LSU Football: Meet the real Joe Burrow, a relatable superstar

FanSided’s own Patrick Schmidt got a chance to speak with the people who know LSU football’s Joe Burrow the best, and here’s what they said.

If you sat down to have an adult beverage with Joe Burrow, it would probably have the feel of catching up with an old high school buddy and that’s refreshing these days.

Usually star athletes have a persona that makes them unrelatable, intimidating or untouchable. Not Burrow.

Our own Patrick Schmidt had a chance to catch up with some of Burrow’s former classmates, friends and teachers from his pre-Ohio State and LSU days and they had nothing but glowing reviews about the Heisman winner.

Growing up in The Plains, Ohio, Burrow was undoubtedly a star athlete. He played basketball and football and had an ‘it’ factor that set him apart on the court or field, but he was also just “one of the guys” off it. Sometimes star players think that they’re too good for their friends or fans, but Burrow was just built different and that’s what sets him apart.

Listening to interviews with Burrow, it’s clear he has a sense of humor and doesn’t come off robotic and speaks his mind. Yes, he’s just like us.

That’s not surprising to his high school friends like Adam Luehrman who has been his friend since his family moved to Athens, Ohio, in 2005.

"“He’s still one of the guys,”  Luehrman said. “Our group from high school jokes around with him. We still make fun of him, give him a hard time. I think he appreciates that to keep him honest.“We don’t really talk about the games. Just what’s happening in our lives. When he won the Heisman we all just put ‘Congrats’ and then kinda joked around. Our main high school group watched the ceremony together in Athens.”"

All of the fame and accolades haven’t gone to Joe’s head, and that’s one reason why the Bengals have essentially locked him in as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Bengals fans are going to fall in love with Burrow as a player, especially after a monster 2019 college football season, but also as a person. He’s a leader, he’s got a sense of humor and he’s just one of the guys.

If fans are worried about adding a star quarterback who will mix with the locker room like oil to water, they shouldn’t. Burrow is the most relatable superstar in the draft.