The 2019 NFL regular season is drawing to a close, which means many eyes are on the NCAAF to see who the number one overall pick may be in the 2020 NFL Draft; as a number of teams will be hoping the leading college players can help them improve next year.
The Cincinnati Bengals, who will be on the clock first, will most likely be looking to draft a quarterback, however, as always with the NFL Draft, you can never rule out trades before the clock expires.
Here is a look at three players who are in contention for the honor of being in that opening spot on the board.
Joe Burrow
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow was the winner of the Heisman Trophy in 2019. He sealed the award after receiving the largest margin of votes in his favour in history.
Given that the Bengals are looking for a QB to build around for the future, Burrow is the favorite to be the first overall pick as he had an excellent campaign last season, leading the Tigers to a 13-0 record before the playoffs.
Burrow, who broke the single-season passing touchdown record at LSU in 2019, grew up in Ohio so, if he is chosen by the Bengals, he will be returning to familiar surroundings for the start of his professional career.
The Tigers QB still has a chance to build his reputation before the season is up, as LSU have American football odds of +150 to win the CFP National Championship.
Chase Young
The best defensive player projected to be in the 2020 NFL Draft is Chase Young. The Ohio State pass rusher has been tipped to make an immediate impact in the NFL next year.
Young had 16.5 sacks in 2019 and 27 solo tackles in what was a standout campaign for the 20-year-old in his junior season.
Four quarterbacks have been drafted first overall in the draft in the last six years, however, Jadeveon Clowney was the first pick in 2014, while defensive end Myles Garrett was chosen by the Cleveland Browns with their first overall selection in 2017.
Young has yet to make a decision about whether he will skip his senior year to be eligible for selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, but given his stock is high as it is, and many teams will be interested in taking him early into the first round, that looks to be his most likely move in 2020.
Tua Tagovailoa
For large parts of 2019, Tua Tagovailoa looked certain to be the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, however, the Alabama quarterback picked up a hip injury in his side’s victory over Mississippi State, which ruled him out for the rest of the year.
Tagovailoa has had successful surgery, however, the injury could still have an impact on how high he is to be selected in the draft. His talent is thought to be above any of his fellow quarterbacks which are likely to be eligible for selection in April, as his QBR is as high as 94.6. Given how serious his injury was, though, he may prove to be a gamble too big to take for the Cincinnati Bengals.
The 2020 NFL Draft takes place from April 23-25 from Paradise, Nevada.
