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          Joe Burrow's dad says QB would be happy, up to challenge with Bengals

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          Burrow or Tua: Injuries aside, who do NFL teams prefer? (1:37)

          Dan Orlovsky and Domonique Foxworth debate whether NFL teams would prefer Joe Burrow or Tua Tagovailoa, if Tua's injuries were not a concern. (1:37)

          • Ben Baby, ESPN Staff WriterJan 17, 2020, 03:42 AM
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              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).
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          LSU quarterback Joe Burrow doesn't appear to have any reservations about playing for the Cincinnati Bengals.

          Jimmy Burrow, the father of the Heisman Trophy winner, told Montreal's TSN 690 radio on Thursday that his son has no qualms about wearing orange and black if the Bengals take Joe with the top overall pick in the NFL draft.

          "He's excited to even be in that conversation and if the Bengals do draft him, he's going to be happy," Jimmy Burrow told the Canadian radio affiliate.

          The younger Burrow, who led LSU to an undefeated season capped by a victory in Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship, has plenty of experience playing football in Ohio. Joe Burrow played high school ball at Athens High School, which is less than 160 miles east of downtown Cincinnati. Burrow spent three seasons at Ohio State before he transferred to LSU for his final two years of college.

          Jimmy Burrow, who had a five-year career in the Canadian Football League, was a longtime assistant at Ohio University in Athens, where he was defensive coordinator from 2005 until his retirement after the 2018 season.

          In leading the Tigers to the national championship, Joe Burrow posted some of the best numbers in collegiate history. He set the Football Bowl Subdivision records for passing touchdowns (60) and touchdowns responsible (65).

          ESPN's Mel Kiper has Burrow ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect in April's draft, and ESPN's Todd McShay projects he will go to Cincinnati with the No. 1 pick.

          In an interview with the Bengals' in-house website, Cincinnati quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt praised Burrow's ability to create plays, limit turnovers and make good decisions.

          "He definitely checks off a lot of boxes early on in the evaluation process," Van Pelt told Bengals.com. "He's definitely an intriguing guy.

          Jimmy Burrow said he doesn't know if his son will join the Bengals' coaching staff next week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. The Tigers still have a trip to the White House and a parade in Baton Rouge planned before the Senior Bowl, which will include Oregon's Justin Herbert, another quarterback Cincinnati is keeping an eye on.

          The Bengals haven't won a playoff game since 1991 and haven't been to the postseason since 2015. During Thursday's radio interview, Jimmy Burrow said his son won't be concerned with the franchise's history if the Bengals select the former Ohio standout.

          "He'll look at it as a challenge," Jimmy Burrow said. "But he'll be confident that eventually they can win a lot of games there in Cincinnati."