The 2020 NFL Draft was a historical one for LSU football, as the program watched 14 of its players find their landing spots after recording an undefeated season capped off by a national championship victory over Clemson.
Perhaps one of the most notable things about this year’s class was how deep in was at the quarterback position.
It shocked no one when the Tigers’ Joe Burrow was selected first overall by the Cincinnati Bengals, with Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert and Jordan Love also coming off the board in the first round.
In total, four SEC quarterbacks were drafted in 2020. Here’s a look into what the future could look like for each of them.
Joe Burrow, LSU (Cincinnati Bengals)
Burrow faces a tall task as a rookie quarterback in trying to help right the ship for a Bengals team that went 2-14 last season, but the team has some pieces in place and the former LSU signal-caller brings a lot to the table himself to help Cincinnati make the jump.
It’s unreasonable to expect the Bengals to make a complete turnaround riding on Burrow’s abilities alone, but his mental makeup is practically unparalleled and he serves as an instant and very strong upgrade for the offense as a whole.
Sure, he’s never wowed with his physical traits, frequently knocked for a lack of significant arm strength, but that’s practically his only flaw. His mental quickness, coolness under pressure, overall accuracy and ball placement are all things that either cannot be taught or are very hard to teach.
Burrow is a special type of player that’s hard to come by — not a system quarterback like some of the skeptics insist upon — and his talents should be expected to translate to the NFL level.
It’s reasonable to assume he’ll hold onto his position as the Bengals’ starter for years to come, and remain with the team for much of — if not the entirety of — his career.
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