Odds to Be First Pick of 2nd Round in 2020 NFL Draft – Blacklock & Mims Favored, Josh Jones a Good Bet?

• The second round of the 2020 NFL Draft will get underway on Friday, April 24th at 7:00 pm EST
• The Cincinnati Bengals hold the top pick in the second round, although there are rumors they might trade the pick
• Recent reporting suggests Denzel Mims and Ross Blacklock are the favorites but is there value with someone else on the board?

The 2020 NFL Draft continues tonight with the second round and the top pick is apparently quite coveted. We’ve had some reporting that suggests that one of Denzel Mims or Ross Blacklock is expected to be the first pick. Are they the best bet in this spot or is there some value elsewhere?

NFL Draft Round 2 First Pick Odds

Odds as of Apr. 24th.

Bengals Currently Have the Top Pick

The Cincinnati Bengals currently own the No. 33 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, two of the players they are particularly interested in are Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims and TCU defensive tackle Ross Blacklock.

The issue here is that it doesn’t seem like these are clear needs for the Bengals. To me, this looks like a smokescreen. Mims, who was expected to go in the first round, would be a decent addition but the team already has A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, John Ross and Aulden Tate. If all goes well, this is a pretty decent cast.

Baylor WR Denzel Mims

➕4.38 40-time
➕Upper % Athleticism
➕50% of Baylor’s pass TDs in 2019
➕19.9 Breakout Age
➕42.3% Dominator
➕15.5 YPR

➖12.9% Drop Rate 2018-19
➖2.8 YAC per reception
➖1 Rush att/1 KR in 4 seasons
➖4 receptions from the slot
➖non-early declare
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/fkyQkRQg4M

— Alex Johnson (@a_johnsonFF) April 22, 2020

At defensive tackle, the team has Geno Atkins, who is one of the best in the business, and while he needs help, it’s more so on the edges or behind him in the linebacking group. Josh Jones, who had an over-under for the draft at 25.5, could be good value but to me, Mims and Blacklock – particularly Mims – comes into play if someone wants to trade up for him.

Baun Makes Sense

Taking a look at the current Bengals linebackers, we’re looking at a starting trio of Sam Hubbard, Jordan Evans and Germaine Pratt. This would be among the worse linebacking crews in the NFL next season. That being the case, I’d expect the Bengals to take a good, long look at linebacker.

Players left for Friday night include D’Andre Swift, J.K. Dobbins, Jonathan Taylor, Cam Akers, Michael Pittman Jr., Tee Higgins, Cole Kmet, Ezra Cleveland, Ross Blacklock, AJ Epensa, Yetur Gross-Matos, Zack Baun, Trevon Diggs, Xavier McKinney, Grant Delpit, Antoine Winfield Jr.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2020

It appears that Wisconsin’s Zack Baun is the top option at the position and that there is a big drop-off after him. Even if he’s more of a pass rusher than a true-to-form inside linebacker, the Bengals still need help off the edge too. This seems to give them the best of both worlds.

What About Josh Jones?

The Bengals could also go in the direction of Josh Jones, who was a four-year starter at tackle for the Houston Cougars. He gave up just one sack last year. The Bengals spent last year’s first-round pick on Jonah Williams, who should man the left side, and now they could plug a hole at right tackle.

PFF's Top Available Players After RD 1:

1. Kristian Fulton CB
2. Josh Jones OT
3. Grant Delpit S
4. Laviska Shenault WR
5. Xavier McKinney S
6. AJ Epenesa ED
7. Michael Pittman Jr WR
8. Jordan Elliott DT
9. Jaylon Johnson CB
10. Tee Higgins WR pic.twitter.com/YppKscDKyE

— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) April 24, 2020

My concern here is that there are other options at tackle and we don’t know how the Bengals have them ranked. It could be Jones but maybe they like Ezra Cleveland or might wait until later for Lucas Niang? Or maybe they look at guards like Lloyd Cushenberry or Matt Hennessy. It’s tough, so I’d avoid betting the offensive linemen because there are so many options.

What’s the Best Bet?

If I’m taking a flier here, it’s with Baun. With linemen, there are too many options. With wideouts, I don’t think the Bengals absolutely need one right now. However, at linebacker, the team needs help and there is a big drop-off if they don’t get help right now.

That being the case, I’d take a shot with Baun to be the first pick of the second round.