The road to the top overall selection doesn’t always go through one college. Joe Burrow becomes the sixth top pick — and third straight — to play quarterback and switch schools.
Troy Aikman at UCLA
Troy Aikman began his college career at Oklahoma. He was 3-0 as a starter before suffering a leg injury. While Aikman was out, the offense change and he transferred to UCLA.
1989 draft: Dallas Cowboys
Aikman was the top overall pick in the 1989 draft. He had a rough beginning in the pros, going 0-11 as a starter, but that was not an indicator of the future. During his career, he was a six-time Pro Bowl selection, led the team to three Super Bowl victories, and was the MVP of Super Bowl XXVII. Aikman was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and to the College Football Hall of Fame two years later.
Jeff George
Jeff George played college football for the University of Illinois after transferring from Purdue. He threw for 1,217 yards as a Boilermaker in 1986. After sitting out a required transfer season, he played two years for the Fighting Illini and threw for 4,995 yards.
1990 draft: Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts took Jeff George first overall. George was drafted by also played for the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, and Seattle Seahawks in a 13-year career.
2011: Cam Newton
Cam Newton began his college career at Florida and saw limited action, throwing 12 passes, completing 6 for 54 yards in 2007 and ’08.
Auburn
Newton took his talents from one SEC school to another, transferring to Auburn. He played one season, but what a year 2010 was. The quarterback threw for 2,854 yards and rushed for 1,473. He accounted for 52 touchdowns in a season that wound up with a Heisman Trophy and national title.
2011 draft: Carolina Panthers
Newton was taken first by the Panthers. He played nine years with Carolina, recently parting with the team that drafted him. Newton is currently a free agent. He threw for 29,000 yards and rushed for another 4,800 as a Panther.
2018: Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield began his college career as a walk-on at Texas Tech. In eight games in 2013, Mayfield threw for 2,315 yards and 12 TDs.
Oklahoma
Mayfield transferred to Oklahoma. After sitting out the 2014 season, he threw for almost 12,300 yards and 119 touchdowns in the next three seasons. He was granted a final year of eligibility in 2017 and went on to win the Heisman Trophy as a Sooner.
2018 draft: Cleveland Browns
Mayfield was the first overall pick by the Cleveland Browns after his storied Sooner career. He took over the starting job as a rookie and brought wins and excitement to a moribund team. His second season was not as successful. The future will be interesting, for sure.
2019: Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray started his career in the SEC at Texas A&M. He threw for 686 yards and five TDs as a freshman. Murray also rushed for 335 yards.
Oklahoma
Murray moved from College Station, Tx, to Norman, Ok. After sitting out the required season, he backed up Heisman winner Baker Mayfield in 2017. A year later, Murray was earning all the hardware. He accounted for more than 5,300 yards and 54 touchdowns in winning the Heisman Trophy in 2018.
2019 draft: Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals had a new coach in Kliff Kingsbury and the first overall pick in the draft. Kyler Murray had signed a lucrative MLB contract after being a first-round pick of the Oakland Athletics. However, he decided he’d rather be a passer than an outfielder and the Cardinals drafted him first overall. Murray went on to become NFL Rookie of the Year.
2020: Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow was an Ohio native who decided to live the dream by taking a scholarship to Ohio State University. He spent three seasons in Columbus and saw limited action. Burrow threw for 287 yards as a Buckeye.
LSU
Burrow traded the Big Ten for the SEC, transferring to LSU. Thanks to modernized rules, he did not have to sit out and started in 2017, throwing for 2,894 yards and 16 TDs. What happened next in 2018 was stunning. Burrow led the Tigers to the national championship and himself to the Heisman by throwing for an astounding 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns.
2020 draft: Cincinnati Bengals
The Ohio kid gets to go back to his home state. The Bengals were 2-14 in 2019, earning them the top overall selection. There wasn’t a ton of mystery despite some folks trying to build draft drama. Cincinnati took Burrow and is banking on him being the face of the franchise for many years to come.
