These 2020 rookies are ranked for long-term dynasty purposes based on talent, coaching, supporting cast, and other factors. To get their outlook for 2020 alone, view our site projections, available in early May.
Remember to download Greg Cosell’s 2020 NFL Draft Guide for detailed breakdowns on the skill sets of many of these prospects.
1. C.J. Henderson (Jax, 1st round, 9th overall from Florida)
Henderson has some big shoes to fill. Like, Shaq-sized shoes. He’s stepping into a cornerback room that last year held two of the best corners in the league, in Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. And while the Jags are going through a defensive transition (switching to a 3-4 base D), Henderson has proven his worth in press man, off man, and zone, and can play tackle and blitz. He’s NFL-ready. Now, it’s a matter of how much they use him in zone and in the run game. We think it will be enough to put up a solid tackle floor and particularly early in his career, he should be in a position to put up big play numbers as he is challenged. He’s got Rookie Corner production written in Black and Teal.
2. Jeremy Chinn (Car, 2nd round, 64th overall from Southern Illinois)
Talent and opportunity. That’s the magic formula, and Chinn might have landed in the spot with the most opportunity. Last season, Carolina supplemented Luke Kuechly’s supreme skills with Eric Reid as his clean up man. Reid responded with 130 tackles. Chinn played about every secondary position during his time in Southern Illinois and excelled at the LB/S hybrid role Reid played last season. Carolina obviously liked what they saw for their defense, as they traded up to get him.
Chinn isn’t as polished as some of the other top-end safeties, so there’s a chance he starts the season in sub-packages only, but in that division that would still put him on the field a ton. He also projects long term to be a multi-use weapon for DC Phil Snow.
3. Xavier McKinney (NYG, 2nd Round, 36th overall from Alabama)
McKinney is one of the top safeties featured in this year’s Draft. He can play multiple positions and has the competitive mindset needed to be a difference-maker in the run game. If there’s an area McKinney could get exposed, it would be as a deep sideline-to-sideline safety. McKinney doesn’t possess the rangy speed to be an NFL center fielder.
That’s just fine for IDP purposes. The Giants are likely to use him mostly in the run game and to cover RBs and TEs in the slot. He’s also an excellent option for the LB/S dime position. Expect to see him lined up beside LB Blake Martinez often. McKinney has DB1 upside if that’s indeed the role the Giants put him in.
4. A.J. Terrell (Atl, 1st round, 16th overall from Clemson)
Terrell enters into one of the most dangerous divisions in the league. QBs Tom Brady and Drew Brees must be licking their chops knowing they’ve got a rookie corner to torment. Terrell has long arms and pulled down his fair share of INTs and PD in college. Terrell could be that complete package for fantasy: tackles, PD, and INTs. He’ll certainly get his fair share of opportunities to prove that.
5. Jeffrey Okudah (Det, 1st round, 3rd overall from Ohio State)
Okudah was the consensus #1 CB in the Draft, and that bore out as defensive-minded Matt Patricia grabbed him at #3 overall. The Lions just lost their top corner Darius Slay and were wise to replace him. Okudah performed at an elite level in both man and zone, so there are no weaknesses to his game in terms of scheme flexibility. That gives Patricia no worries about staying unpredictable as a defense.
Our main concern with Okudah is that he’s too good. Elite CBs usually have at best one fantasy-relevant season. After that, if they do their job and shut down receivers they don’t get tested enough to put up a reliable tackle floor. But that first year or two could be glorious.
6. Damon Arnette (Oak, 1st round, 19th overall from Ohio State)
Arnette is an intriguing prospect. I’m not sure many teams had a 1st-round grade for Arnette, but his production and lack of a major weakness also can’t be ignored. He’s a physical corner who isn’t particularly smooth but can disrupt at the line of scrimmage.
Since he won’t pose much of a threat in an opposing QB’s eyes, he’ll be targeted plenty. Arnette needs to toe that line of being good enough to keep a full-time job, but bad enough that he produces enough tackles and PD to be fantasy relevant.
7. Trevon Diggs (Dal, 2nd round, 51st overall from Alabama)
Diggs was one of the bigger steals of the draft, as he was the 6th CB to come off the board, but he was considered a 1st-round prospect. Diggs should immediately take over for Byron Jones, and with the Cowboys reportedly experimenting with moving Chidobe Awuzie to safety, there’s plenty of snaps available for Diggs to make an immediate impact.
8. Antoine Winfield, Jr. (TB, 2nd round, 45th overall from Minnesota)
Winfield has the makings of an NFL deep safety. His understanding of the game and ball skills made him a star in college, and those traits will serve him well in Tampa. The Bucs have a few good safeties in Justin Evans and Jordan Whitehead, but neither have excelled as the last line of defense. That’s Winfield’s specialty. GM Jason Licht said they expected him to play in nickel packages, and that would be the deep safety of the three Big Nickel safety spots. That’s often not a productive role, except Winfield’s got Earl Thomas-lite big-play upside. If either Evans or Whitehead continues their struggles to stay healthy, Winfield could see more playing time, and his fantasy value could rise. But for now, he’s likely a year or two away from being a major contributor.
9. Grant Delpit (Cle, 2nd round, 44th overall from LSU)
Delpit offers Cleveland a ton of flexibility in the secondary. They should use Delpit or Karl Joseph in the box a ton, but our money is on Joseph. Delpit’s biggest weakness is tackling. And that’s going to translate well to hanging around the box. They like Delpit’s coverage skills in the slot and against TEs, but they plan to use him all over the field. It’s too early to tell whether Delpit will settle into a consistent role yet, but until/unless he gets his run defense up to par, we see him as a DB3.
10. Jeff Gladney (Min, 1st round, 31st overall from TCU)
Gladney was the last corner to be selected in the 1st round, as Minnesota was desperate to replenish its once-dominant CB room. After Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, and Mackenize Alexander left, the Vikings knew their 1st pick was likely a corner, and Gladney should be a good fit for them. He landed in a great spot and should be a Week One starter for Minny. Gladney is tough and fast but undersized for a true LCB. At worst, he's a high-level slot, but it’s likely he plays outside and sticks there.
