2020 NFL Draft: Day One IDP Review

Dwight Peebles Posted On April 24, 2020

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The first round featured little movement and little suspense as much of the round went as anticipated. Several defensive players ended in phenomenal landing spots and the top five IDP rookie picks are basically cemented in for me.

Chase Young, DE WAS

Young joins an already stout defensive line featuring Matt Ianodis, Jonathan Allen, and DaRon Payne to form one of the best front sevens in football. He is a ferocious pass rusher and lands on a perfect defense for him. The Redskins will be able to have Young on one side and Montez Sweat on the other. He has an insanely quick first step and converts speed to power as good as anyone. Opposing offenses will not be able to block Young with more than one lineman and he should be a force from day one.

He should be the first defensive player taken in IDP drafts. Take him confidently in the latter half of the first round of mixed rookie drafts. He will get double-digit sacks and also chip in some tackles in support.

Jeffrey Okudah, CB DET

The Lions replaced Darius Slay with the third overall pick, giving the secondary the shutdown corner to build the secondary around. Okudah is one of the most complete corners to come out of college in recent years. He is smooth in coverage and is incredibly sticky. He accelerates in and out of breaks to recover and is rarely out of position.

As an IDP asset, he may not be very valuable. Even in leagues with scoring which favors corners, he is likely not going to be targeted a ton and contribute a lot of tackles or deflections. He may draw the opposing offenses’ top receiver though, so he may be tested a lot as a rookie. I would not take Okudah until the fourth round or later in mixed league rookie drafts.

Derrick Brown, DT CAR

The Panthers get the anchor the defensive line needed and Brown will contribute right away. Carolina will line him up between Kawann Short and Stephen Weatherly, and he is going to be a wrecking ball. He sucks up blockers and clogs lanes, perfect for this defense. His first step and movement ability at his size is ridiculous.

If your IDP league features scoring to balance out defensive tackles, Brown could be a second-round pick – in the mid to later half of the round would be his sweet spot. He will give you a safe floor with tackles and be one of the better defensive tackles in the league for many years.

Isaiah Simmons, LB ARI

The Cardinals added a versatile swiss-army player with the eighth pick, Simmons gives them a versatile defender they have needed since the departure of Tyrann Mathieu. He will likely line up mostly as an outside linebacker. He has the movement and speed to cover tight ends and backs. He can slide out and help in the slot and also drop back and cover as a safety. Simmons gives the Cardinals a strong linebacker corps with Jordan Hicks, Chandler Jones, and De’Vondre Campbell.

He should be the second IDP player drafted in your IDP rookie drafts. The early second round is a good spot to draft him in mixed rookie drafts. Simmons will have a safe floor due to tackles and a high ceiling due to turnovers and sacks.

CJ Henderson, CB JAC

After trading AJ Bouye and Jalen Ramsey, the secondary needed to be addressed aggressively. Henderson gives them a corner who could be a shut-down corner. He is tall and incredibly adept at reading the moves of receivers and anticipating. He has fluid movement and accelerates very quickly out of his breaks.

He should be selected ahead of Okudah, Henderson will be tested early and often, providing your IDP squads with a solid source of tackles. The third round, later in the third, is the earliest I would consider taking him.

Javon Kinlaw, DT SF

The 49ers traded DeForest Buckner for the 13th pick, then traded back to the 14th pick, ultimately taking Buckner’s replacement in Kinlaw. He will slide into the middle and create all sorts of havoc. Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead will man the edges and Kinlaw will get push from the interior. He has an explosive first step and strings together moves to create mismatches.

There is an argument to be made of Kinlaw being the second IDP defensive player drafted, especially in balanced scoring. I would take Simmons ahead of him, but he should be taken shortly after. If you are on the clock in the mid-to-late second round, Kinlaw is a player you should target.

AJ Terrell, CB ATL

Terrell gives the Falcons secondary an upgrade and he has good upside. He has long limbs and good hips that work on a swivel. He has good instincts and lateral moves which allow him to mirror wide receivers. He is explosive and recovers well, there is a lot to like about his game. He may need to add some bulk and physicality to be a top-notch corner.

From an IDP standpoint, I wouldn’t even draft Terrell. He may get some tackles and be a spot starter for your IDP teams but could also be a total non-factor. I don’t typically recommend drafting corners in rookie drafts unless they are a special player.

Damon Arnette, CB LV

The Raiders grabbed the cornerback who played opposite of Okudah with the 19th overall pick. Arnette was kind of a surprise to go in the first round, He is a solid corner with good overall skills. He gets physical at the line of scrimmage and loves to jam wide receivers. He is intelligent, aware, and has good anticipation. He isn’t the most athletic corner but is solid and will likely start right away.

Just like with Terrell above, he is likely not to be a factor for IDP teams and I would avoid drafting him as well. He is solid but will most likely not be IDP-relevant.

K’Lavon Chaisson, LB JAC

Chaisson gives the Jaguars another ferocious pass rusher, pairing him with Josh Allen creates one of the most lethal duos in the league. He has so much speed and can dip down and bend the corner. He also has a tremendous motor and pursuit which never stops. He loves to get after quarterbacks, an area the Jaguars have struggled in for a few years.

From an IDP standpoint, he will be an outside linebacker and his value may be stifled a little by the designation. If your league scoring favors sacks and big plays, his value increases. He isn’t the type of linebacker which will rack up tackles though. He would be a target late in the third or possibly fourth round.

Kenneth Murray, LB LAC

The Chargers defense is one of the scariest in the game with the addition of Murray at pick 23. He attacks plays with reckless abandon, which can take him out of plays at times. He covers immense amounts of ground and rarely misses a tackle. He’s a hitter and loves to make a huge play to swing the tide of a game.

He vaults into my top five picks from the IDP side of rookie drafts. After Young and Simmons, Murray comes into the picture. I would target him later in the second round or early in the third in mixed formats.

Jordyn Brooks, LB SEA

The Seahawks grabbed Brooks with pick 27, surprisingly ahead of Patrick Queen. Brooks is a rangy linebacker with great size at 6’0” and 240 pounds who can cover some ground. He loves to tackle, wrapping up ballcarriers with ease. He has high football IQ and tackles with ruthless efficiency. He has speed and range but may need some work in coverage. Lining up with Bobby Wagner and possibly slowly replacing KJ Wright, he will be an effective linebacker for Seattle.

As far as IDP drafts, I would take Brooks in the fourth round at the earliest. He will likely take some time to be an effective IDP asset. He is a strong tackler and could slide into the middle spot when Wagner leaves the team.

Patrick Queen, LB BAL

The Ravens needed a middle linebacker to step in and Queen fills the need perfectly. He has great range and looked comfortable in coverage. He processes plays quickly and then reacts with his speed and top-notch acceleration. He has great hips and lateral movement as well. He has only been a starter for one season but lands in a perfect situation.

The Ravens have been a spot where middle linebackers can produce huge stats and Queen is now a top-five IDP pick. I would also target him in the latter part of the second round, an argument could be made for him to be taken second even after Young. I like him right after Young and Simmons, it’s a great spot for him and he is going to produce right away.

Noah Igbinoghene, CB MIA

Another kind of surprising first-round pick, Igbinoghene is an athletic corner with fluid movement and solid ball skills. He’s a track athlete with good speed in and out of breaks. He doesn’t have a ton of experience but looks to be a good project.

As far as IDP drafts, he is another corner which will likely not be an IDP asset. He is going to see the field early but I don’t see much of a floor or ceiling for him.

Jeff Gladney, CB MIN

The Vikings lost Xavier Rhodes and needed secondary help badly to address what was once one of their strengths. Gladney is a physical corner and loves to jam receivers at the line. He is really smart – excellent at reading receivers and quarterbacks. He is good at mirroring receivers and their movements as well.

Gladney is the last defensive player taken in the first round at pick 31. He may see some tackle opportunities opposite Mike Hughes. If you need a corner, he may be worth a late-round flier.