Scouts, media members, and fans alike cannot urge the temptation to compare Joe Burrow to the greatest QB of all time, Tom Brady. The Joe Brady fervor has peaked and it seems that he is already the consensus number one pick, going to the Cincinnati Bengals. There is no doubt that Burrow has had an incredible season. LSU is 12-0, slated to play in the college football semi-finals against number four Oklahoma and their QB has been nothing short of dynamic throwing for 4,715 yards while throwing for 47 touchdowns to only 6 interceptions. The season has scouts fawning over his intangibles and billing him as the next Tom Brady. This is inaccurate, unfair, and plain bad scouting. It is an attention grab by the media to solidify Burrow’s draft status and generate more buzz for the college football playoff. Let me put this shallow comparison to rest and show you who Joe Burrow correctly is comparable to.
The comparison has not been thought through and due to some minimal similarities, it has not been properly put to bed. They are similar in their height, and skills at the little things or intangibles. Other than that, the two prospects are vastly different. To start, Brady was an unheralded prospect coming out of Michigan. On the other hand, NFL scouts are deeming Burrow as a can’t miss prospect. The GOAT famously dropped until the 6thround and immediately had a massive chip on his shoulder. The motivation for the highly-touted Burrow will be a far cry from what Brady experienced. The differences do not stop here though. The first is rooted in the athleticism. Do not get me wrong, for a big lug, Brady has sneaky good feet with incredible pocket presence. He also has severe limitations outside the pocket. This took years of developing and having a feel for the positon. In contrast, Burrow is an above average athlete for the QB position. He will run around a 4.7 or 4.8 at the combine which is quite respectable for a quarterback. Due to this, pocket presence, throwing outside the pocket, and mobility become a huge plus when evaluating Burrow. No scout will say either Brady or Burrow has a “rocket” for an arm as this is not either QBs calling card. Despite this, it must be noted that although Burrow does not possess an incredible arm, it is better than the draft prospect version of Tom Brady. This is no disrespect to the gunslinger as he is known for his pinpoint accuracy, catchable ball, and mastery of the system in which he plays in. Burrow showcased his dazzling accuracy and because of this, his above average arm strength comes through as another plus. Accuracy coming out of college actually favors Burrows but, Brady is undisputedly one of the most accurate QBs of all time. For this reason, I am deeming “accuracy” as null when comparing the two players. Lastly, an observer must take into account consistency. Scouts, coaches, and front-office members can look at this two-fold. Tom Brady was consistently mediocre at Michigan so scouts thought they knew how he would project in the NFL. Joe Burrow was extremely inconsistent his Junior year while being a model of consistency during his final year. Some scouts are not fully convinced of projecting him as an elite level NFL quarterback, citing his junior season.
There is no doubt Joe Burrow is a supremely talented quarterback who has proven himself a winner at the highest level of college football. There is doubt in comparing him to the once overlooked, now greatest QB of all-time, Tom Brady. If fans want a realistic comparable they should examine the LSU quarterback and see similarities to Jared Goff. Both players are similar in size, arm strength and possess above average mobility. To supplement this, Burrow and Goff were both highly touted coming out of college making their paths similar in nature. The LSU prospect is not necessarily the next Jared Goff, but the comparison gives football minds a much better starting point than Tom Brady. If you want to get even more specific, Joe Burrow is a strong mix between Goff and Ryan Tannehill. Let’s put Joe Brady to rest and watch him come into his own in the college football playoff followed by the NFL. Go Bengals