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Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst
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2021 NFL MOCK DRAFT - WALT'S | CHARLIE'S ROUND: 1

Multiple Teams See Day 2 Ceiling on Burrow

Updated Sept. 21, 2019
By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.

We are young into the college football season, but one of the breakout stars thus far has been LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. Leading a revamped Tigers offense, Burrow has completed 83 percent of his passes this year for 1,122 yards with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions. He had an excellent performance against Texas in Week 2 to lead the Tigers to a tough road victory, and after that game, a draft buzz about Burrow was ignited by ESPN. In speaking to sources at multiple teams, they see Burrow as a mid-rounder with a second-day ceiling at this time.

We polled a few directors of college scouting for NFL teams, and they felt Burrow has looked good so far but still has some holes to fix. They thought he is an efficient game-manager with prototype size. They want to to see him take care of the ball, but believe he could play himself into a solidified standing on Day 3 with a second-day ceiling.

Thus, if things hold steady, Burrow has the ceiling of the third round with mid-round potential to get selected on the third day of the draft in Rounds 4-7.

Of course in the history of the NFL draft, there have been plenty of quarterbacks with lower grades who were selected much higher than their consensus grades. Some teams had Christian Ponder graded in the fourth round, but Minnesota took him in the first round. Ditto with Teddy Bridgewater, who many teams had him graded on Day 2, and the Vikings took him in the first round. It only takes one team to fall in love with a quarterback and reach on them higher than where other teams project a player.

The season is still very young, so perhaps Burrow can rise. If he has big games against elite competition like Alabama, perhaps teams will raise their projections on Burrow. However at this time, they see him having a second-day ceiling and being more of a mid-round pick.

We are young into the college football season, but one of the breakout stars thus far has been LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. Leading a revamped Tigers offense, Burrow has completed 83 percent of his passes this year for 1,122 yards with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions. He had an excellent performance against Texas in Week 2 to lead the Tigers to a tough road victory, and after that game, a draft buzz about Burrow was ignited by ESPN. In speaking to sources at multiple teams, they see Burrow as a mid-rounder with a second-day ceiling at this time.

We polled a few directors of college scouting for NFL teams, and they felt Burrow has looked good so far but still has some holes to fix. They thought he is an efficient game-manager with prototype size. They want to to see him take care of the ball, but believe he could play himself into a solidified standing on Day 3 with a second-day ceiling.

Thus, if things hold steady, Burrow has the ceiling of the third round with mid-round potential to get selected on the third day of the draft in Rounds 4-7.

Of course in the history of the NFL draft, there have been plenty of quarterbacks with lower grades who were selected much higher than their consensus grades. Some teams had Christian Ponder graded in the fourth round, but Minnesota took him in the first round. Ditto with Teddy Bridgewater, who many teams had him graded on Day 2, and the Vikings took him in the first round. It only takes one team to fall in love with a quarterback and reach on them higher than where other teams project a player.

The season is still very young, so perhaps Burrow can rise. If he has big games against elite competition like Alabama, perhaps teams will raise their projections on Burrow. However at this time, they see him having a second-day ceiling and being more of a mid-round pick.