Let’s be real for a second. When we talk about the Chase Young draft class, most people immediately go to the hype. Remember that? The "Generational Talent" labels? The "Best Prospect Since Myles Garrett" headlines? It was 2020. The world was shutting down, we were all stuck on our couches, and the NFL Draft was basically the only live "event" left on the planet. Everyone was hyper-focused on that first round.
Chase Young was the crown jewel of that defensive group. He was the guy you built a franchise around, or at least that’s what the Washington Redskins (soon to be Football Team, soon to be Commanders—it's been a ride) thought. But looking back from 2026, the 2020 draft class is a weird, beautiful, and sometimes frustrating puzzle. It didn't just give us a star pass rusher who’s bounced around the league; it gave us the current kings of the wide receiver position and a quarterback shift that nobody actually saw coming.
The Expectations vs. The Reality of the Chase Young Draft Class
Chase Young went number two overall. It was a lock. Joe Burrow was going first to Cincy, and Young was the consolation prize that felt like a jackpot. He had that insane season at Ohio State—16.5 sacks in just 12 games. You don't see that often. He was big, he was fast, and he had that "predator" closing speed.
His rookie year? Electric.
He won Defensive Rookie of the Year. He was a Pro Bowler. He looked like the real deal. But then, the NFL happened. Injuries happened. Specifically, that ACL/patellar tendon tear in 2021 changed everything. It took the explosion away for a long time. While we were all waiting for Young to get back to his 2020 form, the rest of the Chase Young draft class started taking over the league in ways we didn't expect.
Think about the depth of that first round.
It Wasn't Just About the Defense
If you look at the top of the board, you see names that are now perennial All-Pros. Justin Jefferson went 22nd. Twenty-second! How? The Eagles took Jalen Reagor right before him. Vikings fans are still laughing about that one. Jefferson basically redefined what a rookie receiver could do, and he’s been the gold standard ever since.
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Then you’ve got the quarterbacks.
- Joe Burrow (1st overall): Took the Bengals to a Super Bowl.
- Tua Tagovailoa (5th overall): Became the focal point of the most explosive offense in Miami.
- Justin Herbert (6th overall): Broke almost every rookie passing record there was.
- Jordan Love (26th overall): Sat for years, and now he's the guy in Green Bay.
It’s honestly one of the best QB classes in the last twenty years. Even Jalen Hurts was in this class, falling to the second round. When people search for information on the Chase Young draft class, they usually focus on the "bust" narrative regarding some of the defenders, but the offensive output was historic.
The Defensive Stars That Actually Stayed Healthy
While Chase Young was battling back from surgery and eventually being traded to the 49ers (and later the Saints), other defensive players from that 2020 group were quietly—or loudly—becoming monsters.
Look at Maxx Crosby. Wait, no, he was 2019. My bad. Let's look at the actual 2020 guys.
A.J. Terrell went 16th to the Falcons. He’s been a shutdown corner when the rest of that defense was struggling. Trevon Diggs went in the second round to Dallas. Sure, he gambles, but the man had 11 interceptions in a single season. That’s playground stuff.
Then there’s Antoine Winfield Jr. He was a second-round pick. Now? He’s arguably the best safety in football and just got paid like it. It’s funny how the "can't-miss" guys at the top of the draft sometimes struggle with the weight of expectations, while the "undersized" guys in the late first or second round end up wearing the rings.
The Mid-Round Gems No One Remembers
Usually, drafts are won on Day 2 and Day 3.
Alex Highsmith was a third-rounder for the Steelers. He’s been a consistent double-digit sack guy.
Michael Onwenu was a sixth-round pick for the Patriots. He became one of the most versatile linemen in the league.
These are the guys who fill out a roster. The Chase Young draft class is littered with them. It wasn't just a top-heavy year; it was a year where scouts found value in the weirdest places, despite not having a normal scouting combine because of the pandemic.
Why Chase Young’s Career Path Matters for Future Drafts
Young is a cautionary tale, but not in the way you think. He’s not a "bust" because he can't play; he’s a "what if" because of the physical toll of the game. When he was traded from Washington to San Francisco in 2023 for a third-round compensatory pick, it was a shock. A former number two overall pick traded for a mid-round flyer?
It showed that NFL GMs are getting colder.
They don't care about where you were drafted three years ago. They care about what your knees look like today. Young’s journey—from the face of a franchise to a rotational piece on a contender, to a veteran leader on a new squad—is the reality for most players in the Chase Young draft class. The average NFL career is about three and a half years. Most of these guys are technically "old" by league standards now.
The Receiver Factory
We have to talk about the receivers again. It’s mandatory.
- CeeDee Lamb: A true WR1 in Dallas.
- Brandon Aiyuk: Developed into a route-running technician in San Francisco.
- Tee Higgins: The ultimate "1B" who would be a "1A" on half the teams in the league.
- Michael Pittman Jr.: The grit-and-grind possession guy in Indy.
Honestly, if you needed a pass catcher in 2020 and you missed, your GM probably shouldn't have a job. The sheer volume of talent was staggering. It changed how teams value the position in the draft. You see more teams willing to wait until the second round now because the 2020 class proved that the talent pool is deeper than we thought.
Addressing the "Bust" Labels in the 2020 Class
It’s easy to point fingers at the guys who didn't make it. Isaiah Wilson went 29th to the Titans. That was a disaster from day one. He played like four snaps and was out of the league. Jeff Okudah went 3rd overall to Detroit and never really found his footing there, though he’s tried to reinvent himself elsewhere.
But is it fair to call it a "weak" class? Absolutely not.
The Chase Young draft class is defined by its pivots. It’s the class that had to deal with the COVID-19 offseason. No preseason games as rookies. Virtual meetings. No locker room chemistry-building for months. The fact that Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert came out and played like Hall of Famers immediately is actually a miracle when you think about the circumstances.
What This Means for You Today
If you’re a fan, a card collector, or someone playing Dynasty fantasy football, the 2020 class is at a crossroads. These players are on their second or even third contracts.
Chase Young is still a name that carries weight. He’s still young enough to have a "second act" career. Think about Jadeveon Clowney—he never became the 20-sack guy everyone expected, but he became an elite run defender and a very useful piece for winning teams. That’s likely the path for Young.
Actionable Insights for NFL Fans:
- Stop scouting "potential" over production: The 2020 class showed that guys with elite college production (like Jefferson and Burrow) often transition faster than "traits" guys who need coaching.
- Value the second round: If your team needs a safety or a receiver, the second round is the sweet spot. The 2020 class proved you can find All-Pros like Winfield and Diggs outside the top 32.
- Watch the injury history: When a player has a "freak" injury like Young did, the recovery isn't just physical. It’s about the mental confidence to plant that leg and explode. Give these guys two full years before you write them off.
The Chase Young draft class will be remembered as the "Pandemic Class," but its legacy is much more than that. It’s the class that gave us the new face of the NFL at quarterback and the most explosive era of wide receiver play we’ve ever seen. Whether Chase Young ever returns to his All-Pro form or remains a "solid" veteran, his draft class has already left an indelible mark on the record books.
Look at the rosters of the final four teams in the playoffs last year. You’ll find 2020 draftees all over the starting lineups. That’s the real measure of a draft's success. It’s not about the one guy who went at the top; it’s about the fifty guys who are still starting six years later.
If you're tracking the value of these players, keep an eye on the guys entering their "prime" years (ages 26–28). For many in this class, that's right now. The narrative is still being written for Chase Young, but for the 2020 class as a whole, the verdict is already in: it was a home run for the league's offensive explosion.
Pay attention to the contract extensions happening this offseason. The 2020 guys who are getting that second "big" bag are the ones who survived the churn. They are the survivors of a very strange time in sports history, and they are currently the backbone of the NFL.
The Final Tally
When we look back in another five years, we won't be talking about the "Chase Young draft class" in terms of disappointment. We'll be talking about it as the year the passing game changed forever. We'll talk about Justin Jefferson's catches, Joe Burrow's toughness, and the fact that a kid from Ohio State once made us all believe a defensive end could be the biggest star in the world.
Success in the NFL isn't a straight line. Sometimes it's a jagged, messy curve that involves trades, injuries, and a whole lot of grit. That's the 2020 draft in a nutshell.
To understand the current NFL landscape, you have to understand where these guys came from. Check the 2020 Pro Bowl rosters and compare them to today. You'll see the staying power of this group. Whether you’re analyzing for a fantasy draft or just arguing with friends at a bar, remember that the 2020 class was deeper than any single headline.
Keep an eye on the waiver wires and the trade blocks. In 2026, these 2020 veterans are the "missing pieces" for Super Bowl contenders. They are the experienced leaders who know how to win, even if their journey started in an empty stadium during a global crisis.