Cincinnati Bengals were the first one the clock when the 2020 NFL Draft officially started on Thursday night, and it’s safe to say that there were no surprises when they announced their pick. Bengals took LSU’s quarterback Joe Burrow first overall and officially kicked off a new era for their franchise.
Burrow joins Bengals after arguably the most impressive season by a college QB in the history of the game. In 2019, he led LSU to a national championship title while winning a Heisman Trophy and completing impressive 76.3% of his passes for 5,671 yards and NCAA record 60 touchdowns.
Burrow is now expected to take over the troubled Cincinnati Bengals franchise and transform it into a winning organization. Bengals have missed the playoffs for the past four years while their last postseason win came three decades ago.
“You’ve led every single team you’ve ever played for to a championship, and that expectation does not change now that you’re a Bengal, and I’m looking forward to going through that process with you,” Bengals’ head coach Zac Taylor told Burrow shortly before the pick will be made official.
Burrow, on the other hand, is just as eager to get on with the work and grind his way to greatness.
“Ready to get to practice,” he responded. “Tired of all the talking. Ready to start working out again.”
The remaining nine picks also didn’t see many surprises, as Washington Redskins took Ohio State’s pass rusher Chase Young with the No.2 pick while his fellow Buckeye, cornerback Jeff Okudah, went third overall to Detroit Lions.
New York Giants made a bit of a head-scratching move when they selected Georgia’s offensive tackle Andrew Thomas with the fourth overall pick. While the Giants needed an OT, Thomas was considered only the third-best prospect at the position.
Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers also got their quarterbacks of the future, selecting Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert, respectively.
Green Bay Packers arguably made the most shocking move in the first round, when they traded up to No.26 in order to draft Utah State’s signal-caller Jordan Love. The Packers were believed to be in a market for an offensive weapon to help their Pro Bowl quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but instead, they selected his replacement.
The second round and third round of 2020 NFL Draft kicks off on Friday night while the rest of the rounds will play out over the weekend.
