by Matt Kupec

April 23, 2020

The NFL will begin its annual Draft celebration this evening, Thursday, April 23 with each NFL team in a remote setting due to the coronavirus.

In anticipation of the draft, my son Matthew has joined me in the continuation of our ongoing football analysis to make a few comments and predictions about this year’s draft.  Here’s what we think will happen:

Matthew (Son):

Top Draft Takeaway: I think Oregon QB Justin Herbert will be the 2nd QB selected in the draft going at pick #5 to the Miami Dolphins. This may be a surprise to many, but Justin has great NFL size and a big arm and is a smart quarterback.  His long-term future is very bright and he fits in well to the Dolphins offensive scheme.   Justin is a winner as he helped turn the Oregon program around and he’ll have the same impact on the Dolphins fortunes going forward.

Other Predictions:

  • Southern Illinois University (SIU) Safety Jeremy Chinn will go in the first round.
  • Oregon QB Bobby Herbert will be drafted before Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa.
  • LSU QB and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow will be the first pick in the draft.
  • Florida CB CJ Henderson will be selected among the top 10 selections.
  • South Carolina DT Javin Kinlaw will be drafted before Auburn’s DT Derrick Brown

Matt (Father)

Top Draft Takeaway: I think Tua Tagovailoa is the top player in the draft and I would pick him #1 if I were the Cincinnati Bengals.  I know there are concerns about Tua’s health and his longevity in the league, but he is the best playmaker in this year’s draft.  He makes all the throws, has uncanny accuracy on his long passes and every time the ball was in his hands at Alabama I thought it might turn into a touchdown.

 Other Predictions:

  • Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa will be the 2nd QB picked behind Joe Burrow.
  • SIU will have a player (Jeremey Chinn) picked in the draft before any player from the schools with a rich football tradition Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina to name a few.
  • LSU (5) and Alabama (5) will have a total of 10 players picked in the 1st
  • Justin Herbert will fall in the first round and not be drafted before the #20 pick.

About the Authors

Matt Kupec is a former record-breaking four-year starting quarterback for the UNC Tar Heels.  During his career he set 19 passing records, two of which still exist (most consecutive games with a TD pass although tied this year by UNC freshman standout QB Sam Howell, and most wins as a starting QB).  He was named MVP of the 1977 Liberty Bowl and 1979 Gator Bowl becoming the 1st player in ACC history to be named MVP of two bowl games.

Matthew Kupec recently graduated from East Chapel Hill School in Chapel Hill, NC.  Matthew played defensive back for the East HS football team his junior year and set a school-record when intercepting three passes in one game.  As a baseball junior last year, Matthew led the conference with the lowest earned run average.  Unfortunately, Matthew’s senior baseball year was canceled early in the year due to the coronavirus but Matthew was a key pitcher and batting 4th in the lineup in what looked to be an outstanding season.