2020 NFL Draft: LSU QB Joe Burrow scouting report

Arm Talent

Burrow has proven himself to be an accurate passer, especially in the intermediate passing game. Much of his production has come from his ability to place the ball well from 10 to 25 yards, Burrow does have some quality parts to his mechanics, but a few small chance could result in improved placement and ball speed.

Two of Burrow’s strongest attributes are his ability to throw the ball without a stable platform, and throwing the ball to landmarks instead of his receivers.

When throwing to receivers in space, Burrow is able to lead them to open spaces between defenders, influencing them to make adjustments to the ball and place themselves into more preferable situations. Many times this includes throwing to a spot along the sideline or dropping the ball over linebackers in the middle of the field.

Burrow’s ability to throw without a stable platform is a cursed gift. Even though Burrow has shown he can place the ball well on the move, he is losing valuable accuracy and ball speed. This has become an issue in his stable passing too, opting for a quicker release with flawed mechanics instead of settling into the throw and getting his feet set under him.

Finally, there are two issues I see in Burrow’s throwing mechanics that hurt both his ball speed as well as his placement down the field. They are the positioning of his non-throwing hand and his footwork.

When throwing a football, the thrower should be keeping their non-throwing hand tucked into their body to create as much angular momentum as possible. Similar to a ice-skater doing a pirouette, the tighter the limbs are to the body, the faster they can rotate their body. This extra velocity will allow Burrow to get the ball further downfield and into tighter windows.

The second mechanical issue present for Burrow is the positioning of his front foot. Burrow typically keeps his front foot pointed to his front-side, creating a closed stance.

This closed stance keeps his hips out of the throwing motion and puts all of the responsibility onto his upper body to make the throw. Having an involved lower body in your throwing motion is critical to success at the next level, and these kinds of mechanical flaws will be scrutinized in the NFL.