In the year of the quarterback, plenty of franchises will have opportunities to find their future field generals in the NFL Draft.
Week 12 of the NFL season may have been the best of the season, but it also showcased some incredibly bad quarterback play in the league. Ryan Finley, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Mason Rudolph, and Jeff Driskel were under center on Sunday, and shockingly only one of those quarterbacks picked up a win (Rudolph, with that being asterisked since he got replaced by Delvin Hodges in the second half).
With that being said, the Cincinnati Bengals are 0-11 and well on pace to land the top pick in the NFL Draft. Let’s take a look at the latest mock draft, with the order courtesy of tankathon.com after Monday Night’s game between the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams.
Joe Burrow
Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals fans have had it rough this season, but the future looks brighter with the ability to draft the presumed Heisman Trophy favorite, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. The addition of a true franchise caliber quarterback would be a big start to coach Zac Taylor’s rebuilding project in Cincinnati.
Burrow wasn’t on the radar as a potential first-round pick at the beginning of the season, but he has really showcased traits that NFL teams covet in his brilliant season for the Tigers. Taylor will love Burrow’s quick decision-making, accuracy, and ability to make all the throws as the Bengals grab a quarterback in the first round for the first time since taking Carson Palmer first-overall in 2003.
Chase Young
Defensive End, New York Giants
It hasn’t been a bad year for the New York Giants, who find themselves in the midst of a seven-game losing streak and careening towards another top-10 pick for the third straight year. The Giants took care of their long-term quarterback need by selecting Daniel Jones sixth-overall last year, so now they are free to take the best-available player to address their many needs.
‘That takes the form of Ohio State pass-rusher Chase Young, who most scouts regard as the best prospect in the class. Young is a game-wrecker in the front four, racking up 13.5 sacks and five forced fumbles while missing two games on an NCAA suspension. Those kinds of players can make all the difference for an NFL defense.