Three Teams Hold All the Cards in the 2020 NFL Draft

When the 2020 NFL Draft finally happens, all eyes will be on three teams that will control all the action. You'd expect one of those teams to own the first pick, but we all know the Cincinnati Bengals are going to select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow at No. 1. The teams to watch will be their fellows in the top five: the Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins.

Washington Redskins

Washington is making big changes with new head coach Ron Rivera in town. The Redskins own the second pick in the draft and most expect them to draft Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. But while they already have two young quarterbacks in Dwayne Haskins and Kyle Allen, there have been whispers they really like Tua Tagovailoa. Still, selecting the Alabama quarterback seems like a long-shot at this point.

In my latest mock draft I have them selecting Young, who could be a transcendent player off the edge. He's clearly the most talented player in the draft with game-changing potential. That said, there's a good chance a quarterback-needy team will make an offer to jump to No. 2 for the chance to land Tagovailoa. Will Washington listen? It will all depend on how much is offered.

When Washington is on the clock, the draft's drama will begin.

Detroit Lions

The Lions are sitting with the third pick, and everyone is assuming the Bengals are locked into Burrow and Washington will select Young. That leaves Detroit in a power position where the draft will likely hinge on the team's decision. Every quarterback-needy team will almost certainly be trying to trade up to No. 3 to grab Tagovailoa.

Assuming Burrow and Young go first and second, it also leaves the Lions with a number of possibilities if they decide to keep the pick. Matt Patricia could opt to select Jeff Okudah, a shutdown corner from Ohio State who would fill the hole in the secondary left by Darius Slay. Or he could go after Isaiah Simmons, a playmaking, physical freak of a hybrid linebacker.

No matter what the Lions wind up doing, they likely own the most important pick in the draft. While Washington could trade down, it feels like that won't happen, which means Detroit holds a lot of power.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins enter the draft with the fifth overall pick and desperately in need of a quarterback. They also own the 18th and 26th picks in the first round, the 39th and 56th picks in the second, and the 70th pick in the third, along with a pair of 2021 firsts and a pair of 2021 seconds. While they need to fill a ton of roster holes, they have more than enough ammo to target and move up and grab a player they fall in love with.

The Dolphins could stand pat at No. 5 and wait to see if Tagovailoa falls to them or possibly even take Oregon's Justin Herbert. But if they want to move up to target Tagovailoa, they have the picks to do it. Everyone will be waiting to see what Miami does come draft day.

No one in the NFL currently holds as much draft capital as the Dolphins. They are almost certain to make moves with it on draft day; the question is how much they'll be willing to surrender to move up, and who they'll target if and when they do.