1. Joe Burrow, LSU (6-3, 212, 4.88)
The Plains, Ohio (Athens), redshirt senior. Age: 23.37
A two-year starter at LSU, Burrow steadily improved throughout his first season in Baton Rouge in 2018, but he thrived in passing game coordinator Joe Brady’s scheme in 2019 — a spread, RPO offense that features the team’s weapons and makes the quarterback the point guard. He set the FBS records for passing touchdowns (60) and total touchdowns (65) in a single season, finishing with the second-best completion percentage (76.3, just behind Colt McCoy’s 76.7).
A “competitive maniac,” according to Urban Meyer, Burrow plays with the fiery intensity of Philip Rivers, and much of his success comes from channeling his competitive juices in a focused, motivational manner. He shows the ability to quickly identify the void or vulnerable matchup, and he doesn’t miss once he finds it. He doesn’t have top-shelf arm strength, which could be an issue in certain weather conditions, but he plays with terrific timing and ball placement to make up for his lack of RPMs. Overall, Burrow is the ultimate competitor and orchestrates the offense with poise, processing skills and accuracy, projecting as an immediate NFL starter with Pro Bowl skills worthy of the No. 1 overall pick.
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All-22 Takeaway: This throw against Texas early in the season sold me that this was a very different version of Burrow from his 2018 tape. It is third-and-17 with 2:38 remaining in the fourth quarter and LSU up by six — and if the Longhorns get the stop, their offense would get the ball back with two minutes to try to orchestrate a winning drive. Not only does Burrow convert, but he also delivers the touchdown, extending the lead and locking up the victory. His composure to climb in the face of pressure with his eyes elevated and fire an accurate strike on the crossing route is a big-time play.