NFL Draft 2020: Latest Rumors, Expert Mocks for Burrow, Tua and Top QBs

An elite quarterback isn't technically required for an NFL team to win the Super Bowl, but it sure makes that daunting task a lot easier.

Since Tom Brady won his first championship in the 2001 season, the other quarterbacks to lead a Super Bowl run are: Brad Johnson, Ben Roethlisberger (twice), Peyton Manning (twice), Eli Manning (twice), Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson, Nick Foles and Patrick Mahomes. A mediocre passer sneaks in here and there, but that is mostly a group of signal-callers who will one day be roommates in Canton.

So if it ever seems like fans and/or media overhype the position, just remember there's a reason for it.

On that note, we'll follow our latest mock first round by examining the latest rumors and expert mock-draft predictions surrounding the top three quarterbacks on our board.

2020 NFL Mock Draft

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

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

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

4. New York Giants: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

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

7. Carolina Panthers: Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson

8. Arizona Cardinals: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

10. Cleveland Browns: Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama

11. New York Jets: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

12. Las Vegas Raiders: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

13. San Francisco 49ers (via Indianapolis Colts): Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina

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

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

17. Dallas Cowboys: CJ Henderson, CB, Florida

18. Miami Dolphins (via Pittsburgh Steelers): CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

19. Las Vegas Raiders (via Chicago Bears): Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles Rams): Austin Jackson, OT, USC

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

22. Minnesota Vikings (via Buffalo Bills): Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

23. New England Patriots: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

24. New Orleans Saints: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

25. Minnesota Vikings: Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU

26. Miami Dolphins (via Houston Texans): D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia

27. Seattle Seahawks: Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama

28. Baltimore Ravens: Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge, Penn State

29. Tennessee Titans: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

30. Green Bay Packers: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State

31. San Francisco 49ers: A.J. Epenesa, Edge, Iowa

32. Kansas City Chiefs: Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU

Latest QB Prospect Buzz

Dolphins Eyeing Joe Burrow

If it seems like any team outside the Buckeye State would be wasting its time giving any thought to landing Joe Burrow, that's because it probably is. It's possible to find a mock draft without Burrow at the top if you put in the leg work, but as B/R's Matt Miller recently put it, "Burrow to the Bengals is a done deal."

Apparently, that won't stop other teams from dreaming, though.

The Dolphins have the trade capital to dream big, as they hold three first-round picks, including the fifth overall selection. They are doing just that, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported the Dolphins "will make an attempt" to trade for the top pick. But even in that report, Salguero noted the Bengals "are said to highly value the No. 1 pick."

Cincinnati should not (and by every account, will not) mess around with this. It needs a franchise quarterback, and Burrow has shown that type of ability. This should be the slam dunk everyone says it is, regardless of how wild the Dolphins dare to dream.

Tua Tagovailoa Aces Medical Recheck

With the sports world suspended and front offices unable to get up close and personal with prospects, Tua Tagovailoa's medical history has been one of the biggest variables in this draft. His 2019 season was derailed in November by a posterior wall fracture and dislocated hip.

His recovery process figured to greatly affect his draft stock, and if the most recent report is any indication, things are looking up. He underwent a voluntary medical recheck with an independent doctor Thursday, and results of the exam "were overwhelmingly positive," his representatives told ESPN's Laura Rutledge and NFL Network.

Tagovailoa later declared himself "100 percent right now" and "ready to go."

If teams agree with that assessment, then the No. 5 pick might be his floor. That's where ESPN's Todd McShay mocked Tagovailoa, noting, "When he is healthy, he's special."

Some Teams Have Justin Herbert 2nd at QB

Throughout this predraft process, Justin Herbert has been most commonly slotted in as the No. 3 quarterback in mock drafts. In fact, our mock and the latest from Miller and ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. all have Herbert joining the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 6, right after the Dolphins take Tagovailoa.

But maybe the hierarchy isn't so clear-cut. Miller recently reported that "multiple teams" prefer Herbert "because of injuries and the unknowns."

That surfaced ahead of Tagovailoa's recheck, so it's uncertain how this latest development influences the discussion. That said, with Herbert's combination of size, arm strength and mobility, it isn't impossible to imagine some decision-makers favoring him over the smaller, less durable Tagovailoa.

It's not enough to change our board, but it is a reminder that few things are ever as certain as we think when it comes to the NFL draft.