2020 NFL Mock Draft: Cincinnati Bengals Select QB Joe Burrow at No. 1

It’s time to kick off the 2020 DBN Community NFL Mock Draft! The first card has been handed in, and with the first pick, the Cincinnati Bengals select...

Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

The selection and write-up were made by ShockerBrown:

The 2020 National Football Draft is both momentous and unique for a few reasons. This draft will be a completely virtual one, specifically as a consequence to the onset of the novel coronavirus global pandemic and the health concerns surrounding concentrations of large groups of people risking further infection. Also, this is the first time since 2003 that the Cincinnati Bengals have been in position to draft first. In that draft, the Bengals selected USC quarterback Carson Palmer as their selection. This draft will be similar.With the first pick of the 2020 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals will select…..Joseph Lee Burrow from the Louisiana State University.

Joe Burrow will serve to revitalize an ailing and aging Bengals offense and will undoubtedly replace the oft-injured Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback for the other Ohio team to begin the 2020 NFL season. Burrow’s potential and accuracy is what will attract the Bengals to this pick as the statistically best season of Dalton’s 9-year career saw a 66.1 completion percentage with 8.4 yards gained per attempt (2015). Neither Ryan Finley nor Jake Dolegala are likely to be serious completion for the starting QB position, and the expensive Red Ryder BB-gun is now more valuable as trade-bait in the final year of his contract and will likely be elsewhere following the upcoming draft.

After initially selecting the Ohio State University in 2014 out of Athens High School in The Plains, Ohio, and sitting behind both JT Barrett and Dwayne Haskins, Burrow transferred to LSU in 2018 as a redshirt junior to finish out his collegiate career. This decision optimized Burrow’s chances to compete and Joe was named LSU’s starting QB at the onset of the 2018 season. In that year, he led the Tigers to a 10-3 record and a bowl victory in the Fiesta Bowl. In 2018, he passed for 2894 yards with a 16/5 Td/INT ratio, posting a 57.8 completion percentage, and rushed for 399 yards and 7 TDs on the ground.

He was even more impressive in his 2019 senior season compiling a 15-0 record, winning the National Championship, winning the Heisman Trophy, and breaking the 2006 college passing touchdown record with 60 TDs through the air. This season saw large improvements for Burrow in nearly every relevant QB stat. He passed for 5671 yards with a 60/6 TD/INT ratio, a stellar 76.3 completion percentage, while still adding 368 rushing yards with 5 rushing TDs. He also had a fantastic 10.7 yards gained per attempt.

Expect very little surprise in the first pick this year as Bengals owner Mike Brown’s frugality will certainly value all of the potential upside Joe Burrow represents at a fraction of the price of his predecessor.

Pokorny: “Not just with Burrow, I think we’re going to see more early-draft assessments hold this year than ever before, considering the lack of workouts and in-person visits that could have otherwise changed the stock of a player. I would be stunned if the Bengals didn’t select Burrow with the first pick.”

The Washington Redskins are up next, led by vinys06.