New on Sports Illustrated: NFL Draft 2020 Grades: Analysis of Every Team’s Round 1 Pick

After months of anticipation, the 2020 NFL draft is finally here. Follow along as we grade every team’s first-round pick.

After months of studying prospects’ tape and reading mock drafts, the 2020 NFL draft is finally here. As many expected, the Bengals took QB Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick, and Washington took DE Chase Young with the second pick.

Below is our instant analysis and grades for every Round 1 pick.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: QB Joe Burrow

By all appearances,

Cincinnati’s commitment to Burrow has been strong and steady from the start. The only reasonable knock on LSU’s 2019 breakout star is his lack of top-level arm strength, but that’s not to say Burrow can’t still make every throw. What sets him apart is how he gets to those throws. He sees and exploits the entire width of the field; he moves calmly, courageously and craftily within the pocket, and has good enough wheels to make plays outside of it. There’s no task in Zac Taylor’s zone-based, play-action-oriented offense that Burrow can’t perform. Getting him to quickly maximize the potential of those tasks will require better play at offensive line and wide receiver, areas the Bengals could address later in this draft but will also improve by default with wide receiver A.J. Green and 2019 first-round left tackle Jonah Williams returning to health. This can be a whole different Bengals offense in 2020.

GRADE: A

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