchmark.
- Check the 3-Year Window: You can't judge a draft until year three. In 2021, people thought Andrew Thomas was a bust. By 2023, he was an All-Pro.
- Value the Second Round: The 2020 second round produced Jalen Hurts, Jonathan Taylor, Tee Higgins, and Xavier McKinney. This is where the real roster building happens.
- Watch the "Waiting" Game: See how your team handles a "Jordan Love" situation. Does your team have the stability to let a young QB sit, or are they desperate? Desperation usually leads to failure.
The 2020 draft was a strange, virtual affair held in living rooms across America, but its impact is still being felt every Sunday. It was the year the "Next Generation" of quarterbacks and receivers truly took over the league.
Reflecting on these names isn't just about nostalgia; it’s about understanding how a single weekend can alter the trajectory of a billion-dollar franchise for a decade. Whether it was the Bengals hitting the jackpot with Burrow or the Eagles' chaotic but brilliant play for Hurts, the 2020 class remains a masterclass in risk, reward, and the sheer unpredictability of the NFL.