No position is more important on the football field than the quarterback. At a time when having a talented quarterback on a rookie deal is a competitive advantage, many teams will be looking to take advantage of a deep 2020 NFL Draft class at the position.
Many expect at least three quarterbacks to be taken in the top-10 of the 2020 NFL Draft. In a class with Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, teams coveting a talented quarterback will have some strong choices to choose from on draft day.
Of course, there are some other intriguing passers available outside of the top three names. Jordan Love’s stock is on the rise, Jalen Hurts is a draft sleeper and Jake Fromm is attracting plenty of attention.
Predicting where Burrow will land is easy, but there’s plenty of intrigue after that. We predicted where top receivers will be selected in a talent-rich draft. Now let’s predict the top landing spots for the top quarterback prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Joe Burrow, LSU Tigers (Cincinnati Bengals)
No surprises with Burrow. Barring another team making them a godfather-like offer, the Bengals will select Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick. He is the best quarterback in the 2020 class and coming off a collegiate season we might never witness again. In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy and a national title, Burrow recorded the third-most passing yards (5,671), second-highest completion rate (76.3%) and threw the most touchdowns (60) in a single season.
Burrow can change this franchise for years to come. In fact, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Bengals went from a two-win team in 2019 to a potential .500-caliber team next season. An offense with Burrow passing the football to Joe Mixon, A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd and John Ross is extremely exciting. Cincinnati will also have an improved offensive line and it spent a lot of money this offseason to improve the defense. As long as the Bengals draft Burrow, this team will quickly claw its way back into being fun to watch.
Justin Herbert, Oregon Ducks (Miami Dolphins)
The Dolphins will select a quarterback with their top pick; it’s just a question of which player and if they move up. It seems increasingly unlikely that a trade-up will happen, which is understandable given some of the questions around Tagovailoa’s health and Herbert’s upside. If both are on the board, Miami will have a tough decision to make and it’s possible they already know their pick.
As of now, the Dolphins are reportedly higher on Herbert than Tagovailoa and they aren’t alone in that belief. Given Tagovailoa’s medical concerns, Herbert is the safer option. He’s also a very good quarterback and one that this front office did a lot of research on. Herbert delivered an incredible performance at the Senior Bowl and is ready to start for an NFL team immediately. While he might not offer an elite ceiling, he can be a top-10 quarterback and that’s more than enough for the Dolphins to contend in the future.
Jordan Love, Utah State (Los Angeles Chargers)
While the Chargers might benefit from signing Cam Newton, head coach Anthony Lynn firmly believes in Tyrod Taylor as the starter. It’s a significant risk to take on a 30-year-old with 46 career starts, but Lynn knows his quarterback better than anyone. Even if Taylor is the answer for the upcoming season, Los Angeles needs to find its quarterback for the future.
The Chargers reportedly became enamored with Love at the Senior Bowl. He brings prototypical size, arm strength and athleticism with the mentality it takes to be a franchise quarterback. Realistically, this would probably be one of the best fits for both sides. Love could learn Lynn’s system and work with the coaches to fix his mechanics, improve his decision making and become a more developed passer. Whether it takes him a full season or he’s ready before that, the Chargers will have their long-term solution at quarterback with a player that offers tremendous upside.
Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama Crimson Tide (Las Vegas Raiders)
This is the dream for Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock. While Derek Carr will likely be their starter the first year in Las Vegas, the front office made it clear this offseason they want a new face for the future. We highlighted why Tagovailoa could experience a draft-day slide, which could allow him to fall right into the Raiders’ lap. While there are durability concerns with him, the talent and potential easily exceed the risk if he makes it to No. 12 overall.
Consider that before his season-ending hip surgery, which multiple doctors have cleared him for full football activities, Tagovailoa was going to be a top-three pick. He’s received comparisons to Drew Brees for his exceptional accuracy and was even compared to Patrick Mahomes for his ability to throw on the run. The Raiders would immediately snag him if he falls to their pick. After that, they can trade Carr and let Marcus Mariota start until Tagovailoa is healthy and ready to step in.
Jake Fromm, Georgia Bulldogs (Indianapolis Colts)
Philip Rivers will make the Colts an instant contender in 2020. The collection of talent without him was good enough to compete for a playoff spot and now with a reliable quarterback under center, Indianapolis can win the AFC South. Once Rivers contract ends after the season, though, there’s no clear long-term plan at the position. That’s why the Colts will likely take a quarterback with one of their second-round selections.
Fromm is mostly developed as a prospect with limited physical tools. It’s why he likely won’t be a first-round pick as teams will view a game-manager talent as someone not worth reaching for. In the second round, though, Fromm can appeal to the Colts in their search for more long-term stability. The fit might be even better for him since he’ll have an outstanding coaching staff and take the field with solid weapons and a phenomenal offensive line. Smart, dependable quarterbacks have long NFL careers and the Colts would remain contenders in future years with Fromm under center.
Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma Sooners (Green Bay Packers)
It’s time for the Packers to invest in a future outside of Aaron Rodgers. The 36-year-old quarterback showed evident signs of decline this past season and many anticipate he is playing on his final contract with Green Bay. The front office is open to taking a quarterback early and while Rodgers doesn’t like the idea, it’s the right move for this team’s future.
This is a situation that was made for Jalen Hurts. He still has a lot of room to grow as a passer, needing to understand how to read defenses, how to handle pressure and he must improve and to progress through his reads. The stunning athleticism and rocket arm strength are undeniable. Hurts has also already shown tremendous growth as a passer. He can be used as a Taysom Hill-like weapon to begin his career and by his third season, he could blossom and be ready to replace Rodgers.