As we pass the halfway point of the season, three out of the four quarterbacks taken in the opening round of the NFL Draft have made their first career start, so now is the time to ask. How are they adjusting to the pros, and how do the 2020 first-round quarterbacks rank against each other?
Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, and Justin Herbert have all started a game for their respective teams, while the Green Bay Packers first-rounder pick Jordan Love remains unseen at the professional level.
How Do the 2020 First-Round Quarterbacks Rank Against Each Other
Joe Burrow
With the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. After a season for the ages as a redshirt senior, which saw him shoot up draft boards everywhere, the Bengals made him the face of their franchise, and up to this point, it’s worked. Despite the Bengals sitting at an underwhelming 2-5-1, you can’t lay the blame for that at Burrow’s feet.
As the only rookie signal-caller to start his first game, Burrow is the one we have to most to go on, having rushed 35 times and attempted 330 passes.
He has shown a special ability to extend plays and force his receivers open by avoiding pass rushers despite the Bengals O-Line being questionable at best.
Having the most interceptions of all the rookies, his decision-making needs work. However, considering he has never thrown more than one in a game as a pro, he’s proving that there is a base to be built upon with Burrow as a prospect.
Tua Tagovailoa
With the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins selected Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Widely projected to go first overall before the season, Tua fell to the number two quarterback in the class after dislocating his hip against Mississippi State.
While Burrow and Herbert have shown the individual talent required to carry a team, none have seen Tua’s success, carrying the Dolphins to a 2-0 record as a starter. While he may not have the arm strength of Herbert or the sense of pressure Burrow has, he also has very few glaring weaknesses and looks to be adjusting to the pro level at a rapid pace, Miami will be happy with what their guy has shown them so far.
Justin Herbert
With the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Chargers selected the Rose Bowl MVP, Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert.
So far up to this point, Herbert is only 1-6 as a starter in the NFL, which on paper is obviously awful, but this doesn’t account for the fact the Herbert is a bright, shining star on that LA team. His greatest asset so far as a pro has been his elite arm strength making passes of 50-60 yards through the air appear easy. While there is some concern about his accuracy on certain routes, he has proven capable of making plays with both the arm and the feet.
How They Rank So Far
While you must always be careful to crown a prospect as the next face of the league based on their form as a rookie (See RG3 and Vince Young.) All three have clearly shown they have what it takes to become the face of their franchise and, alongside other young talents like Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, Lamar Jackson, and Kyler Murray, lead the league for the next decade and a half. Going off what we have on each so far, Justin Herbert appears to have the highest ceiling, with Burrow having the highest floor, but as things stand, all three have their franchise savior, and that can only be a good thing for the leagues future.
