How the NFC West fared in the 2020 NFL Draft

The 2020 NFL Draft is complete, and the first all-virtual draft has to be considered a success. Hopefully next year we’ll see ESPN tone down the sad stories just a tad or two or eight. You’ve all been closely following the Seattle Seahawks’ draft day decisions, but let’s have a look around the rest of the NFC West.

Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers didn’t have many picks but they were active in the draft. They traded running back Matt Breida to the Miami Dolphins for a fifth-round pick, gave up a fifth-round pick as part of their trade for Washington left tackle Trent Williams, and swapped sixth-rounder picks with the Philadelphia Eagles after trading away wide receiver Marquise Goodwin. John Lynch went defense early, taking defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw out of South Carolina. Needing wide receivers, the 49ers took Brandon Aiyuk in round one and Jauan Jennings in the final round.

The Arizona Cardinals may be a trendy pick to at least make a push for a playoff spot, and they certainly received plenty of praise for their draft haul. Do-it-all defensive star Isaiah Simmons was taken 8th overall, and they landed Houston tackle Josh Jones in the third round. A sleeper pick worth watching is Arizona State RB Eno Benjamin, who was Kliff Kingsbury’s final draft selection.

Lastly, the Los Angeles Rams didn’t have a first-round pick thanks to the Jalen Ramsey trade, so when they did finally make a pick... they went with a running back? Yes, Florida State’s Cam Akers was chosen at #52, presumably to replace Todd Gurley. Five spots later, they snagged Florida wide receiver Van Jefferson. In the third round, Les Snead drafted a pair of Terrells: Alabama pass rusher Terrell Lewis and Utah defensive back Terrell Burgess. With no more Legatron to kick for them, they drafted kicker Sam Sloman in the seventh round.

Here are the complete draft classes for the entire NFC West.

Seattle Seahawks

Round 1: Jordyn Brooks, LB, Texas Tech

Round 2: Darrell Taylor, DE, Tennessee

Round 3: Damien Lewis, G, LSU

Round 4: Colby Parkinson, TE, Stanford

Round 4: DeeJay Dallas, RB, Miami

Round 5: Alton Robinson, DE, Syracuse

Round 6: Freddie Swain, WR, Florida

Round 7: Stephen Sullivan, TE, LSU

San Francisco 49ers

Round 1: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina

Round 1: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State

Round 5: Colton McKivitz, T, West Virginia

Round 6: Charlie Woerner, TE, Georgia

Round 7: Jauan Jennings, WR, Tennessee

Arizona Cardinals

Round 1: Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson

Round 3: Josh Jones, T, Houston

Round 4: Leki Fotu, NT, Utah

Round 4: Rashard Lawrence, DT, LSU

Round 6: Evan Weaver, LB, California

Round 7: Eno Benjamin, RB, Arizona State

Los Angeles Rams

Round 2: Cam Akers, RB, Florida State

Round 2: Van Jefferson, WR, Florida

Round 3: Terrell Lewis, LB, Alabama

Round 3: Terrell Burgess, S, Utah

Round 4: Brycen Hopkins, TE, Purdue

Round 6: Jordan Fuller, S, Ohio State

Round 7: Clay Johnston, LB, Baylor

Round 7: Sam Sloman, K, Miami (OH)

Round 7: Tremayne Anchrum, G, Clemson