How Joe Burrow and Chase Young both make sense for the Cincinnati Bengals

The regular season is winding down and the NFL draft season will soon begin to ramp up for the Cincinnati Bengals. There has been a great debate among fans as to who their beloved team should draft in April. Here is a look at why one could argue for quarterback Joe Burrow or pass rusher Chase Young.

The 2019 NFL season is winding down for the Cincinnati Bengals. The team is still currently holding on to the first pick of the 2020 NFL Draft with only a small handful of games left. It seems the closer we get to the Bengals off-season the more debate you hear as to who Cincinnati should be eyeing with their first-round pick.

The debate really comes down to two prospects, LSU quarterback Joe Joe Burrow and Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young. Both are elite prospects and would bring their own qualities to an organization looking to turn the corner as the Bengals usher in a new era. Let’s take a look at what both players have to offer if either were to become the new face of the franchise.

Joe Burrow

Joe Burrow is the can’t miss quarterback prospect for 2020. The LSU signal-caller is the front runner to win the Heisman thanks to his leadership, athleticism and play-making ability. Although he doesn’t possess elite arm strength, he does have an NFL caliber arm and throws with great anticipation and accuracy.

Burrow simply has an “IT” factor that is rare. He has the ability to rally his team and always shows up in big moments. He elevates the play of his teammates and the intangibles are probably his greatest quality. Leadership is something that the Bengals need right now and Burrow has it in spades.

Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton have had many great moments at Paul Brown Stadium and both have done a lot for this franchise during their respective tenures. That being said, Burrow possesses a quality that goes beyond the stat sheet that we haven’t seen since maybe Boomer Esiason. This is not to say that Palmer or Dalton were not great leaders, but Burrow is on another level.

Chase Young

Young is a leader on defense and can single-handedly disrupt an offensive gameplan. Much like Burrow, Young can rally a team around him and carries a presence similar to Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White. I realize that these are lofty expectations, however, Chase Young is that level of prospect.

Some Bengals fans have been criticized for preferring Young, claiming they only want him because he plays for Ohio State, however, you don’t have to be a Buckeye to understand how special Young is as a prospect.

Of course, what is football without debate?

Conclusion

The Cincinnati Bengals have an opportunity to draft a special talent this offseason who can carry this team into a promising new era. The Bengals have some holes to fill on this roster and there is a lot of work to do to get back into playoff form.

However, both of these players would be a major building block in Cincinnati. We can debate all we want as to who is the better prospect, the truth is between Joe Burrow and Chase Young, there is no wrong answer.