The analytical standouts of the 2020 NFL Draft

The 2020 NFL Draft has come and gone, and now with only the season ahead of us, it’s time to look back at what happened this past weekend. While some teams were trading up for a quarterback that didn’t even project as a first-round talent, and others were taking running backs high, there were some teams that took players who particularly stood out in our projection systems.

Below we list some of our favorite picks, which show a lot of value for some enterprising teams well into Day 3:

[Editor’s Note: PFF's instant analysis on EVERY pick of the 2020 NFL Draft can be found here. You can also find all of our pre-draft and up-to-the-minute analysis categorized and readily available here. Get your copy of the PFF 2020 NFL Draft Guide today by clicking here.]

Pick 8: LB/S Isaiah Simmons, Arizona Cardinals

Simmons has the potential to transform what has been a shaky Arizona defense for the past few years. He’s the best coverage linebacker in this draft and will add a lot as a blitzer, too. With Budda Baker and Haason Reddick already in the fold, look for the Cardinals to give themselves a chance to compete with the offenses in the NFC West. 

Pick 17: WR CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

Lamb closed as the most-likely wide receiver to be drafted first and more likely to go before pick No. 12 than after. So, the fact that the Cowboys got him at No. 17 is an absolute steal. Lamb’s statistical comps for his ceiling at the NFL level are Julio Jones and Demaryius Thomas, which — paired with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup — would be a huge come up for the Dallas Cowboys.