Joe Burrow is the biggest name in football right now, outside of maybe Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry.
And the two have similar tales. Henry was the top running back in college football, a Heisman trophy winner and a national champion before making the jump to the NFL. Henry was taken in the second round of the draft.
Burrow is breaking records, is a Heisman trophy winner and a national champion, and now the Cincinnati Bengals await with the first-overall pick in this year’s NFL draft.
Big things are expected now for Burrow, but how can you not be cautious, if you’re looking at recent history of Heisman Trophy quarterbacks going to the NFL?
Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson are too early to call, though Jackson’s season looks promising for the Ravens. Before them were Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Johnny Manziel and Robert Griffin III.
Collegiate success does not guarantee professional success. Burrow could very well be the next great quarterback. I hope he is. But nothing is a guarantee, which is something to consider before putting any expectation on a 23-year old young man.