Joe Burrow has been the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft for months and for good reason. The Ohio State transfer finished his collegiate career at LSU and recorded arguably the best season from a quarterback in college football history in 2019.
In his final season at LSU, Burrow completed 76.3 percent of his attempts for 5,671 yards. On top of that, he finished the 2019 campaign with 60 passing touchdowns and only six interceptions.
Prior to the 2019 season, Burrow was considered to be a quarterback that would likely be taken on day two or three in the draft. But due to his incredible showing this season, he's considered a lock to the Cincinnati Bengals with the first-overall pick.
Over the course of the season, Burrow exhibited elite accuracy and a confident presence in the pocket. The redshirt senior also showed that he can create plays with his legs when he is required to.
By becoming a coveted prospect in the upcoming draft, Burrow has drawn an endless amount of comparisons to other quarterbacks that play or have played in the NFL. In light of that, which current NFL quarterback is Burrow most like?
Burrow's pro comparison: A more athletic version of Matt Ryan
As the draft nears, Joe Burrow has seen his name mentioned in the same sentence as Tony Romo, Patrick Mahomes, Jared Goff, and Carson Wentz. Of the names listed, Romo is definitely the closest in terms of the type of skillset that Burrow possesses.
However, in today's NFL, Burrow most commonly resembles a more athletic version of Matt Ryan. Similarly to Joe Burrow, Ryan was once considered a top quarterback prospect in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Upon entering the NFL, Ryan has become an often-accurate signal-caller for the Atlanta Falcons. In his 12 seasons with the Falcons, Ryan holds a respectable career completion percentage of 65.4 percent.
Along with his accuracy, the Boston College alum exudes comfort in the pocket. Both Burrow and Ryan stand at 6-foot-4 and are listed just one-pound apart. Unlike Ryan though, Joe Burrow has proven that he can manufacture plays when he's forced to improvise.
When the pocket collapses and Ryan needs to escape the pressure, he's inconsistent with his efficiency in those moments. On the other hand, Joe Burrow thrived in those situations in his final collegiate season. Of course, that could be subject to change once Burrow has to play against faster and more athletic defenders in the NFL.
After watching Burrow's tape from 2019, it's apparent that he could easily be a surefire draft pick in the NFL. While he is nearly a spitting image of Romo, Burrow's current quarterback comparison would be a more-athletic Ryan.
Follow Us
Subscribe