2020 NFL mock draft: Chase Young would make Washington’s defensive line even scarier

The best player in the draft might not be the first pick.

Apr 7, 2020, 3:00 PM UTC

Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

Washington bottomed out in 2019, finishing the season with a 3-13 record, including losses in their final four games of the season. The mediocre, listless reign of Jay Gruden is now over. In his place is longtime Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera.

Washington, for now, seems to be rolling with Dwayne Haskins as quarterback. The 15th pick in last year’s draft, Haskins is likely to get an opportunity this season to prove himself as the team’s quarterback of the future. If he does, Rivera can expedite the turnaround in Washington. And it will let Washington take the best player in this year’s draft.

In the SB Nation NFL writers’ mock draft, Ken Meringolo from Hogs Haven is here to make the logical selection for Washington.

2. Washington: Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State

Meringolo: Standing pat at second overall means the burgundy and gold gets the top prospect in the draft (and yet Young won’t be the player teams will be trying to trade up and get). In Young, Rivera gets a potentially generational talent at arguably the most important position in the game. It’s hard to imagine a better way for a defensive-minded coach tasked with changing the team’s culture and fortune to get things started.

The kid out of DeMatha High School (Maryland) will start on day one and in addition to immediately making his teammates look better, he will be a draw for free agents next season when Washington is slated to have a bazillion available salary cap dollars.

Analysis: Which is more obvious: Cincinnati taking Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick or Washington taking Young here? It might be Young. He has been projected as the top player in the 2020 draft since he stepped foot on Ohio State’s campus. In just 34 college games, Young had 30.5 sacks and 40.5 tackles for loss. That’s impressive especially considering how much extra blocking he saw. Washington’s biggest strength right now might be the defensive line, and Young makes it that much better — and scarier.