2020 NFL Draft: First-round mock draft includes Jalen Hurts in the top 15

It may surprise some that the Bengals are in this position and not the Miami Dolphins, but the Bengals do technically have the worst record in the league at the moment, earning them the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

It’s still early in the season, and an A.J. Green return may be just the lift the Dolphins need win the race for the first pick. And what have they been calling that effort? “Tank for Tua”.

Tua has been the consensus number one quarterback and number one pick for a while now. Although he is battling more injury concerns with a high ankle sprain, most expect him back for the Tide’s big matchup next week against LSU. At this point, Tua’s injury history shouldn’t be a huge red flag, and shouldn’t deter QB needy teams from taking him as early as number one come April.

If they do end up with the first pick, I could see the Bengals going in a few directions. Quarterback is a clear need, as Andy Dalton is obviously not the answer. But could Ryan Finley? I think it would be wise to see what they have in their 2019 fourth-round pick this year before they pick this high in the draft.

Finley might not have quite the arm that new head coach Zac Taylor is looking for to drive the ball deep down the field to Green, John Ross, and Tyler Boyd, but they clearly thought enough of him to select him last year and he deserves a shot to seize control of the offense this year, allowing Cincy to go in a different direction at the top of the 2020 NFL Draft.

But let’s assume they go with a quarterback. Which one do they take? There are quite a few viable options at the position in 2020, and you can even make a case for a few guys to go number one overall. But Tua seems like the clear favorite.

Tua checks so many boxes that teams look for in a potential young, franchise quarterback. While he doesn’t have “optimal” NFL height at just 6’1″ and he has dealt with his fair share of injuries in Tuscaloosa, as a passer, Tua possesses pretty much all the skills you could want.

A cerebral quarterback who understands coverages and can make a quick and correct read, Tua can step right in will be able to run the Bengals offense. While he doesn’t have elite arm strength like recent QB prospects such as Drew Lock and Josh Allen, Tua has good zip on his ball and has great touch on deep passes down the field.

Tua is an accurate passer who has completed 70 percent of his passes in his college career to this point. His ball placement could improve a bit, but he always finds the right guy and gives them a chance to make a catch.

A very mobile quarterback, Tua excels in play-action and bootlegs, as he is able to get out of the pocket and either set his feet or deliver accurate passes on the run. And if there is nothing there down the field, Tua can take off and run.

At this point, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert could be in play if they do go quarterback, but both of them have their downsides. Burrow has been a late bloomer and many teams may not buy into the hype, at least yet.

To me, Burrow may be a bit too reminiscent of Andy Dalton for the Bengals liking and doesn’t quite have the ceiling that Tua and some of the other quarterback prospects may have. Herbert has tremendous upside, but is far too inconsistent, particularly against pressure, to take over Tua.

Being a left-handed quarterback, the Bengals will want to protect his blindside with an elite right tackle. I’m not sure Bobby Hart is that guy, and the Bengals may not have the draft capital or free agency pull to land someone like that, so that concerns me a bit. But rarely are first overall pick quarterbacks put into a perfect situation right away. He will continue to grow and learn and try to be the turning point for a team that has been unable to get over the hump for years now.