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Cincinnati Bengals ready for turnaround in 7-round 2020 mock draft

By Cody Williams

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 22: Kenneth Murray #9 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates after defeating the Army West Point Black Knights at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 22: Kenneth Murray #9 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates after defeating the Army West Point Black Knights at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) /
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Cincinnati Bengals mock draft (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Cincinnati Bengals mock draft (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

Ready to take Joe Burrow with the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals make a major turnaround in this 7-round mock draft.

To earn the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, it’s clear that the Cincinnati Bengals were a far cry from competing for much of anything last season. However, given the bad luck they endured and talent on the roster, there’s reason to believe that they are far better than a 2-14 club. And when Joe Burrow enters the building, that will be even more apparent.

While anything can happen when it comes to the NFL Draft, the fact that the Bengals are set to replace longtime starting quarterback Andy Dalton with Burrow, fresh off winning the Heisman Trophy and National Championship, is basically a foregone conclusion at this point.

However, what the Bengals do after that could be just as critical for 2020 and beyond. They own all of their own picks in each round. And the fact that they come at the beginning of each round gives Cincinnati and second-year head coach Zac Taylor the opportunity to take a roster from being the worst in the league to being an easy .500 team — especially with last year’s first-round pick, Jonah Williams, getting to take the field.

So what exactly can the Bengals accomplish to turn things around in the 2020 NFL Draft? Let’s find out in this 7-round mock draft, starting with Burrow, naturally. (This mock draft was simulated using The Draft Network’s mock draft machine.)

There’s no real reason to belabor the point as it pertains to Joe Burrow going to the Bengals with the No. 1 overall pick. It’s as easy of a pick as there’s been in quite some time at the top of the NFL Draft.

Andy Dalton has been a solid quarterback for Cincinnati throughout his career. His run of playoff appearances — albeit with a distinct lack of postseason success — during the Marvin Lewis is a testament to the fact that an NFL team can win with him at quarterback. However, the malaise in this city and team with Dalton at the helm set in several years ago. Burrow changes that.

While some have tried to throw question marks at the LSU product by giving him the one-year wonder label, he’s anything but that. He had a solid 2018 season as a starter but, when put into Joe Brady’s offense that actually asked him to take over, he threw for 60 touchdowns and was virtually unstoppable.

Burrow is not the greatest set of tools we’ve ever seen at quarterback but, frankly, who cares? He’s an undeniable leader that exudes confidence on and off the field who also plays with precision accuracy and an elite football IQ under center. More than anything, he gives Bengals fans a good reason to be excited, which they very much should be as he comes to the Queen City.

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