Why LSU QB Joe Burrow is getting hype to be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow put tougher another performance that surely left NFL personnel evaluators salivating. In Week 8 of the college football season, Burrow completed 78 percent of his passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns in a 36-13 win over Mississippi State.

He also set the LSU record for passing touchdowns (28) in a single season — after just seven games. Burrows passed former LSU quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell (2006) and Matt Mauck (2003), who were tied for the record. Rusell totaled 28 passing touchdowns in 13 games — Mauck managed the same sum in 14 games.

Yes, credit is due to LSU offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger and passing-game coordinator Joe Brady for the Tigers’ sudden passing success (after years of being the most boring offense in college football). But Burrows has been shockingly brilliant by demonstrating intellect in reading defenses and the arm strength to make jaw-dropping throws, whether in a clean pocket or on the run.

Take this beautiful  touchdown pass to Derrick Dillon on Saturday. Rolling to his left, Burrow set his feet and heaved a bomb to Dillon in-stride for a 37-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone. It was the kind of throw that will tempt teams to draft Burrow in the top 10 picks of the 2020 NFL Draft.

But Burrow isn’t just dunking on lesser opponents in 2019. He’s shredding the defenses of ranked opponents, too. Against ninth-ranked Texas on Sept. 7, Burrow competed 80% of his passes for 278 yards and five touchdowns. He also completed 87.5% of his passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns against No. 7 Florida on Oct. 12.

His impressive body of work is generating buzz for the 2020 draft. Burrow, a redshirt senior, will enter the draft. And barring a rough second half of his season, he’s likely to go in the top 10 picks. Pro Football Focus suggested he could even go at No. 1 overall. Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has long been the favorite to lock in that top spot. But Burrows is pushing for it,

PFF, by the way, was ahead of the rest of NFL analysts when they projected Baker Mayfield could go No. 1 overall in January before he did just that in April. Here’s what PFF’s Michael Renner wrote about projecting Burrow to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 1 overall.

“Burrow has sustained elite play every game for half a season. He’s torched one of the best secondaries in college football. He’s got a stronger arm and quicker release that [sic] Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa. We’ve never seen a quarterback with a higher passing grade through the first seven weeks of the season. He may not be at the top of boards right now, but he’s shooting his way up there.”

Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling suggested Borrow could go No. 2 overall to the Miami Dolphins after Tagovailoa landed with the Bengals. Easterling believes Burrow is “looking like the clear-cut No. 2 quarterback in this class, at worst.” CBS Sports likes Burrow landing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 8 (with Oregon senior QB Justin Herbert going second after Tagovailoa.)

Burrow is a name to know for fans of quarterback-needy teams. He’s on pace to be an NFL starter in Week 1 of the 2020 season.