Joe Burrow: 2020 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Sam Schneider | April 20th, 2020

Joe Burrow, QB, LSU, #9

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 216 lbs

Eligibility: Senior

Games Watched: 2019 season, including the postseason

Spoiler alert! Burrow is the presumptive number one pick in 2020 for good reason. Even if there were a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals, it would be to take him first overall. He is not a project. Rather, he is ready to step in and take over under center for a franchise with a combination of skills that also include over-the-top confidence and a winning mentality. Let’s break down what makes him a slam-dunk at the next level.

Make sure to check out the rest of our scouting reports here.

Accuracy	9.5/10 The only thing preventing him from getting that extra 0.5 from his performance is he occasionally tends to not lead his receiver on short routes. In college that was not an issue because he made up for it with strong throws. This is something that is easily fixed at the next level as he adjusts to the speed of the NFL. His 74% deep throw accuracy in 2019 is nearly untouchable.
Arm Strength	7/10 Given time to set, throws as far as he should need to in the NFL. While he cannot throw the ball out of the stadium, he is cerebral enough to not attempt throws that he knows he can’t make, which is far more important. He is not prone to short-throwing coverage.
Decision Making	9.5/10 Burrow is deadly accurate on the run; he is choosing the right reads even under duress. Occasionally tries to make a throw that is not there but still puts the ball where a defender will not touch it.
Progressions	10/10 Perhaps because of his age (23 years old) he is not prone to take the hot route and stick to it. He already possesses NFL-ready capacity to read the defense before the snap and recognize matchups. This is an unteachable trait and his pre-snap reads are already on par with more than half of the league’s quarterbacks.
Poise	10/10 There is no panic button with Burrow. With tremendous ability to escape the pocket, he does not move until he must. Stands tall and goes through the progressions. Fiery but unflappable.
Mechanics	8.5/10 Burrow has multiple arm slots and control over each of those throws is not unlike Patrick Mahomes. Further development of his over-the-shoulder motion could lead to a deeper long ball.
Anticipation	9.5/10 Always knows where the chains are. Pocket anticipation is outstanding but tends to rely on arm strength on crossing routes, so that will need to be cleaned up at the next level.
Leadership	10/10 Call it “swagger” or “moxie.” There is no one else in this draft that has more. He demands more of himself, his teammates, and will lift them up when the situation demands it.
Overall	91/100 Burrow is as close to a “can’t miss” as we’ve seen in recent memory. Like any player coming from college, there is still going to be a bit of a learning curve as he adjusts to the NFL but his traits make him a day one starter coming from a pro-style offense provided he knows the playbook. Round Grade: First Round Projected Draft Position: First overall Player Comp: Andrew Luck with legs