Speaking of which…

That, as they say, is that.

For three days, NFL fans were treated to a familiar process, and for three days, they ate it up.  The 2020 NFL Draft proved to be as enlightening as non-quarantined versions from previous years, and at minimum, it represented the hope that football will indeed return someday…soon.  For 72 hours, we were actually consumed with draft boards, our favorite team’s needs, 40-yard dash times, vertical jumps, and playing statistics.  We dug deep on our team’s selections, hoping to glean a semblance of superiority out of the meager scouting information we’re presented with as fans.  And we came away with the same sensations and motions we always do – cheering the good selections, overanalyzing the poor ones, and judging our teams by the final prospect tallies the media routinely makes.  The draft is an annual NFL rite of passage, and to see it observed placed a rare moment of normalcy into our interrupted lives, and for that, we should all be appreciative.  Speaking of which…

Top-ranked rookie QB Joe Burrow is very happy being the Bengals’ first selection and first selection overall, but he truly seems to appreciate where he came from.   Burrow’s loyalty seems to be one of his most touted assets, so Bengals fans should be happy to have a strong prospect with an excellent work ethic in their camp, because he’ll likely be there for a decade or more if he has a say about it.  Granted, he has yet to take an NFL snap, but Burrow really has done and said all of the things one would expect from a budding prospect.  If management provides him with some suitable protection, this Bengals team could surprise.  Speaking of which…

The Browns’ first-round selection of OT Jedrick Wills wasn’t particularly a surprise, but the fact they didn’t pursue a true LT was, to an extent.  Wills is a fine player and projects to have the requisite skills to be an effective LT, but he’ll have to learn to transfer his techniques to “the blind side” to fully accommodate the position.  Wills is currently listed as the presumptive starter at LT now, so it will be up to the Browns to provide the instruction and coaching Wills will need.  That, of course, is the case with most rookies, but fewer rookies undergo an immediate position change upon being drafted.  Speaking of which…

The Ravens’ selection of RB J.K. Dobbins may be the most-discussed pick of the 2020 draft; not because of the benefits Dobbins provides, but the fact the Ravens seemed to have much bigger needs in general.  Ravens GM Eric DeCosta wasn’t going to let the opportunity to add an exceptional talent pass him by.  “This was a guy that was, in my opinion, one of the very best in college football this year. … We didn’t really expect it. I don’t think anybody really did. We didn’t anticipate it, but we just had to take him. He’s just a talented guy, and it just made too much sense for us not to take him.”  Dobbins will compete with incumbent Mark Ingram II for the starting tailback job, but given Ingram’s age (32), it may not be long before he assumes the starting job entirely.  Speaking of which…

New Steelers rookie WR Chase Claypool may start opposite holdover JuJu Smith-Schuster based on his considerable size (6’4″) alone.  The Steelers have been searching for another viable WR option since the departure of mercurial-but-productive WR Antonio Brown, but Claypool offers a different skill set than “AB” did, relying more on his ability to break double teams through strength and balance rather than raw speed.  Claypool will take some time to develop, but if he flashes his considerable abilities in preseason, there’s no reason not to start him immediately.  QB Ben Roethlisberger seems to concur.

Enjoy the week!