2020 NFL Draft: Putting a letter grade on all 32 first-round picks
How did your favorite team do in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft? Find out as we go through and grade all 32 selections.
While the trade market did not materialize early, the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft was extremely fun and exciting. There was a ton of unknown in the first round and the Virtual Draft added another layer of intrigue. In the end, 32 interesting selections were made. Some were good, others were not so impressive. Want to know how your team did? Follow along as we give 2020 NFL Draft grades to each first-round selection.
QB. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Joe Burrow. 1. player. 56. LSU
With the first overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals took Joe Burrow, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback out of LSU. This has been known to be the pick for the Bengals for a long time now, but now we know for sure.
Burrow had arguably the greatest college football of all-time last year, completing 76.3% of his passes for 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns and six interceptions. He easily won the Heisman Trophy and led LSU to a 15-0 National Championship season.
As incredible as Burrow was last season, he is undoubtedly a bit of a one-year wonder. He barely got on the field at Ohio State for three seasons and left plenty to be desired when he took over as LSU’s full-time starter in 2018. However, he is impossible to ignore after his incredible 2019 season.
Related Story. Analyzing Burrow to Bengals. light
Burrow is an extremely smart and poised quarterback prospect who shows elite pocket presence. He senses pressure in the pocket like a 10-year veteran and has the quickness and athleticism to escape and make plays with his legs. Burrow does not have top-tier arm talent, but he has more than enough to make every throw at the next level. Most importantly, Burrow is an extremely accurate passer who can place the ball on a dime anywhere on the field.
The Bengals needed a true franchise quarterback to build around and they took the premier guy with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Burrow is a star in the making who is going to have immediate success at the next level. The easy pick was the right pick here.