Alex Shapiro of NBCSports.com on the proposed rule changes that will be voted on.  Only two from the Competion Committee and neither is a game-changer. The NFL has released proposed rule changes that will be up for a vote at next week’s virtual league meetings.   Most of the proposed rule changes involve kickoffs, clock management and replays.   The NFL’s competition committee submitted two rules proposals: One would expand protection to kick and punt returners who have possession of the ball but who have “not had time to avoid or ward off the impending contact of an opponent.” The second would prevent teams from “manipulating the game clock” by committing multiple penalties to stop the clock.   Several teams proposed new rules, as well.   One interesting idea from the Eagles would give teams another option to retain possession after a score, instead of an onside kick. They propose giving teams who are trailing in the game an opportunity to go for a 4th-and-15 play from their own 25-yard line to maintain possession.   The Eagles also want to permanently expand automatic replays for any “scoring plays and turnovers negated by a foul, and any successful or unsuccessful Try attempt.”   Both the Ravens and the Chargers proposed adding a “booth umpire” as an eighth official to the refereeing crew. Both teams also suggested adding a “Senior Technology Advisor to the Referee” to assist the officiating crew.   The Dolphins also proposed a rule that would give the defense the option to restart the game clock on the referee’s whistle if the defense declines a penalty “that occurs late in either half.”   To put any of these rules in place, 75 percent– or 24– of the NFL owners must vote in favor of the rule change. More from Peter King – first on the failure of pass interference replay: On Friday, when speaking to Troy Vincent about rules, he lumped in last year’s failure of the pass-interference with the Sky Judge proposal.   “We cannot fail this year,” Vincent told me. “We saw, a year ago, when [the pass-interference rule] played out, starting with myself, what we put in place last year . . . Those outcomes were not good for professional football. Because we didn’t do the proper due diligence, it played out publicly. The last thing people should be talking about is the way the game is officiated. They [officials] should be faceless objects, managing and facilitating game flow.   “We failed. I’m first in line. I shared that [with league officials]. I failed, as the leader of that department. I failed. We cannot allow that to happen again. What did we learn from that? We’ve got to do our due diligence. You can’t rush and just shove something in there without knowing all the consequences. And we found that out last year, live and in action, publicly.   “We didn’t do [our due diligence] last year, and we failed, and we failed miserably.”   Well good. Someone takes responsibility for last year’s officiating debacle. So now onto this year.   The Sky Judge. The coaches have been overwhelmingly in favor of an extra set of eyes in the booth, to call down and alert the referee if the officials on the field missed an obvious foul, or called one obviously wrong—or to get a boundary or goal-line call right. On the surface, it’s a good idea. But in calling around over the past few days, I hear the phrase “unintended consequences” over and over. It is said that on half of the plays in an NFL game, an independent set of eyes, watching keenly, could find an infraction, or an infraction to fix, on 30 or 40 percent of the plays. A defender lined up in the neutral zone; a receiver who should be on the line of scrimmage is a yard off; illegal hands to the face on a player across the field from the action and not involved in the play; a jersey grab downfield on a cornerback away from the play. So should the so-called sky judge have a conscience on what to flag and what not to flag?   “My biggest concern,” said one longtime club executive, “is how often the both official and the ref on the field will be in contact, or have conferences. Maybe they could establish a work-flow so the guy upstairs could be talking to the ref as soon as the play is over and alert him he might have something. But the guy upstairs would need to be an experienced official, I would think, or he’d be stopping the game a lot more than the players and coaches would like.”   “The concept of the eighth man in the booth has some merit,” Vincent said. “But we just don’t have the pipeline [of officials] today. Can we get there? Yes. But today, it could be a challenge.”   We’d be naïve to think some of this doesn’t happen already between a replay official and the referee on the field. It could be as simple as the replay official saying to the referee: “Maybe you should ask your guys if someone definitely saw the ball cross the plane of the goal line. Up here, I don‘t see it.” That’s not supposed to happen, but I’d be surprised if it doesn’t happen on at least some crews. And on the pipeline, Vincent is probably right. Some replay officials would be good at it, I’d imagine. And maybe some recently retired officials. But 17 of them?   It’s likely the owners will vote to approve what the Competition Committee approved unanimously—experimenting with the eighth official upstairs during preseason games. Vincent said it’s also possible some form of the rule for an official upstairs will be put in place for the regular season. But that sounds like a rush job to me. Think of the mechanics. The NFL proposal says: “to allow for information to be requested and received in a manner than does not interrupt the normal flow of the game, any information must be provided to the referee when requested during a normal crew conference on the field, or prior to the play clock reaching :25 if the play clock is running.” That’s a lot to consider, especially asking the Sky Judge in 12 to 15 seconds to analyze a play on replay and buzz down to alert the ref that there’s a problem. What the league wants, I believe, is for the owners to give replay officials more leeway to communicate with on-field officials—at least for this year.   I called NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay, former NFL referee, to ask his take on the Sky Judge concept. “Finding 17 people who have the skills to do the job and then clearly defining which rules can be enforced and which rules cannot be enforced are extremely problematic” McAulay said. “Until there is a consensus on both of those issues, it would be difficult to imagine how this could be successfully implemented.” Unless the restrictions of the replay official’s power coming out of the preseason experiment are spelled out to a T.   The onside kick. Owners will vote on a proposal to allow a team up to twice per game to follow a scoring play by running one play and trying to convert on fourth-and-15 from the offensive 25-yard line. If the offense gets 15 or more yards on the play, the drive continues; if not, the defensive team takes over on a short field. The driving force for this is the recent futility of the onside kick, in the two seasons since teams have not been able to flood one side of the field to have a better shot at recovering the kick. (Onside-kick recovery rate, 2013-’17: 16.3 percent. Onside-kick recovery rate, 2018-’19: 10.5 percent.) Owners will vote yea or nay for a one-year trial. I think it could go either way.   In the past few days, I’ve heard a few people talk about the onside kick like it’s some sacrosanct play that must stay in the game. Please. I’d ask this question: Is the onside kick a matter of skill and athletic achievement? Or is it a matter of luck and chance? When the football is placed oblong on the tee, and the kicker tries to shtoink the ball off the turf so it bounces high into air so the 53rd guy on your roster can mug the 53rd guy on the other team, and your 6-5 backup wideout can go up for a rebound and try to grab the ball, or if he fails there’s a scrum for the ball on the ground and whoever can gouge the other guy’s eyes out first wins control of the ball . . . I mean, is that a test of skill?   Example: Opening day. Bucs at Saints. Tom Brady throws a touchdown to bring Tampa within 28-24 with 45 seconds left. Saints have all three timeouts left. As a football fan, do you want Bucs kicker Matt Gay coming on to try an onside kick, a play with a 10-percent success rate? Or do you want Tom Brady to take a shot to complete a pass up the seam to Rob Gronkowski, or an 18-yard out to Mike Evans?   You say that’s unfair because of course you’d rather put it on Brady’s shoulders. Okay. Pick a team. Denver? Denver’s got to get the ball back in the final minute at Kansas City, and so Drew Lock tries to find Courtland Sutton or Jerry Jeudy or Noah Fant for 16 yards with the game on the line. That’s football. That’s fun. That’s suspenseful. Give me that, any day, over the onside kick.   As I say, I don’t know how this one will go. But I know the way I hope it’ll go. I want to see the great players on the field at the most important moment of the game.

NFC NORTH

CHICAGO Coach Matt Nagy is going to give more gas to his preparation of the Bears during the 2020 preseason. Bryan Perez of NBC Sports Chicago: Bears coach Matt Nagy admitted that his decision not to play his starters during the 2019 preseason was a mistake that he won’t repeat this year.   “As we talk, that’s one of the things that I look back at from last year that I’m not happy about that I made a decision to do in the preseason,” Nagy said on the Waddle & Silvy Show. “Number one, I think it’s good for them to have it, but number two it sets the mentality. So that’s not going to happen this year.”   The Bears’ preseason kicks off August 15 against the Browns, followed by a trip to Denver to face the Broncos and an all-important dress-rehearsal in Week 3 at home against the 49ers. Their preseason schedule concludes in Tennessee on September 3.   There’s a much greater importance on preseason games this year than in the first two seasons that Nagy’s been on the job. The Bears have a full-blown quarterback competition between Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky which could come down to how they perform during the summer scrimmages.   It’s also important for Chicago to get off to a fast start in 2020. With this year’s offseason program disrupted by the novel coronavirus, every rep will matter in order to prepare for the regular season. In reality, Nagy doesn’t have much of a choice but to play the first-teamers.   Whether the Bears’ starters play or not, Nagy’s decision will be questioned. If a key player gets injured, Nagy will get crushed for taking an unnecessary preseason risk. But if Chicago’s starters sit, and they suffer another embarrassing Week 1 loss as they did against the Packers in 2019, Nagy’s August strategy will be blamed (much like it was last year).   “I really don’t believe that,” Nagy said last September when he was asked if not playing his starters in the preseason had a negative impact on the team after Week 1’s loss. “I’m sticking with my gut. I really feel that. I really do. I know what our guys can do.”

NFC EAST

DALLAS Troy Aikman does not think the contract negotiations with QB DAK PRESCOTT and the Cowboys have been particularly contentious. Michael Baca of NFL.com: Troy Aikman isn’t worried about the lingering contract negotiations between the Dallas Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott.   “I’ve been surprised that there has been so much discussion about his contract,” Aikman told 105.3 The Fan on Monday. “It’s not like he’s not going to be playing for the Cowboys in 2020. Whether he is franchised or he has a deal, he’s going to be here playing, and eventually a deal gets done. So it’s not high on my list of things I look at the league and what’s happening with the other 31 teams.”   The Cowboys used an exclusive franchise tag on Prescott in March, which he has yet to sign, but a deadline of July 15 looms for both sides to reach a long-term deal.   “I love Dak Prescott, I love everything about him,” Aikman proclaimed. “Dak truly doesn’t care about his stats. He just wants to win, he’s a leader, his teammates love him. … So, I would pay him. He’s going to get paid.   “I’m not saying anything the Cowboys don’t already know. They will pay him, he’s going to make a lot of money, and I think he’s going to be the quarterback for the Cowboys for a long long time, and continue to have a great career.   “I’ve maintained that I strongly believe that they’ll reach a deal, and he’ll have a long-term contract as opposed to playing under the franchise tag this year.”   The iconic Cowboys QB also revealed a recent meeting with Cowboys linebacker and team captain Sean Lee, who gave him a gauge of what the Cowboys’ locker room thinks of Prescott.   “I saw Lee out here the other day in Santa Barbara, and we got to talking about Dak, and I said, ‘Is there something I’m missing about this guy? Because I love him?’   “And Sean said he a huge fan as well, and that everybody in that (Cowboys) locker room is.”   Speaking with NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe on NFL Total Access Monday, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport gave his latest assessment of the contract negotiations with Aikman’s recent thoughts in mind.   “I have a hard time imagining this deal getting done before the July 15th deadline,” Rapoport said. “That is when so often we see players who are franchise tagged, of course, Dak Prescott got the exclusive tag of more than $30 million per year, that’s when these deals end up happening — right against the deadline.   “But Aikman is right: the Cowboys want to pay Dak Prescott. They would pay him among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. Prescott wants a deal. Everything could happen in a positive way, the only problem is the Cowboys want a five-year deal and Prescott wants a four-year deal. That’s a big gap. We will see if they can bridge it closer to July.”   Prescott, who turns 27 in July, enjoyed a career-high totals in completions (388), yards (4,902) and touchdowns (30) in 2019, but there have been a few hoops for the Cowboys to jump through in terms of re-signing star players. Most notably was Prescott’s favorite wide receiver, Amari Cooper, who earned a 5-year, $100M deal from the Cowboys this past March, and Ezekiel Elliott, who became the highest-paid running back in the NFL just before the 2019 season kicked-off. Not to mention, the Cowboys hired a new head coach in Mike McCarthy this offseason.   Prescott’s contract will remain a topic of conversation until pen hits paper, but it seems as though all parties involved — franchise legends included — want a deal to get done.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes that the Falcons have been collecting first round draft picks – the players used with those picks in the past, not the picks to select players in the future. With the signing of linebacker Deone Bucannon on Thursday, the Falcons have signed or acquired six former first-round draft picks this offseason.   Now, on the 90-man roster, the Falcons have 17 players who were selected in the first-round of the NFL draft. There are 11 on the offensive side of the ball and six on defense. In addition to first-round pick cornerback A.J. Terrell  (16th overall), here are the former first-round picks acquired this offseason:   Deone Bucannon, LB, 27th overall, 2014 Dante Fowler, DE, 3rd overall, 2015 Todd Gurley, RB, 10th overall, 2015 Laquon Treadwell, WR, 23rd overall, 2016 Charles Harris, DE, 22nd overall, 2017 Hayden Hurst, TE, 25th overall, 2018   Here are the other former first-round picks currently on the roster:   Quarterback Matt Ryan (3rd overall, 2008) Center Alex Mack (21, 2009) Wide receiver Julio Jones (6, 2011) Guard James Carpenter (25th, 2011) Left tackle Jake Matthews (6, 2014) Safety Keanu Neal (17, 2016) Defensive end Takk McKinley (26, 2017) Wide receiver Calvin Ridley (26, 2018) Right guard Chris Lindstrom (14, 2019) Right tackle Kaleb McGary (31, 2019) So with Mack and Carpenter selected by other teams, that makes nine drafted by the Falcons, eight who started out elsewhere.

AFC WEST

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS TE HUNTER HENRY is okay playing for a mere $10 million guaranteed this season.  Grant Gordon of NFL.com: As Hunter Henry’s fifth season draws closer, there’s a bit of uncertainty.   The Chargers applied the franchise tag on Henry and he’s looking for a long-term deal.   Nonetheless, the talented tight end is happy going forward as far as 2020 is concerned whether it’s under the tag or as the recipient of an extension.   “I think it’s fine,” Henry told SiriusXM NFL Radio of playing under the tag if a long-term pact isn’t had. “Obviously, I think I would like to get something done; just security, and long term and just with the team and the franchise. It’s another year of playing football, man, that’s how I look at it.”   The date to circle for Henry and the Chargers — along with every NFL player tabbed with the tag — is July 15, the deadline for franchise tag players to sign long-term contract extensions.   Coming off arguably his best season thus far, in which he posted career-highs of 55 catches and 652 yards receiving, Henry made it clear he enjoys playing for Los Angeles and is excited about the Bolts’ prospects for the upcoming campaign. Hence, playing under the tag won’t be a distraction and there was no mention of any holding out.   “I think I just look forward to the challenge of whatever it is,” Henry said. “I get to go out there and play football with guys I’ve been doing it for a couple years with now and I get another chance to go out there and do it. Whatever the situation is, I’ll be looking forward to going out there with this squad. I’m really looking forward to this team and the potential and what we have going toward this year in this 2020 season.”   According to Henry, there was previous conversation in regards to an extension, though nothing lately. While playing under the tag is fine by him, he is optimistic that as the Southern California temperatures heat up, so too will contract talks.   “There were [talks] a while back, but we haven’t really done much since,” Henry said. “Hopefully we can get something going this summer and get it going that way.”   Another unknown for the Chargers offense is the quarterback situation with Tyrod Taylor as the veteran in the quarterback room and 2020 No. 6 pick Justin Herbert seemingly the future of the franchise.   Henry and Herbert have already done some work together, as the first-round signal-caller has been to California and the two have talked and thrown.   “Him being here in California has been kinda nice,” Henry said. “I’m looking forward to what’s to come and excited; we have a really, really great team. If we can put all three pieces together, we have a great chance.”   In Herbert, Henry sees a great arm and plenty of talent.   “Obviously, he went first round and sixth pick for a reason,” Henry said.   The 25-year-old Henry also shines a positive light on the veteran Taylor.   “Big believer in Tyrod, too, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s going to bring to us,” Henry said.   Ultimately, Henry forecasts a quarterback competition likely accompanying his contract talks as Chargers summer storylines to monitor.   “I know there will probably be an open competition and that’ll be good for everybody in that room,” Henry said. “It’ll push every one of those guys.”

THIS AND THAT

UNLOCKING THE LOCKDOWN Although he really is only making an official pronouncement the effects the Bills, perhaps New Jersey’s LockDown governor will be on the same page as New York’s. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said teams in his state can return to their facilities for training after a pause of more than two months because of the coronavirus pandemic.   “Starting today, all the New York professional sports leagues will be able to begin training camps,” the Democratic governor said during a news conference Sunday.   ADVERTISEMENT   The New York City area was one of the hardest-hit parts of the U.S., but COVID-19 deaths and new infections in the state have been trending downward.   Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL are discussing the resumption of their seasons with their players’ unions.   “I believe that sports that can come back without having people in the stadium, without having people in the arena — do it! Do it!” Cuomo said. “Work out the economics, if you can. We want you up. We want people to be able to watch sports. To the extent people are still staying home, it gives people something to do. It’s a return to normalcy. So we are working and encouraging all sports teams to start their training camps as soon as possible. And we’ll work with them to make sure that can happen.”   The NBA’s Brooklyn Nets said in a statement Sunday that they will open their training center for voluntary workouts on Tuesday.   “The organization will strictly follow the protocols outlined by the NBA and infectious disease experts to ensure that all precautions are taken in order to maintain a safe and healthy environment for players and staff,” the team said. The biggest LockDown resistance to a return to somewhat normal sports could come from the LockDown Governor of Michigan as her lackey at the University of Michigan sent tremors through college football over the weekend.  This from the Wall Street Journal: The University of Michigan won’t have a football season this fall unless all students are able to be back on campus for classes. And, according to President Mark Schlissel, that isn’t a sure thing.   Dr. Schlissel, an immunologist by training, said he expects to make a call in the coming weeks on what the new school year will look like for the prestigious public university, which has about 46,000 undergraduate and graduate students and a football program that is a perennial powerhouse.   “Any decision we make for this coming fall is likely going to be the case for the whole academic year. What’s going to be different in January?” he said, noting public health concerns could be even worse then as flu season ramps up during the cold-weather months.   Dr. Schlissel’s measured approach strikes a different tone than the rosy predictions made by many of his peers, both within the Big Ten athletic conference and across the country at major research institutions. Auburn University President Jay Gogue, for instance, promised incoming freshmen that the fall semester would hold football, fraternities and extracurricular activities as usual.   “The only thing that will be different is that you will be with us this fall, and we’re looking forward to having you,” he said in a video greeting to the Class of 2024.   The University of Notre Dame said it would start the term early and send students home by Thanksgiving. Students at the University of South Carolina will go home during the holiday too and wrap up their semester with virtual instruction. Many public health experts expect another wave of the pandemic, or at least continued outbreaks, in the fall. Interesting that the Wall Street Journal’s writers label Schlissel as having a “measured” approach while all the others are “rosy.”  They could just as easily have labeled Schlissel as “hyper-cautious” and the others as “fact-based.”

ANTONIO BROWN Acting like a knucklehead is keeping WR Antonio Brown out of the NFL.  Grey Papke of Larry Brown Sports: As it stands, it certainly doesn’t sound likely that Antonio Brown will be playing in the NFL in 2020.   ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said Brown is receiving little interest from NFL teams largely due to the looming threat of a long suspension pending an NFL investigation.   “Let’s go to Antonio Brown — now, this is an interesting case because the NFL, I’m told, is still reviewing his personal conduct case that there is just a lot to unpack,” Fowler said on “SportsCenter” Sunday, via Garrett Stepien of 247 Sports. “You have the September allegations, of course, of sexual assault and rape. You have an incident with a truck driver that resulted in battery charges.   “And so, there’s just not a lot of buzz right now, league-wide, about signing Antonio Brown. And that’s in part because there could be a lengthy suspension coming for him. So despite the talent, hardly a slam dunk that he plays in 2020.”   Brown has tried to undo some of the damage he did over the last year, but it’s too late. He’s being investigated for sexual assault and has been charged with battery in a separate incident. That’s led to a lengthy NFL investigation, and clearly teams aren’t confident that he’ll be absolved.   The four-time All-Pro receiver is still just 31, so he has time to get back into the league. His conduct is preventing that in a big way.

2021 DRAFT After the Chiefs repeat as Super Bowl champs, R.J. White of CBSSports.com says this is how the 2021 NFL Draft will go down (the DB would lay odds that the Dolphins will earn a pick lower than the 4th). The 2021 NFL Draft is right around the corner, so now is the perfect time to get into the 2021 mock draft discussion with my first look at next year’s class. In this mock, I have four teams grabbing new quarterbacks, and while three might not come as a surprise, Washington giving up on Dwayne Haskins after just two years might cause some people to scratch their heads.   However, if Washington does pick in the top two or three again this year, upgrading at the most important position in football has to be on the table. And if they are picking at No. 3, like we have in our projections below, that likely means Haskins failed to take a big step forward in 2020, which further opens the door for a change. After all, there was some conversation about whether they should take Tua Tagovailoa this year; the nay-sayers will only grow in volume if Washington endures another down year.   This is all dependent on the right quarterback being available to Washington; I’m not saying the team should zero in on taking the best quarterback available at all costs. If Washington picks slightly lower and misses out on Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields, I’d likely come down on the side of moving forward with Haskins for one more year.   The draft order below was determined using SportsLine’s season win projections coming out of the 2020 NFL Draft, with considerations made to allow for the playoffs (i.e., one AFC and NFC team each in the last two picks).   Let’s kick this off!   1 – JACKSONVILLE Trevor Lawrence QB CLEMSON • SOPH • 6’6″ / 220 LBS It’s hard to project anything but a quarterback for the Jaguars if they play poorly enough to land the No. 1 pick, and right now Lawrence gets the nod for me over Justin Fields. That choice could come down to who’s coaching this team in 2021, which is impossible to predict.   2 – CINCINNATI Penei Sewell OL OREGON • SOPH • 6’6″ / 325 LBS The Bengals are getting Jonah Williams back to play left tackle this year after an injury wiped out his rookie campaign, but Sewell is too good of a franchise left tackle to pass up. Williams was projected by many to kick inside at the next level anyway, or he could stick on the right side.   3 – WASHINGTON Justin Fields QB OHIO STATE • SOPH • 6’3″ / 223 LBS This pick depends on whether Dwayne Haskins takes a sizable step forward in Year 2, but if Washington is picking here, they’ll have to seriously consider upgrading to the more dynamic Fields, especially if the Buckeye posts a big follow-up to his incredible 2019 season.   4- MIAMI Ja’Marr Chase WR LSU • SOPH • 6’1″ / 200 LBS The Dolphins have several bigger needs than at receiver, but this is a case where Chase is one of four clear standouts in the top tier of this class, so you have to take him. Snapping Chase up raises the ceiling for Tua Tagovailoa’s development.   5 – NY GIANTS Marvin Wilson DL FLORIDA STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 311 LBS This pick assumes the Giants can’t work out a long-term deal with Leonard Williams, and if that’s the case and Dave Gettleman’s in charge, he could dip back into the well for the best interior defender in this class.   6 – NY JETS Shaun Wade CB OHIO STATE • SOPH • 6’1″ / 194 LBS The Jets could have taken a corner at No. 11 in this year’s draft had one of the top two options slipped outside the top 10, and it doesn’t seem likely the position group will be any better in 11 months. Wade is a versatile defensive back who could go higher if he proves himself on the outside this year.   7 – CAROLINA Micah Parsons LB PENN STATE • SOPH • 6’3″ / 245 LBS The Panthers drafted nothing but defense in 2020, so now is the time to pivot to offense, right? Well, they still don’t have a long-term replacement for Luke Kuechly, and Parsons has the upside to be that type of player at the next level.   8 – DETROIT Gregory Rousseau DL MIAMI (FL) • FR • 6’6″ / 250 LBS Despite his high sack total in 2020, I’m not ready to put Rousseau in the same class as the top edge rushers of the last few drafts like Chase Young and the Bosa brothers. But he should still earn a spot in the top 10, and Detroit makes sense after the Lions missed out on Young in 2020.   9 – MIAMI (from Houston) Samuel Cosmi OL TEXAS • SOPH • 6’7″ / 300 LBS The Dolphins picked up a potential left tackle in Austin Jackson in the 2020 draft, but there’s no harm in adding more talent at the position and having the luxury of figuring out where everyone will play later on. Protecting Tagovailoa is paramount.   10 – ARIZONA Patrick Surtain II DB ALABAMA • SOPH • 6’2″ / 203 LBS Patrick Peterson’s contract is up after 2020, and even if he’s brought back, the team has to consider the future at the position. Surtain would make a great running mate for 2019 draft pick Byron Murphy in the Arizona secondary.   11 – ATLANTA Hamsah Nasirildeen S FLORIDA STATE • JR • 6’4″ / 215 LBS Will the Falcons wind up signing Keanu Neal to an extension after he barely saw the field in 2018 and 2019? If not, Nasirildeen is a similar player who can shine in the box, and if he improves his coverage skills in 2020, he should be highly coveted in this draft.   12 – LAS VEGAS Trey Lance QB NORTH DAKOTA STATE • FR • 6’3″ / 221 LBS Lance has the potential to work his way into the conversation at the top of the draft, much like fellow NDSU quarterback Carson Wentz did a few years ago. But Lance brings a massive upside on the ground as well, and he could have a lot of appeal to Jon Gruden as a high-upside, dynamic threat at QB.   13 – LA CHARGERS Justyn Ross WR CLEMSON • SOPH • 6’4″ / 205 LBS The receiver run could certainly happen earlier than this, considering the talent of the players who could be in this draft class. Ross would be a great addition for a Chargers team that has Keenan Allen scheduled to hit free agency in 2021 while Mike Williams plays on an expensive fifth-year option.   14 – INDIANAPOLIS Paulson Adebo CB STANFORD • JR • 6’1″ / 190 LBS The Colts get a big, physical corner to pair with Rock Ya-Sin on the outside while Kenny Moore locks down the slot. I also wouldn’t rule the Colts out for a receiver with T.Y. Hilton scheduled for free agency, but that could depend on how effective Michael Pittman is as a rookie.   15 – NEW ENGLAND Dylan Moses LB ALABAMA • JR • 6’3″ / 235 LBS Receiver is certainly another option for the Patriots, but Moses would be hard to pass up if he can put his torn ACL behind him in 2020, particularly with Dont’a Hightower hitting free agency next offseason as he enters his 30s.   16 – CHICAGO Jamie Newman QB GEORGIA • JR • 6’4″ / 230 LBS Mitchell Trubisky didn’t work out at the quarterback position, so it’s time to go back to the well with a dual-threat weapon at the position in Newman, who has a chance to raise his stock after his transfer to Georgia.   17 – GREEN BAY Devonta Smith WR ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 175 LBS The Packers have consistently devalued the receiver position in the draft, leaving Aaron Rodgers a bit handcuffed in terms of weapons over recent years. Smith would be a big step toward correcting that as a complement to Davante Adams.   18 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams) Walker Little OL STANFORD • JR • 6’7″ / 309 LBS The Jaguars get their blindside protector for Trevor Lawrence in Little, who was projected to be a high pick in the 2020 draft before he suffered an injury and chose to return to school. Jacksonville focused on defense in 2020 but now set their offense up for success under whoever the new coach will be.   19 – CLEVELAND Jay Tufele DL USC • SOPH • 6’3″ / 305 LBS Larry Ogunjobi is scheduled for free agency after 2020, and even if they retain him, that might make Sheldon Richardson a cap casualty. Tufele is an improving talent inside who will bring some versatility to his role at the next level.   20 – TENNESSEE Travis Etienne RB CLEMSON • JR • 5’10” / 210 LBS Will the Titans pony up and give Derrick Henry a huge extension? It makes more sense to use that money elsewhere and find another feature back at this part of the draft, and Etienne could have competed for the top RB taken in 2020 had he declared.   21 – DENVER Alex Leatherwood OL ALABAMA • JR • 6’6″ / 310 LBS It’s time to find an upgrade to Garett Bolles on the blind side, and while Leatherwood’s role at the next level is still up in the air, he has the chance to prove in 2020 that he deserves a shot at playing left tackle for a team in the back half of the first round.   22 – DALLAS Creed Humphrey OL OKLAHOMA • SOPH • 6’5″ / 316 LBS The Cowboys have a plan at center for 2020, but if the position isn’t settled by next offseason, which includes Tyler Biadasz not proving he can be the long-term option, Humphrey would make plenty of sense as next year’s top prospect at the position.   23 – TAMPA BAY Jaylen Waddle WR ALABAMA • SOPH • 5’10” / 182 LBS Can the Buccaneers afford to give both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin big money? If not, receiver could be an option in the first round in 2021. Waddle has the potential to be one of the top two or three receivers taken, so he could be long gone by the time the Bucs are on the clock. If not, he’s a great value.   24 – MINNESOTA Wyatt Davis OL OHIO STATE • SOPH • 6’4″ / 313 LBS The Vikings added a potential left tackle in 2020 in Ezra Cleveland, but they still have work to do on the interior. Davis is the best guard prospect in next year’s class, so he’d be a nice find here.   25 – PITTSBURGH Jalen Mayfield OL MICHIGAN • SOPH • 6’5″ / 319 LBS   26 – SEATTLE Tyler Shelvin NT LSU • SOPH • 6’3″ / 346 LBS The Seahawks still need to upgrade up front on the defense, and Shelvin is a massive player who excels defending the run, though he could also help free pass rushers with his ability to draw double-teams.   27 – BUFFALO Kyle Pitts TE FLORIDA • SOPH • 6’6″ / 239 LBS This tight end class could have a few first-round talents, and it would actually be a bit surprising not to see one go in the top 25. The Bills seem to be a great fit for one if they’re selecting at this point of the first round, and Pitts has the receiving chops to take the passing game to the next level.   28 – PHILADELPHIA Jevon Holland S OREGON • SOPH • 6’1″ / 196 LBS Holland is a well-rounded safety prospect who can also contribute on special teams, and he has a shot of working his way into the first-round conversation with a productive 2020 season.   29 – NEW ORLEANS Pat Freiermuth TE PENN STATE • SOPH • 6’5″ / 256 LBS The Saints traded four Day 3 picks to land Adam Trautman in this year’s draft, but that shouldn’t prevent them from taking Freiermuth if he’s the best player available. The Penn State product is well-rounded at the tight end position and should contribute in both the passing and rushing game.   30 – BALTIMORE Carlos Basham Jr. EDGE WAKE FOREST • JR • 6’5″ / 275 LBS Baltimore committed a heist by landing Calais Campbell for a late pick, but the veteran is nearing the end of his career. Drafting Basham and allowing him to learn under Campbell for a year while filling a rotational role makes plenty of sense.   31 – SAN FRANCISCO Israel Mukuamu DB SOUTH CAROLINA • SOPH • 6’4″ / 205 LBS All three of the 49ers’ top cornerbacks are set to hit free agency next offseason, so the position should be a priority unless they find a way to bring all three back (and even in that case, it’s time to plan for the post-Richard Sherman future). Mukuamu provides a big impediment to opposing receivers at 6-foot-4.   32 – KANSAS CITY Eric Stokes DB GEORGIA • SOPH • 6’1″ / 185 LBS The Chiefs still have massive question marks at the cornerback position long-term. Stokes is coming off a big 2019 season; another could place him in the top half of Round 1.