NFL Mock Draft 2020: Way-too-early look at projected first round

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
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DE/OLB. Alabama. Terrell Lewis. 15. player. 44.

A healthy season for Terrell Lewis could lead to him being one of the most highly sought after prospects in the 2020 class. And man does he deserve to finally have a healthy season. He earned a starting role on Alabama’s defense as a sophomore in 2017, but suffered an arm injury that cost him the majority of the season. He came back at the very end of the year, and made an impact in the College Football Playoff, most notably with a third down sack of Georgia’s Jake Fromm in overtime of the national championship game.

Lewis was expected to be one of the nation’s most feared pass rushers last season, but he tore his ACL over the summer and missed the entire season. Alabama took it slow with him this spring to try to keep him healthy. They’ll need production out of him for the defense to get back on track.

When healthy, Lewis is a force of nature off of the edge. He’s an outstanding athlete at 6-foot-5 and 256 pounds. He has good speed, and an array of pass rushing moves that helps him get to the quarterback. He’s worked on improving in run support, specifically with setting the edge, but that’s something he’ll need a bit of further development in.

The potential is there for Lewis to be a quarterback’s nightmare, and he could be exactly what the Falcons are looking for in next year’s draft.

It’s incredible to me that after sporting one of the league’s worst defenses last year, Atlanta chose to focus their attention early on in the draft on the offensive line instead of making some defensive upgrades. Dan Quinn’s arrogance in thinking that he can coach up the talent that he has could ultimately be his undoing in what might be a make or break season in Atlanta.