The Cincinnati Bengals pick first in the 2020 NFL draft after securing a single win through Christmas to start the Zac Taylor era.
With the focus for fans now fully switched over to the draft process, it’s a good time to get familiar with the prospects in the collegiate game.
Granted, the Bengals pick first and this is all about Joe Burrow. But if Burrow isn’t available for whatever reason or the team trades around, it’s good to have an idea of the top of the class — so it’s big board time.
1. QB Joe Burrow, LSU
Burow’s the one. The Ohio kid threw for 4,700-plus yards this year with 48 scores and six picks. He doesn’t have a single overwhelming flaw as a prospect and the great character sure doesn’t hurt.
2. EDGE Chase Young, Ohio State
Young might be the top player on other boards — but not here. A quarterback is the only way to compensate for how the Bengals do business. But the Ohio State star wouldn’t be a bad fallback option by any means, as he’s one of the best pass rushers to enter the league in a long time.
3. QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
Formerly a contender for first overall, the big concern with Tagovailoa now is health. He completed north of 70 percent of his passes with 33 touchdowns against three picks before getting hurt. He’s mobile and projects well. Not a bad fallback plan.
4. CB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
Bengals fans might groan at the idea of taking another cornerback — but Okudah is just that good. Elite man corners of this caliber making the jump to the pros just don’t do so often and he’s bound to be a top-10 pick as a result.
5. OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia
Taking another tackle might be boring but if it better protects the quarterback and lets Joe Mixon run wild, it’s hard to complain. Thomas is the next big thing out of Georgia, a 6’5″, 320-pound mauler who is good in the passing game, too.
6. LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Ready to finally take linebacker seriously early? Isaiah Simmons is the man. He’s all over the field as a run-stuffer, good at blitzing and even takes on coverage of tight ends well. He’s a dream in Cincinnati, basically.
7. DL Derrick Brown, Auburn
The next top-10 defensive lineman off the board is Derrick Brown, the 318-pound workhorse who uses leverage and leg drive to bully pockets into collapse or hold leverage until teammates can shutter the run. Like Okudah, he’s not that big of a need in Cincinnati — but he’s just that good
8. LB Dylan Moses, Alabama
Good luck figuring out the competition between Simmons and Dylan Moses as the draft’s top ‘backer. Alabama prospects usually have some concerning wear and tear but Moses’ blend of sideline-to-sideline play and coverage traits is hard to ignore.
9. EDGE A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
When in doubt, grab the best edge. Epenesa, who models his game after J.J. Watt, is just one of those can’t miss edge players a team can’t really go wrong with. The Bengals aren’t hurting for edge guys, but they don’t have an Epenesa, either.
10. WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Life without A.J. Green is scary — but Jeudy could make it a whole lot more manageable. The 6’1″ force has put up 2,000-plus yards and 23 receiving touchdowns over the past two seasons and easily seems like the best wideout in the class.
