<
        >

          NFL Nation

          Ohio State makes history with first three picks of 2020 NFL draft

          play
          Bengals officially select Burrow No. 1 (1:56)

          Joe Burrow reacts after being the first pick of the 2020 NFL draft by the Bengals. (1:56)

          • Ben Baby, ESPN Staff WriterApr 24, 2020, 01:39 AM
            Close
              Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN's NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
            Follow on X

          The top three picks in the 2020 NFL draft had more than a big night. They made history.

          For the first time in the common draft era (since 1967), the first three selections all played at the same college at one point. Quarterback Joe Burrow, defensive end Chase Young and defensive back Jeff Okudah -- the top three picks, respectively -- were all at Ohio State up until 2018, when Burrow transferred to LSU. Young and Okudah finished their careers with the Buckeyes last season while Burrow led LSU to a national championship and won the Heisman Trophy.

          With Cincinnati in need of a quarterback, the Bengals selected Burrow with their first No. 1 overall draft slot since 2003. Washington took Young, the top prospect in this year's draft according to ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. And the Detroit Lions opted for Okudah, who became the first cornerback to be drafted with a top-three pick since Shawn Springs in 1997, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Springs also went to Ohio State.

          Ohio State also became the only school to have two of the top three picks in multiple drafts. The Buckeyes also accomplished that feat in 1997 with Springs and offensive tackle Orlando Pace.

          The program has been one of college football's most successful in recent years. Ohio State has won the past three Big Ten championships. The Buckeyes reached the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2019 before losing to Clemson.