Joe Burrow Drafted No. 1 In 2020 NFL Draft
Joe Burrow, the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner, was taken with the No. 1 pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft on Thursday night, becoming the third straight Heisman winner to be taken first in the draft, a first in the award’s history.
With NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announcing draft picks from his home in New York and players watching from their homes due to Covid-19, the first virtual NFL draft quickly found its way to Athens, Ohio.
That’s where the LSU star was watching the draft with his parents in his hometown, wearing the area code 740 on his shirt to honor the local community.
With his top selection, Burrow joined Auburn star Cam Newton as the only players to be chosen first in the NFL draft after winning both a Heisman Trophy and a national title in the same year.
Overall, Burrow is the 23rd Heisman winner taken first in the NFL draft, the 40th among the top 5 and the 57th taken in the first round.
“I would have told you you were crazy,” he told ESPN’s Suzy Kolber. “I knew I was going to have a really good season … but to jump up to No. 1 overall is crazy to me. But it’s a dream come true.”
Burrow, as the third consecutive Heisman Trophy winner to go first, follows 2018 winner Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals) and 2017 winner Baker Mayfield (Cleveland Browns).
The last time two Heisman winners were taken back-to-back with the first pick before Murray and Mayfield was 1984 winner Bo Jackson and 1985 winner Vinny Testaverde, both taken by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
