2020 NFL Draft order released: Most of AFC West officially set

The official 2020 NFL Draft order is now set for the first 20 selections, but playoff teams like the Kansas City Chiefs must wait until postseason’s end to figure out their slot.

After 17 weeks of football, 256 games, and 15,360 minutes of play, the regular portion of the NFL’s 100th season is over. For 12 teams, the excitement is just beginning with three weeks of postseason separating them from a shot at glory in the Super Bowl. For the 20 other franchises, it is time to shift focus to the offseason, beginning with free agency, but culminating in the most important day of the spring: the NFL Draft.

The Chiefs’ focus is on the playoffs and getting ready for the divisional round matchup coming up in two weeks. It is never too early, however, to start looking forward to the draft and trying to put together a draft board. It is also never a bad time to keep an eye on divisional rivals and opponents and strategize around their potential moves.

The Chiefs’ draft pick is not in a guaranteed spot yet, with only the first 20 picks being solidified. The only things certain about the Chiefs’ pick is that it will be somewhere between 24th and 32nd, with current projections placing them at the 28th overall selection. On the other hand, every other team in the AFC West has solidified their draft standing for 2020.

The Los Angeles Chargers secured a premier pick with the sixth pick selection, likely setting the stage for L.A. to finally draft Philip Rivers‘ replacement. LSU standout and Heisman winner Joe Burrow is not falling that far, with his career already wasted in Cincinnati. But one of two other QBs could easily be left on the board with Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa (barring his injury being much worse than reported) standing out as viable options. The Chargers also have the option of waiting until the second round to pick up a quarterback with Jalen Hurts likely on the board at the 38th overall pick, which could encourage L.A. to use the 6th overall pick on a some extra defensive help at linebacker.

The Denver Broncos have the 15th overall pick, which is so middle of the pack that it personifies the current Broncos brand. The Broncos need to shore up quite a few positional shortcomings, so it seems impossible to guess where they will start in the first round. But drafting a cornerback seems unavoidable in the 2020 draft and in the first round, with names like Trevon Diggs and Kristian Fulton likely to still be on the board, this would be a prime pick to bolster the Broncos’ secondary.

The Las Vegas Raiders actually have 2 first round picks: one of their own (12) and one from the Chicago Bears (19) via the Khalil Mack trade in 2018. The Raiders have needs all over the field and head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock continue to lead one of the most unpredictable front offices in football. A quarterback seems an inevitability for the Raiders, but who is to say Gruden does not stick with Derek Carr (or even Nathan Peterman) to lead the charge? Maybe a cornerback, where Trevon Diggs and Kristian Fulton could be available like they were for the Broncos, or a slick new weapon at wide receiver.

The Chiefs draft position may be uncertain, but many fans would love to see the Chiefs pick a running back. LeSean McCoy is probably retiring after this season wraps up and Damien Williams gives fans reason to doubt his long-term ability as a starting back. The only worthy running back at that slot, however, seems to be the one no one was talking about more than four weeks ago in Clemson’s Travis Etienne.

Here’s the official draft order as it stands today. (* means positions aren’t official due to postseason)

1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. Washington Redskins
3. Detroit Lions
4. New York Giants
5. Miami Dolphins
6. L.A. Chargers
7. Carolina Panthers
8. Arizona Cardinals
9. Jacksonville Jaguars
10. Cleveland Browns
11. New York Jets
12. Oakland Raiders
13. Indianapolis Colts
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15. Denver Broncos
16. Atlanta Falcons
17. Dallas Cowboys
18. Miami Dolphins (via Steelers)
19. Oakland Raiders (via Bears)
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Rams)
21. Philadelphia Eagles*
22. Tennessee Titans*
23. Buffalo Bills*
24. Minnesota Vikings*
25. Miami Dolphins (via Texans)*
26. Seattle Seahawks*
27. New England Patriots*
28. Kansas City Chiefs*
29. Green Bay Packers*
30. New Orleans Saints*
31. San Francisco 49ers*
32. Baltimore Ravens*