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2020 vs 2021 Twitter Rookie Mock Draft

Peter Lawrence Posted On June 2, 2020
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In fantasy football, we are always looking for the next big thing, chasing what could be over what already is. The long-awaited 2020 draft class has finally arrived and, after completing this same exercise last year, I wanted to see how 2020 compares with next year’s incoming group.

Utilizing a combination of DLF’s 2021 draft-eligible devy rankings, and May 2020 rookie average draft position data, I went to Twitter with a 2020 vs 2021 rookie mock draft. I used a 24-hour clock and posted the top two 2020 players – based on one-quarterback ADP – against DLF’s top two 2021 in devy rankings. The format for this mock draft was a one-QB, PPR league.

Just how much does fantasy Twitter favor the 2020 draft class against the possible 2021 draft class?

1.01 – Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB KC

Edwards-Helaire has experienced a meteoric rise since the start of the 2019 college football season. CEH wasn’t even in the poll this time last year and easily took down the vote as the top pick. He goes from the National Champion record-setting LSU Tigers to the Super Bowl Chiefs and their amazing offense.

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Statistics from sports-reference.com.

If the big negative for Edwards-Helaire is “he is a product of that record-setting LSU offense”, well, the Chiefs are a great landing spot. He runs great routes out of the backfield and does great to alter his speed and tempo to unbalance defenders. He should be an immediate contributor to your fantasy team.

1.02 – Jonathan Taylor, RB IND

Taylor was the consensus second pick in this exercise, taking nearly 70 percent of the vote. Taylor is a fantastic specimen at the running back position. He has a Speed Score of 121.7 which is in the 98th percentile, according to the DLF Player Combine Performance App.

He was an incredibly productive runner at Wisconsin, and now gets to run behind Quenton Nelson and a strong offensive line.

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Statistics from sports-reference.com.

In 2019, Taylor more than doubled his collegiate receiving production with 26 receptions, compared to 16 total in his freshman and sophomore seasons.

1.03 – JK Dobbins, RB BAL

Dobbins had been a favorite in the devy community. After a strong freshman season, he had a slight decline in his sophomore season, ceding work to Mike Weber. The introduction of Justin Fields, however, shot Dobbins back up to massive production as he nearly doubled his 2018 rushing totals in yards.

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Statistics from sports-reference.com.

Dobbins is stout, measuring in at 5’9″ and 209 pounds at the Scouting Combine but disappointingly he did not participate in any of the drills.

However, with his rocked-up build, Dobbins does not shy away from contact and does well getting low and squaring up on defenders. He runs a little tight at times, but can still make defenders miss.

Some might be down on Dobbins as he comes into the Baltimore backfield behind Mark Ingram. However, I think it’s a fantastic scheme landing spot. Dobbins had a spike in play when teamed with Fields and his running ability at QB. Now he is teamed in a similar offensive scheme and with NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.

1.04 – Ja’Marr Chase, WR LSU

Chase is more than just a receiver who benefitted from playing with 2020 first overall pick Joe Burrow.

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Statistics from sports-reference.com.

Listed at 6’1″ and 200 pounds, he is a true alpha receiver. Despite having run a 4.66-second 40-yard dash at the Nike Combine, he has shown an ability to blow past SEC defenders and averaged 21.2 yards per reception last season. He shows great route running and hands at the position, and should be a top ten pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

1.05 – D’Andre Swift, RB DET

Swift was the consensus top pick during this exercise in 2019. Some are down on him after he was drafted by the Lions. But the team has shown that they aren’t going to rely on Kerryon Johnson who hasn’t been able to stay on the field in his first two seasons.

Combining a solid 5’8″, 212-pound frame with a 4.48-second 40-yard dash (78th percentile), he is a complete three-down back. He shows great acceleration and runs fantastic routes with strong hands.

1.06 – CeeDee Lamb, WR DAL

I outlined why I’m high on Lamb in the latest ‘rookie update’. He is an outstanding talent who lands with a great QB in Dak Prescott, and was the third receiver selected in the 2020 NFL draft. Owners can confidently draft Lamb and enjoy the next great Cowboys wideout.

1.07 – Cam Akers, RB LAR

Akers had a nice jump from being the 1.11 in last year’s version. You’ve heard a lot about his bad offensive line while at FSU but, the stat that 3.9 of his 4.9 yards per carry occurred after contact this season tells enough about his ability to create. As an option QB in high school, he posted 3,128 passing yards, 31 TDs and 6 interceptions while rushing for over 2,000 yards and 34 touchdowns.

1.08 – Jerry Jeudy, WR DEN

Jeudy is the only receiver who was on last year’s version of this exercise.

The Broncos went out and surrounded Drew Lock with talent this off-season. As well as Jeudy, they also drafted WR KJ Hamler and TE Albert Okwuegbunam to add to an arsenal of Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant.

Jeudy will be a solid complement to 2019 breakout Sutton. He has an ability to easily accelerate in and out of his breaks with amazingly sharp attention to the details in his route repertoire.

1.09 – Chuba Hubbard, RB Oklahoma State

Hubbard exploded on the scene in 2019, taking over as the main back for Oklahoma State. After a solid freshman season where he split work with Justice Hill, it was wheels up for Hubbard.

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Statistics from sports-reference.com.

Coming in as a redshirt junior from Alberta, Canada, he has great speed and athleticism. Hubbard is listed as one of the favorites for the Heisman Award in 2020 and one of the few non-quarterbacks atop the list.

His five fumbles last season are a concern coming into the 2020 season.

1.10 – Travis Etienne, RB Clemson

One of the more surprising decisions of the 2020 draft process was Clemson star running back Etienne returning for the 2020 season. Likely that the loss to LSU in the National Championship spurred his decision, or he would have heard his name called early in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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Statistics from sports-reference.com.

Listed at 5’10” and 210 pounds, he has a solid frame for a three-down back. He shined as a receiver in 2019 and combines great contact balance with speed. Etienne joins Hubbard as one of the non-quarterbacks atop the early favorites for Heisman in 2020.

1.11 – Rondale Moore, WR Purdue

Injuries cut short Moore’s 2019 season, which was unfortunate after he came out the gate blazing with an 11-catch, 124-receiving-yard stat line and followed that up with a 13-catch, 220-yard game. A knee injury stopped him from replicating his freshman season breakout and has owners salivating for more in 2020.

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Statistics from sports-reference.com.

The diminutive speedster is listed at 5’9″ and 180 pounds, but if you have seen his 600-pound squat and his 405-pound bench, you know there is more than meets the eye with this premier athlete.

He also blazed a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the Nike Combine while coming out of high school, and hit a 42.7-inch vertical at that competition. Get ready for the Steve Smith comparisons and target him early in 2021.

1.12 – Jalen Reagor, WR PHI

After Carson Wentz finished the 2019 season throwing the football to some less-than-desirable options, the team spent a first-round pick on the receiver out of TCU. Reagor suffered from rough quarterback play, and Pro Football Focus tracked that he only saw a catchable pass on 61 percent of his targets – ranked 118th among the 120 graded receivers.

He plays much faster than his NFL combine 4.47-second 40-yard dash.

CONCLUSION

In DLF’s cornerstone rankings, which take a look at rookies, second-year NFL players, and draft-eligible devy prospects, Taylor comes in at number one overall. All five of the above listed 2020 draft running backs are inside the top ten. Chuba Hubbard is the lowest-ranked player in this group.

The 2020 group dominated the top half of the draft when we ran this poll in 2019. This is a group about to lay waste to former favorites, as Dobbins comes into Baltimore with Mark Ingram, and Swift walks into a situation where Kerryon Johnson has failed to stay on the field. At receiver, we didn’t even take a look at Henry Ruggs who was the first player drafted at the position to the Raiders.

Overall, the 2020 class looks as dominant as we had hoped. Had players like Etienne and Hubbard declared, it likely would be talked about for years as a draft class that shifted the landscape of fantasy teams.

Fantasy owners have treated their 2020 draft picks like gold for years now. Make sure to utilize the DLF trade analyzer to help gauge the deals you are making. For owners at the back end of the draft, it is a great opportunity to deal picks for proven talent.

peter lawrence
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