You possibly can usually gauge how a participant’s NFL profession will form out after 5 seasons. By then, most gamers have both signed their second contracts with the crew that drafted them, scored a deal in free-agency or moved on by way of commerce, or flamed out of the league totally.
Because the 2020 NFL Draft is 5 years previous, a number of gamers from that class have left their mark on the NFL already. That class produced arguably the strongest group of quarterbacks in current reminiscence. It additionally gave us a pair of receivers who is perhaps on the quick observe to the Corridor of Fame, whereas a number of different defensive gamers from that draft class have become stars.
5 years later, let’s rank the ten finest gamers within the 2020 NFL Draft class.
10 finest gamers from 2020 NFL Draft
Not like a lot of the different gamers you’ll see on this listing, Madubuike wasn’t a star or perhaps a main contributor for the Ravens instantly. The third-round choose solely had 8.5 sacks by way of his first three seasons, taking part in in roughly half of Baltimore’s defensive snaps over that point. However he broke out in 2023, recording 56 whole tackles and 13 sacks to go along with 65 pressures (fourth-most amongst all defensive linemen, per Professional Soccer Focus). Madubuike earned second-team All-Professional and Professional Bowl honors for his play that season. He additionally acquired a four-year, $98 million deal following that season, making him one of many NFL’s highest-paid defensive tackles. Madubuike had one other robust yr in 2024, recording 43 whole tackles, 6.5 sacks and 56 pressures (fourth-most amongst all defensive linemen, per PFF).
Following a robust school profession at Wisconsin, Taylor has continued to run with the identical drive within the NFL. He’s rushed for at the very least 1,100 yards in three of his first 5 seasons and, within the two years he didn’t attain that threshold, he missed time as a result of damage. Following a robust rookie season (1,169 speeding yards, 5 yards per carry, 11 speeding touchdowns), Taylor made a robust case for Offensive Participant of the Yr in 2021. He rushed for 1,811 yards on 5.5 yards per carry and 18 touchdowns that yr, ending second in Offensive Participant of the Yr voting as he practically dragged the Colts into the playoffs. Taylor bounced again in 2024 after two injury-riddled campaigns in 2022 and 2023, speeding for 1,431 yards on 4.7 yards per carry and 11 touchdowns to earn his second Professional Bowl nod.
Like father, like son, the youthful Winfield has emerged as a prime defensive again within the NFL. A second-round choose in 2020, he instantly contributed to the Buccaneers’ Tremendous Bowl-winning crew that season. Winfield had 94 whole tackles and an interception throughout the common season that yr, earlier than recording an interception in Tremendous Bowl LV that helped the Buccaneers separate themselves from the Kansas City Chiefs. Whereas Tampa Bay hasn’t received a Tremendous Bowl since, Winfield is a giant motive why the Buccaneers have received 4 straight NFC South titles. He was arguably the sport’s finest security in 2023, recording 122 whole tackles and a league-leading six pressured fumbles to be named first-team All-Professional.
Love has solely been a starter for 2 years, however it’s not troublesome to see that he’s the Packers’ subsequent franchise quarterback. He’s led Inexperienced Bay to the playoffs in each of the years he’s been its beginning quarterback, throwing for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2023. His numbers took a slight dip in 2024, partly as a result of damage, however he was nonetheless efficient (3,389 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions). He’s additionally discovered success with a less-than-stellar large receiver corps as he’s but to have a 1,000-yard receiver. So, regardless that Love may not have a observe document of success so long as a few of his draft friends, the early returns are fairly spectacular.
Lamb has inserted himself into the controversy for the title of the NFL’s finest large receiver over the past couple of years. The final time his beginning quarterback, Dak Prescott, was wholesome, Lamb was arguably the NFL’s finest large receiver. He led the league in receptions (135), was second in receiving yards (1,749) and third in receiving touchdowns (12) in 2023. He was additionally fairly productive when he was catching passes from backup quarterbacks for half of the season in 2024, recording 101 receptions for 1,194 yards and 6 touchdowns. Lamb has recorded at the very least 900 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns in every of his first 5 seasons within the league.
Jefferson has been a star since he made his debut in 2020, instantly setting information as a rookie. On the time, his 1,400 receiving yards had been probably the most ever by a rookie, with former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase breaking that document a yr later. However Jefferson nonetheless holds some information as he’s presently the NFL’s all-time chief in receiving yards per recreation (96.5) over his profession. He holds that document, largely, due to a robust yr in 2022, when he led the NFL in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,804) en path to successful Offensive Participant of the Yr. Jefferson had one other robust yr in 2024, recording 103 receptions for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns to earn his second first-team All-Professional nod (fourth whole) and fourth Professional Bowl honors.
Similar to Winfield, Wirfs instantly contributed to the Buccaneers’ Tremendous Bowl-winning squad in 2020. He performed proper sort out that season, permitting only one sack all yr. He continued to play at a excessive degree over the following two seasons, giving up six sacks over that point. He was named first-team All-Professional in 2021 and second-team All-Professional in 2022. Wirfs moved from proper sort out to left sort out in 2023, offering Baker Mayfield with the identical degree of safety that he did for Tom Brady. He didn’t permit a single sack in 2024, incomes first-team All-Professional honors for the second time and a Professional Bowl nod for the fourth time in his profession. He’s the one participant ever to be named a firs-team All-Professional at each left and proper sort out, and can also be the best paid offensive lineman in NFL historical past— along with his contract exceeding $140 million.
Similar to many others on this listing, Herbert produced instantly as a rookie. He threw for 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions that yr, along with his passing touchdowns and completions (396) nonetheless being probably the most ever for a rookie. Although Herbert’s performed for an up-and-down Chargers crew, he’s continued to play at a excessive degree since his rookie yr. He was second in passing yards (5,014) and passing touchdowns in 2021 (38). Herbert’s quantity stats took a bit little bit of a dip in 2024, however he was within the prime 10 in passer score for the primary time in his profession. He was additionally within the prime 10 in yards per try, throwing the ball effectively beneath Greg Roman’s run-heavy offense to assist Los Angeles get again to the playoffs.
Hurts didn’t turn into the Eagles’ full-time beginning quarterback till his second season, however since then, he’s helped Philadelphia attain the playoffs on an annual foundation. He made a case to be the sport’s most versatile quarterback in his second season as a starter in 2022, throwing for 3,701 yards, 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions to go along with 760 speeding yards and 13 speeding touchdowns to complete second in MVP voting. He additionally led the Eagles to the Tremendous Bowl that very same season, however they misplaced to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. After main Philadelphia again to the playoffs in 2023, Hurts avenged his Tremendous Bowl loss in 2024. Following one other robust common season, Hurts scored 10 whole touchdowns within the playoffs and received Tremendous Bowl LIX MVP within the Eagles’ win over the Chiefs.
It takes so much to be listed forward of a Tremendous Bowl MVP, however Burrow has accomplished so much in his profession. The 2-time Professional Bowler has statistically been top-of-the-line passers in every of the three years he’s completed a season wholesome. He’s positioned within the prime six in passing yards 3 times, together with main the league in passing in 2024, and has positioned within the prime eight in cross touchdowns 3 times, highlighted by a league-leading 43 touchdowns in 2024. Whereas Burrow hasn’t reached the postseason heights that Hurts has, he did surprisingly quarterback the Bengals to a Tremendous Bowl in his second season in 2021. He turned the second quarterback to beat Patrick Mahomes in a playoff recreation that yr, becoming a member of Brady. So, Burrow has definitely proven the upside that he generally is a quarterback for a championship-contender whereas placing up the stats of an elite quarterback, making him the surefire No. 1 participant on this listing.
Honorable point out
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