Bengals QB Joe Burrow gets the last laugh over Lamar Jackson in special redraft of active NFL players
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow would be a top pick in an NFL redraft scenario, but how high would he go? NFL.com’s Chad Reuter has him as a top-five pick, and just ahead of Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow would be a top pick in an NFL redraft scenario, but how high would he go?
Burrow landed behind Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Matthew Stafford, but ahead of Lamar Jackson in NFL.com’s 7-round mock draft featuring every active NFL player. Chad Reuter chose players for the sake of winning right now, and used the original 2026 NFL Draft order.
Burrow went No. 4 overall to the Tennessee Titans, one spot ahead of Jackson, who was picked by the New York Giants.
Joe Burrow lands in the top-five, where he belongs
Reuter’s redraft following had the game’s top QBs landing with the worst teams from the previous season. Allen went first to the Las Vegas Raiders. Mahomes followed him at No. 2 to the New York Jets. Stafford stayed in the NFC West with the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3. Burrow and Jackson went fourth and fifth, respectively.
The rest of the top 10 at quarterback looked like this: Drake Maye was No. 6 to the Cleveland Browns, Justin Herbert was No. 7 to the Washington Commanders, Jordan Love No. 8 to the New Orleans Saints, and Jared Goff No. 9 to the Kansas City Chiefs. Cincinnati, holding the No. 10 overall pick, landed Trevor Lawrence.
This may not be a perfect list of the top-10 QBs, but it does mostly match what the average ranking would look like. And if there’s a top-five QB ranking out there, Burrow needs to be included.
The vast majority of clubs would take both Allen and Mahomes over Burrow right now. The durability concerns with Cincy’s QB are valid. If coaches and general managers prefer more lucrative arm talent, Allen and Mahomes have the edge. Stafford is the reigning MVP and could feasibly play for another couple of years, making a strong case for his placement at No. 3 right behind them.
Once you get past that top three, the conversation completely opens up. Burrow, Jackson, as well as Drake Maye and Justin Herbert all have legitimate cases to be the next quarterback selected. No. 9 for the Bengals has as strong an argument as any of them, and in Reuter’s exercise, he ended up being that guy.
Burrow going ahead of Lamar Jackson is a nice win for Bengals fans
Burrow going one pick ahead of Jackson is a big statement. Bengals and Ravens fans conduct a constant war regarding which QB is better.
Jackson holds the accolades advantage with multiple MVPs and multiple first-team All-Pro selections. He has been wildly productive in Baltimore over the course of his career. Burrow, however, owns the edge in playoff success and playoff production during Cincinnati’s 2-year run from 2021 to 2022. He also has proven to be more accurate over the course of his career.
If every team had a chance to pick one over the other, both would get plenty of votes. Perhaps more traditional thinking points to Burrow, while Jackson’s dynamism would make him too enticing for others.
The Bengals don’t need to worry about where Burrow falls in a hypothetical redraft. He’s their franchise quarterback, and the organization is building around him for the foreseeable future. That he went No. 4 in this exercise serves as a reminder of how the rest of the league views him despite missing half of last year with turf toe. His talent and reputation keep him firmly in the conversation among the best quarterbacks in football.
Never before has Cincinnati acted more aggressively since signing him to his extension back in 2023. The club knows who’s leading the roster from under center, and it’s a rare talent at the most important position in American sports.