Three years ago, it was showcased as a draft class that could prove that all the hullabaloo of NFL talent evaluation was a waste of time, money and energy. The 2020 pandemic draft class was championed as a collection of picks defined by what the game tape says about a player.
Thanks to a COVID-19 pandemic that eliminated the vast majority of pro days, personal workouts and in-person visits with NFL Draft prospects, 2020 became a laboratory test of sorts. It all pointed to a fascinating line of questions: How well could teams select players without all of the extra due diligence scheduled between the scouting combine and draft?