{"id":18919,"date":"2020-04-08T11:09:47","date_gmt":"2020-04-08T15:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sharpfootballanalysis.com\/?p=18919"},"modified":"2020-04-08T15:01:26","modified_gmt":"2020-04-08T19:01:26","slug":"joe-burrow-nfl-draft-first-down-patrick-mahomes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sharpfootballanalysis.com\/analysis\/joe-burrow-nfl-draft-first-down-patrick-mahomes\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Burrow Might Be The Best First Down Quarterback We’ve Ever Seen"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you have a great QB, you lean on him. You trust him. You use him. You allow him to carry your offense.<\/span><\/p>\n

Studying first down passing in the first half of games shows us quarterbacks performing within an offensive design, rather than out of necessity, as they do on third downs or in the second half of games (either in desperation or maintenance).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There is one quarterback in this year\u2019s NFL draft class who was particularly brilliant in these first-down situations. He didn\u2019t just stand out in this year\u2019s class, however. He stands out among years and years of quarterback play.<\/span><\/p>\n

There have been 313 quarterbacks since the 2014 season who threw at least 75 pass attempts on first down in the first half.<\/span><\/p>\n

On these first-down passes\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

The leader in YPA?<\/span> Joe Burrow<\/b>, with 13.9 YPA<\/span><\/p>\n

The leader in completion rate? Joe Burrow, with an 82.1% completion rate<\/span><\/p>\n

The leader in touchdowns thrown? Joe Burrow, with 18 touchdowns.<\/span><\/p>\n

Burrow also delivered a 12.9% TD rate (#9 of 313) with a minuscule 0.7% INT rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

How did Burrow\u2019s performance on these throws compare to all first-round QBs drafted in the first round since 2015?<\/span><\/p>\n

It is clear how far Joe Burrow stands out from the crowd of other first-round draft picks:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Quarterbacks worthy of being drafted in the first round typically are revered in high school and in college. They typically are given the reins to the offense and the team wins or loses based on his performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So it is always interesting to analyze how often a college quarterback\u2019s coach puts the ball in his hands and calls a pass play on first down in the first half of games.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prior to being drafted, some quarterbacks were asked to manage the offense on first down, whereas others were asked to give the offense it\u2019s life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of all quarterbacks drafted in the first round since 2015, there were only two quarterbacks asked to pass on over 60% of first downs in the first half: <\/span>Patrick Mahomes<\/b> and Joe Burrow.<\/span><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s class features several quarterbacks not from the run-oriented Oklahoma offenses (see <\/span>Kyler Murray<\/b> and <\/span>Baker Mayfield<\/b> the last couple of years) whose play callers took the ball out of their hands rather than entrusted them: <\/span>Jake Fromm<\/b> and<\/span> Justin Herbert<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Both passed the ball on less than 44% of first downs in the first half.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Once again, it\u2019s Joe Burrow\u2019s performance that stands out. Not only was he required to pass at a high rate, his efficiency was off the charts compared to the other quarterbacks who passed most often (Mahomes, Burrow, <\/span>Jared Goff<\/b>,<\/span> Daniel Jones<\/b>, and <\/span>Josh Rosen<\/b>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking back at all college quarterbacks since 2014, only 15 total operated in offenses where they passed the ball over 60% of the time on first half first downs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most of those pass-heavy offenses used those first downs to deliver highly efficient, shorter passes. Excluding Joe Burrow, the other 14 quarterbacks completed 67.6% of passes and those passes averaged 7.4 YPA. Not one of those quarterbacks averaged 10.0 YPA or more. And on average, they recorded 7 TDs and 2 INTs.<\/span><\/p>\n

But then, there is Burrow.<\/span><\/p>\n