Assessing the 2020 NFL Draft class through 5th-year option decisions.
The 2020 pandemic NFL Draft class has set a record for first-round futility, with 20 players failing to have their fifth-year options picked up by their teams. This means that 62.5% of the first round failed to have their rookie contracts automatically extended with one additional (and lucrative) fully guaranteed year of pay. Notable players who failed to secure their fifth-year options include Chase Young, Jeff Okudah, Isaiah Simmons, Mekhi Becton, Henry Ruggs III, Damon Arnette, Isaiah Wilson, and Jeff Gladney. The fifth-year option decision serves as the most accurate read on how teams are self-assessing their first-round picks.