Who Are the New Guys? Previewing the Top 3 Rookie Quarterbacks
Every year, the NFL welcomes a brand-new class of rookies, with quarterbacks getting the most attention. This year is no different, as four quarterbacks were taken in the first-round. Of the four, three of them are likely going to be the starters of their teams at some point this season. Let’s analyze how these players are going to translate their game to the NFL.
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
If it were not for an unfortunate injury, Tua Tagovailoa would have most likely gone first overall. Instead, he dropped four spots, getting selected by the Miami Dolphins as the first of their three first-round picks. Playing his college ball at SEC powerhouse Alabama, Tua made his mark by coming in halfway through the national championship game of his freshman season and leading his team to victory. He went on to dominate his next two years, leading to his draft selection. Coming into 2020, it is unknown if the rookie quarterback will even be ready to play, but all signs are pointing forward. Tagovailoa may not start anyway, as Miami may go with veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, but there is no reason why he should not get the nod at some point this season. Tua has a real chance to be the best out of these three, but his injury history is a concern.
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
The quarterback with the least amount of hype out of the trio is former Oregon standout and now-Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Herbert had unreal numbers at Oregon, even with teams that were somewhat underwhelming. In four seasons, Herbert threw 95 touchdowns and just over 10,000 passing yards. Herbert went right after Tua at sixth overall to Los Angeles, and he has the most help around him out of the three. When Anthony Lynn makes the decision to finally turn to Herbert, he will be in a great situation with skill players like Keenan Allen, Hunter Henry, and Austin Ekeler. Herbert is a special talent, but now he just needs to put it all together in the NFL.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Last, but not least, is Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow, who was barely even known before the 2019 college football season, exploded for LSU and won a national championship. In his senior year in 2019, Burrow threw for a whopping 60 touchdowns to only 6 interceptions, plus 5,671 passing yards with a 76.3% completion percentage. It is regarded in many people’s eyes as the greatest college football season ever, and that season got Burrow the opportunity to be the number one overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. Now, Burrow will look to turn around a franchise that is in shambles, but he does have some talent around him. Burrow is going to be able to throw to a receiving corps of Tyler Boyd, A.J. Green, John Ross, and fellow rookie Tee Higgins. The big question is...is Joe Burrow for real? Or is he a one-year wonder? 2020 may not give us the whole answer, but we should be able to get a feel on if Burrow can respond to the pressure.
Stats according to sportsreference.com
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