1.01, Joe Burrow, LSU Tigers, QB
Height – 6’3” Weight – 221 lbs. Hand Size – 9”
Arm – 30” Wingspan – 74” Age – 23
Joe Burrow has been the obvious number one overall selection for the Cincinnati Bengals since the conclusion of the 2019 season. He has the makeup of a franchise quarterback and put that on display last season with the LSU Tigers. With the first pick, the latest Heisman Trophy winner makes the weapons for the Bengals much better going forward. Expectations are high for Burrow, but being the first QB off the board always brings the weight of being the face of the franchise with it.
Burrow hails from Ohio and attempted to play for his home state Buckeyes, but was unable to beat out Dwayne Haskins for the starting job, and transferred to LSU. LSU named him the starting QB for the 2019 season igniting his rise to being the top selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, by throwing for an NCAA record, 60 touchdowns in a single season.
Burrow’s biggest knock is his hand size, but plenty of quarterbacks with smaller hands have had NFL experience including Ryan Tannehill, Patrick Mahomes, and Jared Goff. Only playing one season in college gives pause, but it was such a historic season that the Bengals are entrusting him with the keys to the kingdom in his return home.
Burrow had a record-breaking season last year for the NCAA, but prior to that, he failed to have much success on the college gridiron. His sixty touchdowns in 2019 tripled all of his other seasons combined, and the 5,671 yards he threw for doubled what he did in 2018 with the Tigers. The Bengals are clearly believers that 2019 was his breakout, and he offers more upside than Andy Dalton ever could for their team.
Burrow’s biggest traits to build on leading into his NFL career are accuracy and pocket presence. Burrow doesn’t force passes and places the ball where his WR has the upper hand over defenders. This will help when the windows get smaller, but he played against SEC defenses and seemingly won the National Championship with ease. Most quarterbacks would need to learn the NFL ropes before starting a full season for a franchise. I believe Burrow has the traits to be a day one starter in the league with his new team.
Former LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady has joined the Carolina Panthers as the offensive coordinator, further proving that Burrow has run an offense capable of performing at the NFL level. He did have plenty of weapons in his arsenal at LSU with Justin Jefferson, Jamaar Chase, Thaddeus Moss, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Arriving back in the state of Ohio for the Bengals, he will have plenty of capable options as well and should be a fantasy producer for Superflex leagues right away, and more of a stash in 1QB formats. Burrow’s balanced passing attack will bring stability to the Bengals offense.
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Andy Dalton was poor last season for the Bengals completing only 59.5% of passes, and he had more turnovers than touchdowns, which ultimately led the Bengals to this number one overall selection. I don’t expect Dalton to hinder Burrow from seeing the field right away seeing that there were trade rumors for Dalton swirling earlier in the offseason so perhaps he is dealt later on tonight or throughout the draft. I would expect Burrow to struggle on this same team last year, but not to this extent. The Bengals had the 20th ranked pass blocking offensive line and didn’t add much through free agency, but do have their 2019 first-round selection Jonah Williams returning from injury. Either they improve through the draft or down the road, but the QB is no longer the question with Burrow joining the team.
Cincinnati aims to give a nice boost to the surrounding player’s ability to produce on the field by adding Burrow, and with a porous defense, he should have plenty of time on the field to develop and put up fantasy points. Joe Mixon will have more room to run with Burrow on the field keeping the defense honest. I could easily see Mixon’s YPC improving from 4.1 to the RB1 level that his ADP is at in dynasty leagues right now, 4.5 YPC. Burrow has elite-level talent, and with most rookie QBs it’ll be bumpy to start but hopefully a smooth finish.
The team fit seems ideal, but the Bengals have plenty of places they need to improve before Burrow can be at his full potential. Luckily, the WR position seems stable for Burrow’s arrival with A.J green being franchise tagged and healthy, as well as Tyler Boyd coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. John Ross will provide a deep threat if healthy, and Auden Tate gives Burrow a great number three option for someone who is used to multiple weapons surrounding him.
The Bengals believe in Joe Burrow’s talent and have made it clear by selecting him first overall as expected. You should as well by taking him first overall in your Superflex drafts. It isn’t the most attractive pick compared to a stud RB or elite WR, but how often can you find a guaranteed franchise QB in rookie drafts? The team will continue to build their team around him for years to come, and so can you. Coming from the LSU Tigers, and headed home to play for the Bengals…this is the Tiger King we should all be talking about now.
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