NFL Draft: Notes from the First Round

For the first time in history last night, the 2020 NFL Draft was held remotely.

Records

Last night, the SEC saw a historic amount of its players drafted. A record 15 SEC players were selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.

That wasn’t the only strange thing about last night’s draft. There were no trades in the top 10 picks. That hasn’t happened since the 2015 draft.

The Picks

No. 1 pick

The first pick of the draft was Heisman winner, Joe Burrow. Burrow didn’t throw in the NFL combine but made quite the impression during his time at LSU. He was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals to presumably be their starting quarterback. Prior to the draft, he had asked for advice from Peyton Manning about being the rookie quarterback for a rebuilding team. Burrow has leadership qualities that the team has been looking for.

No. 5 pick

The Miami Dolphins selected Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth overall pick. Tua was in the running for the Heisman with Burrow. He was Alabama’s starting quarterback for two years. Despite his great collegiate career, Tagovailoa faced some uncertainty regarding his draft stock. He dislocated his hip towards the end of his last season and isn’t 100 percent healthy yet. Many think that he will start as the backup quarterback to the Dolphins starter, Ryan Fitzpatrick. He could even “redshirt” the 2020 NFL season and focus on his health.

No. 9 pick

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C.J. Henderson, a Florida Gator was picked ninth overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Henderson will help fill a depleted Jacksonville secondary that no longer has Jalen Ramsey or A.J Bouye. During the NFL combine, Henderson ran a 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds. He was rated the second-highest cornerback in the draft. Henderson made his name known in Gainesville. He was selected first-team All-SEC last season. Henderson said he’s “ready to take on the challenge.”

The NFL Draft continues tonight at 7 p.m. ET.