2020 NFL Draft quarterback rankings and analysis-Herbert and Love above Tua?
It seems pretty clear at this point that in terms of quarterbacks that may end up coming off the board in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft there are four names to consider. My rankings are no different in terms of those same four names being at the top, but the order may be surprising.
1. Joe Burrow, LSU
Joe Burrow is one of the most promising quarterback prospects in recent memory, coming off of arguably the best season in college football season. He does just about everything well and makes it look easy.
He is very mobile with incredible pocket presence. He has great touch on every throw across the field and good enough zip to fit the ball into tight windows and to get it out to the boundary.
While he had a ton of talent around him at LSU and a promising young OC his senior season, the tape doesn’t lie. Burrow improved massively this season and should be incredibly effective right away in the NFL.
Short and sweet here. If you have watched all of the 2020 NFL Draft quarterback prospects and don’t come away with this conclusion, I’m not sure what you’re looking at. His film is so incredibly impressive with consistency throughout and more than his fair share of the spectacular. Nothing is ever a sure thing, but Joe Burrow is about as close to a can’t-miss quarterback that we have seen since Andrew Luck.
2. Justin Herbert, Oregon
Justin Herbert shows a lot of promise and potential as an NFL prospect. He has an ideal frame for an NFL quarterback and an absolute cannon of an arm.
He can fit the ball into the tightest of windows and get the ball out to the boundary in a flash. He is one of the best running QBs in this 2020 NFL Draft class and can change a game with his legs. He throws with good anticipation and his arm strength allows him to place the ball wherever he wants.
He could improve his accuracy, occasionally overthrowing his target, but when Herbert is on he is one of the best. Some question his leadership skills because he is quiet, but through his interviews and some things I saw on film, I’m confident that he can be a leader in the NFL. His ceiling is incredibly high, leading him to be one of my top QB prospects in this class.
3. Jordan Love, Utah State
Jordan Love has probably the highest ceiling of all the 2020 QB prospects. A Patrick Mahomes-like ceiling. Now with some of his inconsistencies, he has one of the lowest floors, making him one of the more polarizing prospects this year.
He has a rocket of an arm, good mobility and an innate ability to make a spectacular play. He excels on the run and can deliver an accurate ball from any arm angle.
His decision making must improve and he needs to be more consistent with his accuracy, but his highs are high enough to be a top three QB in my mind. Fit will be huge, but given the right situation Jordan Love could become a great.
4. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
To me, Tua Tagovailoa as a player has a relatively low ceiling, but a rather high floor. That is assuming he is healthy, which is certainly not an assumption that can be safely made at this point.
Tua’s injury history is concerning to me. And without that high ceiling, I don’t value Tua as high as many evaluators.
Tua is a very solid and consistent quarterback. He has great ball placement across the field, outstanding touch on deep throws and is very good at getting through his progression. But nothing about Tua really jumps out at me.
He rarely had to fit the ball into tight windows and usually had all day to throw. Some would argue the same about Joe Burrow, but I saw much more in terms to playmaking and eye-popping throws from Burrow.
If Tua didn’t have any injury concerns he may be a top 10 pick to me, but with his low ceiling and injury history, I prefer a couple other more promising QB prospects, while others value Tua as a possible number one overall pick.