2021 NFL Draft: Who is this year's Joe Burrow?

Let me just say, there is not going to be another Joe Burrow anytime soon. His year-to-year rise in performance was unlike anything the college football world has ever seen. However, that doesn’t mean we haven’t seen guys ball out in their final year of college and push their draft stock from the middle rounds to the first round. These are the five quarterbacks who have that kind of potential heading into 2020.

Kyle Trask, Florida

Ask most draft analysts the titular question, and Trask will be their answer. Trask is the “hot” name at quarterback for a number of different reasons. The first is his tools. Standing at 6-foot-5, 239 pounds, Trask looks the part from an NFL standpoint and has a laser for a right arm. The second reason is far more intriguing, though. 2019 was his first season as a starting quarterback — not just in college, but in high school, as well. That’s right, Trask wasn’t even his high school’s starter back in Manvel, Texas.

The now-draftable quarterback was backup to D’Eriq King, who starred at Houston before transferring this season to Miami. For three years at Florida, Trask rode the pines before taking over in Week 3 last year against Kentucky. The rest is history. Through that lens, Trask’s 69.9 overall grade the rest of the season looks even more impressive.

Kyle Trask — One of the best quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft Class

▪️Timing ▪️Accuracy▪️Touch pic.twitter.com/92i8iFv1dd

— Brad Kelly (@CoachBKelly) May 14, 2020

Of course, if Trask is going to make the leap, it’s going to have to come with a completely different caliber of receiving corps than what Burrow possessed. His three starting receivers from a season ago were all drafted. He does, however, return the top tight end and 21st-ranked player on PFF’s draft board in Kyle Pitts.

Trask will have to open up the offense more in 2020 if that jump is to come to fruition. He was oddly conservative for a big-armed quarterback which, again, is not terribly surprising in his first year starting. His average depth of target was only 8.8 yards, and he notched all of nine big-time throws on 416 dropbacks. If he’s not around 10.0 yards this season (Burrow was at 9.6) I’ll be surprised.

Kellen Mond, Texas A&M