Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft is in the books.
With Tom Brady out of the picture, the AFC East is set to be most competitive it has been in years. The picks made in this year's draft will make a major impact on how the division stacks up in 2020, and for years to come.
That especially is the case for the first round, which consisted of one AFC East squad selecting a potential franchise quarterback and the Patriots ... well, making a familiar kind of move.
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Here's a look at each pick by the four AFC East teams on the first night of the draft:
Miami Dolphins
Pick No. 5: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
New England Patriots
It's no surprise to see Tua Tagovailoa selected by Miami at No. 5, but there was some speculation about the Alabama product potentially slipping in the draft. Tagovailoa's injury history is a concern, especially the season-ending hip dislocation he suffered in November. That red flag has some draft experts worried he may be too brittle to stay on the field at the pro level. Regardless, Tua is without a doubt the most accurate quarterback in the draft, and his ceiling simply was too high for the Dolphins to resist. It'll be interesting to see if he's capable of seeing playing time as a rookie in 2020.
Pick No. 18: Austin Jackson, OT, USC
After drafting the injury-prone Tua, the Dolphins had to get him some protection. They did just that, selecting the 6-foot-5, 322-pound offensive tackle Austin Jackson with the 18th overall pick. Jackson earned the No. 5 spot in our tackle rankings.
Pick No. 30: Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
The Dolphins wrapped up their eventful first round by shifting their focus to the defensive side of the ball. Brian Flores selected Auburn cornerback Noah Igninoghene to bolster the secondary. It was a surprising pick, as Miami was expected to add an edge rusher or possibly even take the immensely talented running back D'Andre Swift. Nonetheless, they add a defensive back months after parting ways with star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
New York Jets
Pick No. 11: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
With the 11th pick, the Jets got some much-needed protection for their franchise QB Sam Darnold. They add the 6-foot-7, 369-pound behemoth Mekhi Becton, who ran an absurd 5.1 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Becton only allowed one sack over the course of the 2019 season and he excels as a run blocker as well. He earned the No. 2 spot in our offensive tackle rankings, which says a lot considering how stacked this year's draft class is at the position.
New England Patriots
The Patriots traded their 23rd overall pick to the Los Angeles Chargers for picks 37 and 71. While it may seem puzzling, it's straight out of the Bill Belichick playbook. New England's head coach is known to trade down, and now he'll have a second-round selection along with an additional third-round pick.
For what it's worth, the Chargers selected Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray with pick No. 23. Our own Phil Perry anticipated that being the Patriots' selection if they had stuck with that pick.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills did not make a pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Last month, they dealt the No. 22 overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings for star wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Currently, Buffalo is slated to make its first selection at No. 54 in Round 2.
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