Joe Burrow threw 60 touchdowns for Louisiana State last year. He'll almost certainly be the No. 1 overall pick, and probably a Week 1 starter in Cincinnati. Should fantasy teams expect him to take the NFL by storm?
It's possible, of course, but probably better to see it on an NFL field before investing in it, at least in redraft leagues.
I took a look at all the quarterbacks who put up big passing touchdown totals in a college season -- at least 40 touchdowns. Burrow is one of 46 guys who have done it. That includes eight guys the last three years, three of whom were first-rounders (Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins) and two who will be (Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa), plus second-rounder Drew Lock.
Of those 46 players, only seven -- so far -- have thrown even 25 touchdown passes in a season. Murray, Lock and Haskins have plenty of time to join that group, but not a given that all three will ever do so.
Quarterbacks from that group who have thrown 25 touchdowns in a season are in bold, with their NFL career high listed.
NCAA PASSING TOUCHDOWN LEADERS | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | College | TD | NFL |
2019 | Joe Burrow | Louisiana State | 60 | |
2006 | Colt Brennan | Hawaii | 58 | |
1990 | David Klingler | Houston | 54 | |
2003 | B.J. Symons | Texas Tech | 52 | |
2018 | Dwayne Haskins | Ohio State | 50 | |
2013 | Derek Carr | Fresno State | 50 | |
2008 | Sam Bradford | Oklahoma | 50 | |
2014 | Brandon Doughty | Western Kentucky | 49 | |
2019 | Anthony Gordon | Washington State | 48 | |
2015 | Brandon Doughty | Western Kentucky | 48 | |
2011 | Case Keenum | Houston | 48 | |
2007 | Graham Harrell | Texas Tech | 48 | |
2007 | Paul Smith | Tulsa | 47 | |
1980 | Jim McMahon | Brigham Young | 47 | |
2015 | Matt Johnson | Bowling Green State | 46 | |
2008 | David Johnson | Tulsa | 46 | |
2001 | David Carr | Fresno State | 46 | |
1998 | Tim Rattay | Louisiana Tech | 46 | |
1989 | Andre Ware | Houston | 46 | |
2016 | Logan Woodside | Toledo | 45 | |
2008 | Graham Harrell | Texas Tech | 45 | |
2002 | Kliff Kingsbury | Texas Tech | 45 | |
2017 | Drew Lock | Missouri | 44 | |
2009 | Case Keenum | Houston | 44 | |
2008 | Chase Clement | Rice | 44 | |
2008 | Case Keenum | Houston | 44 | |
2018 | Tua Tagovailoa | Alabama | 43 | |
2017 | Baker Mayfield | Oklahoma | 43 | 27 |
2016 | Jake Browning | Washington | 43 | |
2015 | Jared Goff | California | 43 | 32 |
2011 | Kellen Moore | Boise State | 43 | |
2018 | Kyler Murray | Oklahoma | 42 | |
2014 | Marcus Mariota | Oregon | 42 | 26 |
2012 | Geno Smith | West Virginia | 42 | |
1997 | Chad Pennington | Marshall | 42 | |
2019 | Justin Fields | Ohio State | 41 | |
2016 | Ryan Higgins | Louisiana Tech | 41 | |
2016 | Patrick Mahomes | Texas Tech | 41 | 55 |
2016 | Deshaun Watson | Clemson | 41 | 26 |
2004 | Omar Jacobs | Bowling Green State | 41 | |
1990 | Ty Detmer | Brigham Young | 41 | |
2016 | Baker Mayfield | Oklahoma | 40 | 27 |
2014 | Rakeem Cato | Marshall | 40 | |
2013 | Jameis Winston | Florida State | 40 | 33 |
2007 | Andre Woodson | Kentucky | 40 | |
2003 | Jason White | Oklahoma | 40 |
Patrick Mahomes is the marquee guy there. Jameis Winston threw 33 last year, Jared Goff threw 32 a couple of years back, and good chance Deshaun Watson -- maybe Baker Mayfield -- makes it at some point.
But some got all excited about Dwayne Haskins (who Burrow transferred from Ohio State to get away from) throwing 50 touchdowns in college. A year later, it's clear that putting up big numbers in the NFL is far from certain from him. So we'll see on Burrow. Great college player, but he'll be starting at square one when he hits the NFL.
--Andy Richardson