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How Joe Burrow stacks up against the last five quarterbacks picked first overall

By Steve Rivera

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 28: Quarterback Joe Burrow #9 of the LSU Tigers delivers a pass against the defense of the Oklahoma Sooners during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 28: Quarterback Joe Burrow #9 of the LSU Tigers delivers a pass against the defense of the Oklahoma Sooners during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 23: Andrew Luck #12 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates after a touchdown in the game against the New York Giants in the third quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 23: Andrew Luck #12 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates after a touchdown in the game against the New York Giants in the third quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Andrew Luck is a name many like to use as a comparison to Joe Burrow. Both are 6’-4”, and both won the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year awards. That may be where the comparisons end.

While Burrow is going to be the first overall pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, he’s not at the top of everyone’s list as the best quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft. In 2012, even going back to 2011, Luck was the guy considered the most pro-ready quarterback. When he eventually was drafted, after three seasons at Stanford, he was the first pick on everyone’s list. Burrow is not.

As for how they stack up, the next comparison is how both the Colts and the Bengals were/are coming off of 2-14 campaigns. Luck was able to flip the switch and get Indianapolis to the playoffs in his rookie season. It would likely be a heavy lift for Burrow to do the same. Cincinnati still has a lot of holes on defense and the offensive line has some question marks.

Also of note, Luck had a career at Stanford. Burrow has one incredible season at LSU. That’s no knock on the guy, as it resulted in a Heisman Trophy AND a National Championship, something Luck did not achieve. Luck was a generational type of quarterback derailed only by injury.

Andrew Luck also followed up a first ballot Hall of Famer in Peyton Manning and made the playoffs in his first three professional seasons. Burrow will make the Bengals better, but it’s hard to see a pathway where he duplicates what Luck did in Indianapolis.

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