Cade Mays describes Joe Burrow’s quarterback play as “watching art”

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has earned the respect of players and fans all across the nation, so it should come as no surprise that he’s inspired prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft as well.

Widely regarded as a 5-star recruit, offensive tackle Cade Mays spent his first two seasons at Georgia before transferring to Tennessee. During his time on Georgia, though, Mays got exposure to some of the nation’s top prospects, including a certain Macaulay Culkin-look alike QB.

In 2019 and in Mays’ sophomore season, Mays played offensive tackle on Georgia. He was part of the Bulldogs squad that reached the 2019 SEC Championship game against LSU, and while he didn’t directly play against Joe Burrow, he saw what Burrow was capable of from the sidelines.

Offensive tackle prospect Cade Mays fanboys over Bengals’ Joe Burrow

In the championship, LSU thumped Georgia 37-10 and Burrow threw for 349 yards and four touchdowns, averaging a pass completion rate of 73.7 percent. Georgia’s Jake Fromm played a particularly pitiful game, throwing one touchdown against two interceptions and completing less than 50 percent of his passes.

Compared to Fromm, Burrow must have looked like a Greek god.

Mays represents one of many offensive tackle prospects the Bengals may have their eyes on in April and is currently projected as a mid to late-round pick. He enjoyed arguably his most productive season in 2021, but he also suffered injuries that hurt his draft stock.

The Draft Network describes Mays as a developmental player best suited to play right guard, which potentially fills a huge position of need for Cincy. Mays’ physical attributes pair well with his “aggressive demeanor,” and the powerful blocker presents an “ideal fit for a gap-blocking run scheme,” though he still needs to hone the technical side of his game.

It would probably be a dream come true for Mays to block for Joe Burrow in 2022, but he’s not considered a starting-caliber guard just yet.

It’s unlikely that the Bengals will use their first pick of the draft to nab Mays, but we hope Mays can join Burrow on the field sometime in the future — this time playing with him instead of against him.