Grading every Bengals first-round pick under Zac Taylor
Joe Burrow (1st overall in 2020)
This one will be easy but I'll give Joe Burrow the respect he deserves by setting up what got him to this point.
After a season that hadn't been seen by a college quarterback, Burrow was the easy pick to go No. 1 overall. Chase Young was said to be the "can't-miss prospect" at the time but look how that's going for the Commanders. Can you imagine if the Bengals had stuck with Andy Dalton and took Young No. 1 overall? I don't want to.
The reality is that Cincinnati drafted Ohio native Joe Burrow who was coming off a season where he led LSU to a National Championship, won the Heisman Trophy, and threw for 60 touchdowns. It was a no-brainer decision, really.
Burrow's rookie year was forgettable mostly because he was injured midway through the season but he showed that he was worth the pick the next year by leading the Bengals to the Super Bowl. They fell short of the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl title but Burrow got them right back to the AFC Championship Game the next year.
Burrow's grade is easy but lets make it official.