NFL Draft Prospects 2020: Latest Predictions for Joe Burrow, Chase Young, More

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow has been in line to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft for a few months.

Burrow's Heisman Trophy and national championship campaign skyrocketed him to the top of a draft board that also includes a pair of dominant defensive players from Ohio State and Tua Tagovailoa, whom NFL personnel have fawned over for years.

The Ohio native is projected to land with the Cincinnati Bengals, who may have to move on from Andy Dalton to pave a path to the starting job.

After Burrow lands with the Bengals, there could be a run on defensive players, starting with Chase Young.

The Ohio State junior will most likely land with the Washington Redskins, and he could be directly followed by college teammate and defensive back Jeffrey Okudah based on the secondary needs of the Detroit Lions.

2020 NFL First-Round Mock Draft

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

3. Detroit Lions: Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State

4. New York Giants: Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson

5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

6. Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

7. Carolina Panthers: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

8. Arizona Cardinals: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

10. Cleveland Browns: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama

11. New York Jets: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

12. Las Vegas Raiders: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

13. Indianapolis Colts: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida

15. Denver Broncos: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

16. Atlanta Falcons: K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU

17. Dallas Cowboys: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina

18. Miami Dolphins (from Pittsburgh): Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama

19. Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago): Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge, Penn State

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Los Angeles Rams): A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

22. Buffalo Bills: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

23. New England Patriots: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State

24. New Orleans Saints: Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

25. Minnesota Vikings: Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama

26. Miami Dolphins (from Houston): Josh Jones, OT, Houston

27. Seattle Seahawks: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

28. Baltimore Ravens: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

29. Tennessee Titans: Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

30. Green Bay Packers: Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU

31. San Francisco 49ers: A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson

32. Kansas City Chiefs: D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia

Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

Burrow used one of the most dominant individual seasons in college football history to surge to the top of most draft boards.

The transfer from Ohio State threw for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns while leading LSU to the national title.

Burrow's pocket awareness and his leadership ability guiding LSU through every challenge he faced impressed a good amount of NFL personnel.

NFL.com's Charles Davis pointed out Burrow's "tremendous second- and third-reaction plays" as one of the reasons he will head back to Ohio to join the Bengals.

ESPN.com's Todd McShay pointed out the quarterback's "elite pocket presence" as part of his breakdown.

If he is taken first overall, Burrow would be in line to replace Dalton, who has been with the organization since he was a second-round pick in 2011.

The Bengals have a few options to deal with their impending quarterback situation.

One would be to have Burrow learn under Dalton and then take over the starting role for the 2020 season, or the other is to trade Dalton to clear the path for the projected No. 1 overall pick.

ESPN's Josina Anderson reported the Bengals are "listening to trade offers" for Dalton. That would make sense for the franchise to try to get something back for a player who likely will not start for it in the future.

If Burrow is chosen by the Bengals, he would be the second quarterback taken first overall by the franchise. The only current one is Carson Palmer in 2003.

Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

The only thing that could block Young from landing second is a team trading up to No. 2 to select Tagovailoa.

We have seen this happen on plenty of occasions in recent history with teams putting together large packages so they can secure a quarterback with a top-three selection.

As long as that does not happen, Young should be headed to Washington to play for defensive-minded head coach Ron Rivera.

One of Rivera's most important draft picks during his time with the Carolina Panthers was Luke Kuechly, who was taken at No. 9 in 2012.

Rivera never had a selection as high as No. 2 during his Panthers tenure, but he did take a handful of defensive players in the first round.

While Washington is not desperate for defensive linemen, it could follow the best-player-available strategy that the San Francisco 49ers utilized in 2019 when choosing Nick Bosa.

In Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, the Redskins have two young linemen they can build around for the future.

If they select Young, the Redskins could be even more dangerous on the interior. Young enters the NFL off back-to-back double-digit sack campaigns, and he earned 16.5 in 2019.

That production would be welcome by the Redskins, who have to face Carson Wentz, Daniel Jones and Dak Prescott twice every season.

If Young lands at No. 2, Okudah would be the likely No. 3 pick unless the Lions receive a trade offer they can't refuse.

If that occurs, the first three picks would come from College Football Playoff participants.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.