Mel Kiper breaks down why Joe Burrow will be the No. 1 NFL Draft pick

NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper says Joe Burrow will be taken first overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The NFL season began a few months ago with many fans calling for the Miami Dolphins to “tank for Tua,” but Miami only has a slim chance of earning the No. 1 overall pick with a few weeks to play, and the Alabama quarterback’s draft stock has tumbled following his season-ending hip injury.

In Tagovailoa’s place, runaway Heisman Trophy favorite Joe Burrow has become one of the two most coveted NFL prospects, along with Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, and the QB-needy Cincinnati Bengals have the best chance to land the No. 1 pick.

ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has Burrow ranked behind Young on his 2020 big board, but Kiper said on Tuesday that he believes Burrow will become the first LSU player to be taken No. 1 overall since JaMarcus Russell in 2007.

“I think that’s the one critique you could have, he’s one year at this level. But he did start last year, he did have a good touchdown-to-interception ratio, but this year he went from 16 touchdowns to 48. And what you saw this year was a guy with a system that fits him, with the players around him helping out, what he could do against a very difficult schedule as well. And we saw some great individual plays, even this past week, that he created on his own.

So I think the competitiveness, the knowledge of this offense. Joe Brady raves about how quickly he picked up what Drew Brees has been doing so well through his career with the Saints. And to be as accurate and precise, mobile… he’s got it all. I think if you want to be a doubter, you could say ‘well it’s one year of greatness, but it was one year of unbelievable greatness, and that’s why he’s going to be the No. 1 pick in the draft.”