LSU QB Joe Burrow as the No. 1 overall pick no laughing matter

NFL Draft News
Joe Burrow

Joe Burrow

 

Joe Burrow the Heisman front-runner?

Bomb for Burrow?

The thought of LSU quarterback Joe Burrow entering the Heisman Trophy discussion would have seemed almost laughable before the season started. And the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft? That was Alabama junior Tua Tagovailoa, of course.

Now nine games into the season and after leading his team to the No. 1 overall ranking, there seems no stopping the Ohio State transfer.

Burrow was magical against then-No. 2 Alabama over the weekend, completing 31 of 39 passes for 393 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions against a ‘Bama defense loaded with NFL talent.

For the season, Burrow has completed 79 percent of his passes for 3,198 yards, 33 TDs and only 4 INTs.

And now Burrow has a fan in former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason, who thinks the Bengals might draft Burrow if they wind up with the No. 1 overall pick. Cincinatti lost to the Ravens on Sunday, 49-13.

“They haven’t won a game,” Esiason said during halftime of the CBS broadcast. “Doesn’t look like they’re gonna win this game. They’re gonna be in the running for the first overall pick in the draft in April. My guess is that it’s gonna be Joe Burrow, the quarterback from LSU. Ryan Finley does have an audition here. This is a tough situation for him. He’s got his first touchdown pass as a young quarterback in the NFL, so good for him. But ultimately for the Bengals, this is about the future. And the way that Joe Burrow played yesterday against Alabama, I think he solidified his No. 1 overall ranking.”

On Monday, Burrow was one of eight players listed by Pro Football Focus as a lock to go in the first round.

LSU’s remaining regular-season games are against Mississippi (11/16), Arkansas (11/23) and Texas A&M (11/30). None of those teams are ranked.

Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports has a good read on Burrow’s ascension from a skinny, three-star recruit to one of the hottest names in college football.


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