This year the Cincinnati Bengals have the first overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft. The Bengals finished with a very uninspiring record of 2-14. This year’s draft is super important for this Bengals team and their future. It’s crucial that the team has success on some of their draft picks: especially having the first overall pick.

Looking at who the potential number one pick may be, it comes down to two players. The quarterback out of LSU, Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy and lead the LSU Tigers to a National Championship with a dominant performance throwing for 463 yards with five touchdown passes and rushing for a touchdown. The other top prospect is Chase Young, out of THE Ohio State University. Young, a defensive end, lead the country in sacks with 16.5 and was second in the country with six forced fumbles. Both players are very talented and have a lot of potential coming into the NFL. What the Bengals have to decide is who they want to hopefully be their franchise player for years to come. 

The belief around the league is that the Bengals will select quarterback Joe Burrow, of LSU. There are multiple sources that seem to lean in the direction of Burrow being selected. The former quarterbacks coach for the Bengals, Alex Van Pelt told Bengals team writer Geoff Hobson,(Bengals News), that Burrow “checks off a lot of boxes as a prospect.” Another report coming from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, is that the Bengals have “no intention” of trading away the first overall pick (the score).

Although people believe the Bengals will take Burrow, Chase Young isn’t an afterthought. Young is a polarizing defensive end and is NFL ready. According to the (Cincy Jungle), An AFC assistant coach has come out saying, “I wouldn’t stack him ahead of Young on our board, Maybe I’m biased because I love our [quarterback], but if the Bengals are picking Burrow I’m sleeping better at night than if they’re picking the defensive end.” Young has the speed off the line and his quickness will be needed in a division with quarterbacks Baker Mayfield,(former number one pick), 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson and future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger.

   According to The Leaf’s Instagram poll, we asked the question of whether the Bengals should select Joe Burrow or Chase Young. The results are not surprising to me. Out of 73 votes, 60 people think Joe Burrow should be drafted and 13 people believe Chase Young should be taken. The reports and people’s opinions around the country are leaning towards the belief and likelihood the Bengals selecting Joe Burrow with the first overall pick come April 25th. If the Bengals were to draft a quarterback, Burrow would be the guy to get. Andy Dalton isn’t a terrible quarterback but he isn’t going to get the Bengals to the Super Bowl while on a rebuilding Bengals team. The Bengals fans want something to be excited about and Burrow looks to be oozing with talent and his hype might be too great to pass up. Burrow seems to become the next franchise player and should be the guy under center week one of the 2020 NFL season.