San Diego Fleet QB Philip Nelson Pre-Draft Analysis

Sample Report on San Diego Fleet QB Philip Nelson from our 2017 Draft Guide

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Philip Nelson 6’2” 216 East Carolina

 

Overview

 

Philip Nelson started as a Redshirt Freshman/Sophomore at the University of Minnesota in 2012/2013. During this time Nelson showed flashes of promise but was playing in a run centric offense that saw him throw for 2,100 yards 17 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Nelson elected to transfer after the 2013 season and things only went downhill from there for him personally. Nelson was implicated in an assault case that put him in the national spotlight in a negative way. Nelson eventually got himself out of the legal mess and made his way to East Carolina as a walk on transfer. Nelson was named the starter for the 2016 season and for about a month and a half was the best passer statistically in all of college football as he opened the

2016 campaign on fire through air. Injuries prevented Nelson from starting every game for ECU in 2016 but he still ended up putting up over 2,600 yards and 16 touchdown passes through air.

 

Film Analysis – (2016) South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, NC State, Tulsa (2013) Nebraska

Natural thrower of the football who trusts his receivers to make plays for him. Consistently puts the ball in a preferable spot for his target on multiple types of routes. Generally accurate anticipation thrower who understands how and when to throw early. Somewhat far along in terms of being a nuanced passer coming out of college. Isolating a play from NC State contest where Nelson delivered a wheel route to his RB on time as he let the ball go before the back was into the last part of his stem demonstrating trust, anticipation and accuracy on his part. Not a finished product from an overall mechanical standpoint as his left arm has a tendency to flail out away from body after he releases ball and his down the field accuracy can be affected by this at times. Nelson does have a real knack for hitting his receivers in stride down the field versus man coverage as there were multiple times Good feel for throwing the football. Made some questionable decisions when confronted with immediate in his face type pressure. Quick feet both in setting up and responding to pressure as Nelson is able to get away from pressure well. Solid pre snap decision maker who routinely puts excellent touch on the football down the field. very quick release of ball with the ability to quickly get his feet in position to deliver in a hurry.does not deal with pressure with ease or comfort and can get rattled fairly easily from pressure May have the quickest release in the class. Consistently throws a catchable ball.

Projection – ​There is a high probability that Philip Nelson hears his name called at some during Day 3 of the Draft. Nelson is as natural of a passer as there is in the 2017 draft and put together a solid senior season at ECU. We believe that Nelson’s ceiling at the next level is as a starting quarterback. Nelson comes into the league further along than many of his peers in terms of understanding pro passing game concepts and he is seasoned as a thrower. We believe that Nelson has all of the tools necessary to become a starting quarterback at the next level but he will have to be in an offensive centric organization that believes in him order to receive that chance.

 

Trait Grades (Nelson)

Arm Talent (B+) Toughness (B) Anticipation (A-)

Arm Strength (B) Pocket Presence (C) Football IQ (A-)

 

Ball Placement/Accuracy (A-) Intangibles/Off-Field (B) Touch (B+)

Delivery/Mechanics (A-) Running Ability/Athleticism (C+) Throw on Run (B)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baker Mayfield Pre-Draft Sample Report

 

Baker Mayfield​ 6’0 1⁄2 215 Oklahoma

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(Photo Credit – Browns Wire (USA Today)

Overview

The two time college walk on defied the odds stacked against him after transferring away from a QB room at Texas Tech that included both Patrick Mahomes II & Davis Webb. (Mayfield started as a true freshman for the Red Raiders) Mayfield quickly asserted himself as a Sooner in 2015 as he took hold of the starting job from the outset & enjoyed massive success as the triggerman of a pass happy spread system in Norman. When all was said & done Mayfield threw for over 14,000 yards with 131 touchdowns & 30 interceptions – placing himself in elite company as he is currently ranked 7th in all time NCAA passing yards. Mayfield also rushed for over 1,000 yards and 21 touchdowns throughout his college career.

Trait Grades (Mayfield)

Arm Talent (B)

Arm Strength (B)

Ball Placement/Accuracy (B)

 

Toughness (A-)

Pocket Presence (B-)

Intangibles/Off-Field (B)

Anticipation (B)

Football IQ (A-)Touch (A-)

Delivery/Mechanics (B+)

Running Ability/Athleticism (B+) Throw on Run (A)

Strengths

Instincts, Throwing With Touch, Arm Strength Between Hashes, Deep Arm Strength, Pre-Snap Decision Making, Throwing on Run, Quick Release, Lower Body Strength, Quick Twitched Mover, Toughness, On Field Leadership, Fearless, Creative Playmaker

Weaknesses

Lacks Fluidity & Ease with Drops, Inconsistent Feet, Inconsistent Throwing Mechanics, Playing From Within Pocket, Played in Gimmick Based Shotgun Spread, Lacks Pinpoint Accuracy, Plays Position in Un-Disciplined Manner, Pocket Feel

Tape Analysis (Mayfield)

Baker Mayfield is both comfortable & confident at creating off second reaction movement plays and possesses quick eyes to find receivers down the field while on the move. Mayfield naturally throws with good touch to all field levels and has clearly demonstrated the refined ability to level the ball over underneath defenders with ease. Oklahoma utilized Mayfield’s excellent throwing ability on the move by incorporating a variety of deceptive play action based rollouts. Mayfield does operate with more comfort moving to throw as opposed to dissecting defenses from within the pocket – In fact, often times Mayfield will step up into pressure and or sacks while attempting to navigate the pocket. Possesses good understanding of marrying his internal clock to the conceptual design of a given play but often times he has a tendency to become jittery and frenetic from within the pocket when pressure arises & the end result is Mayfield NOT being highly disciplined from a footwork perspective which negatively affects ball placement & timing.

Mechanically as a thrower he will open his left hip too soon on fade routes that will cause his passes to lose steam. Has room to grow in terms of becoming a more

mechanically refined thrower of the football. Carries with him a creator’s instinct once the ball is snapped. One of the better intermediate area touch throwers in class. Shows the ability to play within the structure & design of the offense at times & his delivery/feet allow for him to get the ball out fast. One of the better if not the best movement thrower in class. Consistently displays elite touch on deep routes down the middle of field showing the ability to drop the ball into the bucket. Will not be able to consistently beat you with anticipation and timing from within pocket. Tendency to Move at first sign of pressure which will not translate at next level. Only an average athlete at the pro level for position.

Front shoulder will flail open often resulting in Mayfield spraying the ball off intended targets. Has a tendency to become an aim thrower on short crossing routes. One of better deep post throwers in class due to his above average arm strength in driving the ball down the field with arc. Struggled at times opening up his hips while throwing to left to ensure proper ball location on intermediate crossing routes. Extremely good instincts moving to throw and will set up defenders with deceptive behavior on the move, giving himself the ability to create space at elite levels. Shows the ability to adjust his arm slot to throw over and around defenders. Inability to throw targets open on a consistent basis. Will place ball on wrong shoulder of intended target which disallows optimal YAC opportunities. Excellent agility outside of pocket. Better anticipation passer on the move than when confined to the pocket. Not excellent at keeping his receivers safe with ball placement. Does not display pinpoint ball placement on consistent basis. `

Projection

Baker Mayfield will be selected at some point in the first round. There are many quarterback needy teams & Mayfield will need to go to a system that “bends” its ideology to fit his skillset. A hybrid west coast/college spread system would allow Mayfield the best chance at NFL success. We believe Mayfield can be a productive player in the league ONLY if he is in the optimal position to succeed. We feel as though

he is a project at this point in dire need of development. The potential to BUST is there with Mayfield.

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Ryan Fitzpatrick 2017 Pro QB Almanac Sample

#14​ ​Ryan​ ​Fitzpatrick​​ ​​ ​6’2”​ ​224​ ​13th​ ​Year,​ ​Harvard

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Overview

After​ ​putting​ ​together​ ​the​ ​best​ ​season​ ​of​ ​his​ ​career​ ​in​ ​2015​ ​and​ ​setting​ ​the​ ​Jets​ ​single​ ​season TD​ ​pass​ ​record​ ​(4,905​ ​Yards,​ ​31​ ​TD,​ ​15​ ​INT​ ​60%)​ ​Ryan​ ​Fitzpatrick​ ​stonewalled​ ​the​ ​Jets​ ​as​ ​they stood​ ​pat​ ​in​ ​declining​ ​to​ ​offer​ ​him​ ​a​ ​long​ ​term​ ​contract.​ ​​ ​Fitzpatrick​ ​ended​ ​up​ ​signing​ ​a​ ​one​ ​year deal​ ​and​ ​would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​forget​ ​the​ ​abysmal​ ​year​ ​he​ ​had​ ​as​ ​starter​ ​minus​ ​one​ ​game​ ​against​ ​the Bills​ ​early​ ​in​ ​the​ ​year.​ ​For​ ​his​ ​career,​ ​Fitzpatrick​ ​has​ ​thrown​ ​for​ ​nearly​ ​26,000​ ​yards​ ​with​ ​166 touchdowns​ ​against​ ​133​ ​interceptions​ ​for​ ​a​ ​career​ ​79.7​ ​rating​ ​while​ ​strategically​ ​capitalizing​ ​on his​ ​best​ ​years​ ​as​ ​he​ ​has​ ​been​ ​paid​ ​out​ ​in​ ​2011,​ ​2012​ ​and​ ​2016​ ​for​ ​a​ ​combined​ ​total​ ​of​ ​34 million​ ​dollars​ ​in​ ​those​ ​three​ ​years​ ​combined.

Analysis

Fitzpatrick​ ​is​ ​a​ ​cerebral,​ ​tough​ ​and​ ​athletic​ ​quarterback​ ​who​ ​has​ ​thrown​ ​with​ ​good​ ​arm​ ​strength as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​anticipation​ ​throughout​ ​his​ ​career.​ ​When​ ​he​ ​gets​ ​hot​ ​he​ ​can​ ​be​ ​as​ ​good​ ​of​ ​a​ ​pure

passer​ ​as​ ​there​ ​is​ ​in​ ​the​ ​league​ ​the​ ​problem​ ​is​ ​that​ ​when​ ​is​ ​not​ ​playing​ ​extremely​ ​well​ ​he​ ​ends up​ ​compounding​ ​his​ ​poor​ ​play​ ​with​ ​multiple​ ​mistakes​ ​in​ ​succession​ ​and​ ​gets​ ​himself​ ​into​ ​a​ ​rut​ ​of poor​ ​decision​ ​making,​ ​accuracy​ ​issues​ ​etc.​ ​This​ ​was​ ​a​ ​recurring​ ​theme​ ​in​ ​2016​ ​and​ ​turning​ ​over the​ ​football​ ​is​ ​something​ ​that​ ​has​ ​accompanied​ ​him​ ​throughout​ ​his​ ​entire​ ​career.​ ​Fitzpatrick relied​ ​upon​ ​both​ ​Brandon​ ​Marshall​ ​and​ ​Eric​ ​Decker​ ​during​ ​his​ ​time​ ​in​ ​New​ ​York​ ​and​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to develop​ ​great​ ​chemistry​ ​with​ ​both​ ​of​ ​them.​ ​When​ ​Decker​ ​went​ ​down​ ​early​ ​in​ ​the​ ​year​ ​Fitzpatrick was​ ​never​ ​the​ ​same.​ ​Fitzpatrick​ ​signed​ ​with​ ​Tampa​ ​Bay​ ​in​ ​May​ ​and​ ​will​ ​be​ ​called​ ​upon​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a resource​ ​for​ ​starter​ ​Jameis​ ​Winston.​ ​If​ ​forced​ ​into​ ​action​ ​Fitzpatrick​ ​should​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​right​ ​the ship​ ​due​ ​to​ ​his​ ​vast​ ​experience​ ​and​ ​high​ ​football​ ​IQ.

2017​ ​Projection

Fitzpatrick​ ​is​ ​under​ ​no​ ​illusions​ ​in​ ​Tampa.​ ​He​ ​understands​ ​he​ ​is​ ​no​ ​longer​ ​competing​ ​for​ ​a starting​ ​job​ ​and​ ​is​ ​there​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​valuable​ ​resource​ ​for​ ​Winston.​ ​Fitzpatrick​ ​needs​ ​just​ ​401 passing​ ​yards​ ​to​ ​surpass​ ​Jim​ ​Harbaugh​ ​for​ ​65th​ ​best​ ​in​ ​the​ ​all​ ​time​ ​rankings.​ ​Our​ ​bet​ ​is​ ​that Fitzmagic​ ​plays​ ​some​ ​in​ ​2017​ ​passes​ ​Harbaugh​ ​on​ ​the​ ​all​ ​time​ ​yardage​ ​list.

2018 Update – Fitzpatrick has changed the plot just a little bit. After passing for over 400 yards & 4 TD’s in each of the Buccaneers first two games he has proven he is still can play at a high level in the NFL & is the clear cut starter at QB until proven otherwise.

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Josh Allen Draft Guide Sample

Included below is a large portion of our Josh Allen scouting report from our 2018 Draft Guide

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(Photo Credit – Buffalo News)

Josh Allen ​6’5” 237 Wyoming *JR

Overview

In 2014, Josh Allen was the starting quarterback at Reedley Community College. After throwing for 2,055 yards & 26 touchdowns against only 5 interceptions Allen drew minimal interest in recruiting circles & ultimately ended up at Wyoming, one of the few schools who ended up wanting him. After receiving a medical redshirt year in 2015, Allen took over as the Cowboys starter in 2016 and had a mostly stellar year statistically as he threw for 3,200 yards 28 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. Allen saw his numbers dip in 2017 as he went for 1,800 yards with 16 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. Allen was a career 56% completion passer & also compiled 767 yards on the ground to go along with 12 rushing touchdowns. Allen enjoyed an abrupt rise to stardom during his time in Laramie and is a relative rarity among high end QB prospects in that he played first at the Junior College level before finding success at NCAA level (Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers)

 

Trait Grades (Allen)

Arm Talent (A-) Toughness (B) Arm Strength (A) Pocket Presence (C)

Ball Placement/Accuracy (B+) Intangibles/Off-Field (A-) Delivery/Mechanics (A)

Running Ability/Athleticism (A) Anticipation (B-) Football IQ (B) Touch (B-)

Throw on Run (A)

Strengths

Raw Arm Talent, Functional Athleticism, Smooth & Decisive Mover, Excellent Feet, Smooth & Mechanically Sound With His Drops, Elite Arm Strength, Ability To Throw On Run, Release, Size, Ability To Make Tight Window Throws, Quick Release.

Weaknesses

Anticipation, Accuracy, Throwing With Pace, Beating Defenses With His Mind Pre-Snap, Manipulating Ball Trajectory, Throwing With Trust Into Windows With Touch, Pocket Steadiness/Comfort, Throwing Receivers Open.

Tape Analysis (Allen)

When evaluating Josh Allen his physical traits jump off the tape as there are countless times where he looks like a Dan Marino clone throwing the football down the field. This has proven to be just an aberration at this point as Allen’s game has been marred with inconsistency. When he is on Allen has demonstrated the ability to place the football deep down the field with rare velocity & distance & doing so without setting his feet. Allen can also be crisp and on time operating as a precision passer within the short game but at this point is not consistent enough on a down by down basis. He will hesitate to throw with anticipation & pace within the intermediate game, particularly between the hashes which speaks to Allen’s inability at diagnosing coverages before the ball is snapped & he has not shown a great ability to take advantages of coverage weak spots. Will “freeze” in the pocket & instincts tell him to tuck & run too often. Allen is a very athletic mover who can easily create yards with his legs and get himself out of tough spots. Allen throws very well on the move especially moving to his right. Accuracy & anticipation issues. Shows the ability to reset & fire. Shows flashes of looking like the best quarterback prospect in decades in terms of his release, mechanics & raw arm talent. Possesses tremendous ability to thread the needle on difficult tight window throws. Allen has a rare ability to throw with both velocity & distance and no other play exemplified this more than an on the move throw against UNLV from 2016. Allen exited the pocket to his right after initial pressure and threw an all arm 57 yard frozen rope to his receiver near the goal line. It is safe to say that Allen has the strongest arm coming into the draft since Cam Newton in 2011. Allen shows off his arm on a variety of throws including skinny posts, deep out & fades where the ball actually gains steam at the back end. His arm strength & athleticism will put immense stress on NFL secondaries as they will be forced to defend the entire field late into the down.

 

Projection

Josh Allen has made strides in refining his game while doing pre draft prep work with Jordan Palmer, a noted QB developer. His pro day was exemplar & Allen has built solid momentum heading into the draft. We believe Allen will be one of the first two quarterbacks selected & will end up going to a team that will allow him to sit & learn behind a veteran. If Allen continues to improve upon the noted deficiencies within his game & turns in his “A” game throughout training camp there will be a strong internal desire to turn him loose earlier than expected in year 1. Allen clearly has rare skills throwing the football but it will be the finer minute elements of the position that will ultimately determine just how good he can be in the NFL.

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2018 Pre-Season NFL Quarterback Rankings (12-22)

 

By Bryan Trulen

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(Photo Credit-Daily Snark)

 

12. Alex Smith – Smith finished 2017 with a 104.7 passer rating as he threw for a career best 4,042 yards across 15 regular season starts. Smith was one of the top five quarterbacks last year from a week to week production & efficiency standpoint. Smith enters his 14th year with a new team & after spending five seasons with Andy Reid. It would be foolish to expect a seamless transition to Jay Gruden’s pure west coast based system although Smith is well versed both conceptually & verbiage wise in the WCO system. Expect Smith to continue to be solid but there will be some growing pains along the way in 2018.

13. Case Keenum – Keenum much like Smith in 2017, was a top five league quarterback week to week. Keenum was a main reason for multiple wins (Tampa, Chicago, Washington, Detroit, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Atlanta)  & provided the team with the best quarterback play it has seen since Brett Favre in 2009.  Transitioning to Denver (Bill Musgrave) and away from Pat Shurmur will be an adjustment but Keenum is doing everything he can to make the learning curve short and has experience doing so (2017). If Keenum can continue to play as he did in 2017 the Broncos will return to the post-season.

14. Jared Goff – Goff passed for over 3,800 yards 28 TD’s with only 7 INT in 2017 completing quite possibly the greatest single year improvement in performance we have ever seen in the history of the league at the QB position. Goff showed to be deft as a pure passer who understands the finer points of touch, anticipation & throwing on time. Expect more of the same in 2018 as he enters year 2 with Sean McVay.

15. Derek Carr – Carr boasted an 86.4 rating in 2017 as he was forced to muddy through a Todd Downing led offensive attack in Oakland. If 2015 & 2016 were gold for Carr, 2017 was bronze as he threw a career high 13 interceptions. Carr still has one of the better arms in the league & his quick release allows him to make throws that only a handful of starters in league can. If the Carr/Gruden marriage goes as planned we could see the Raiders run away with the AFC West.

16. Jimmy Garoppolo – We saw flashes of his potential during 2016 as he made a pair of starts for the Patriots. Garoppolo went 5-0 as a starter in 2017 and completed 67 % of his throws. The sample size is still small but it looks like the 49ers are in good hands with Jimmy G at the controls entering 2018 and beyond. Has one of the quickest releases if not the quickest in NFL &  consistently throws receivers open.

17.  Sam Bradford – In his lone start of 2017, Bradford went 32-43 for for 382 yards with 3 TD’s and 0 INT.  One of the most instinctually accurate QB’s in league who if he can remain healthy will make the Cardinals competitive in the NFC West.

18. Deshaun Watson – An injury shorted 2017 is the only reason Watson is this low on list. Watson earned NFL Player Of The Month For October (2017) Watson proved to be as advertised as he brought electricity, playmaking ability & deep ball prowess to the fold throughout his first seven NFL starts.

19. Dak Prescott –  Prescott struggled in 2017. Some of the reasons were out of his control (OL Play, Receiving Talent, Lack Of Run Game) but other reasons were due to his lack of consistent and smooth footwork and accuracy issues that accompanied this. He is in dire need of a great year 3 and will be poised to have a bounce back year.

20. Blake Bortles – Bortles passed for 3,600 yards 21TD & 13 INT in 2017. He played some of the best football of his career in 2017 & played well against both the Steelers & Patriots in AFC playoffs. Bortles got his confidence back in a large way last year and should continue to play well in 2018.

21. Eli Manning – Eli finished 2017 with 19 TD’s and 13 INT’s playing in a dysfunctional organization. Manning was excellent in 2016 so the prognosis under new coach Pat Shurmur has to be at least luke-warm as Manning enters his 15th year in the league. The tape however shows a quarterback who physically is on the decline. That’s not to say Shurmur won’t be able to squeeze one more solid year out of him with all of the offensive weapons at his disposal.

22. Tyrod Taylor – During his three years as the Bills starter, Taylor completed nearly 63% of his passes and rarely turned the ball over while producing big time throws down the field and playing the position with an electric style. Taylor has limitations as an anticipatory passer but he should do well in Cleveland relying on his experience in the league & ability to improvise.

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NFL Quarterback Rankings (12-22)

 

By Bryan Trulen

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(Photo Credit-Daily Snark)

 

12. Alex Smith – Smith finished 2017 with a 104.7 passer rating as he threw for a career best 4,042 yards across 15 regular season starts. Smith was one of the top five quarterbacks last year from a week to week production & efficiency standpoint. Smith enters his 14th year with a new team & after spending five seasons with Andy Reid. It would be foolish to expect a seamless transition to Jay Gruden’s pure west coast based system although Smith is well versed both conceptually & verbiage wise in the WCO system. Expect Smith to continue to be solid but there will be some growing pains along the way in 2018.

13. Case Keenum – Keenum much like Smith in 2017, was a top five league quarterback week to week. Keenum was a main reason for multiple wins (Tampa, Chicago, Washington, Detroit, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Atlanta)  & provided the team with the best quarterback play it has seen since Brett Favre in 2009.  Transitioning to Denver (Bill Musgrave) and away from Pat Shurmur will be an adjustment but Keenum is doing everything he can to make the learning curve short and has experience doing so (2017). If Keenum can continue to play as he did in 2017 the Broncos will return to the post-season.

14. Jared Goff – Goff passed for over 3,800 yards 28 TD’s with only 7 INT in 2017 completing quite possibly the greatest single year improvement in performance we have ever seen in the history of the league at the QB position. Goff showed to be deft as a pure passer who understands the finer points of touch, anticipation & throwing on time. Expect more of the same in 2018 as he enters year 2 with Sean McVay.

15. Derek Carr – Carr boasted an 86.4 rating in 2017 as he was forced to muddy through a Todd Downing led offensive attack in Oakland. If 2015 & 2016 were gold for Carr, 2017 was bronze as he threw a career high 13 interceptions. Carr still has one of the better arms in the league & his quick release allows him to make throws that only a handful of starters in league can. If the Carr/Gruden marriage goes as planned we could see the Raiders run away with the AFC West.

16. Jimmy Garoppolo – We saw flashes of his potential during 2016 as he made a pair of starts for the Patriots. Garoppolo went 5-0 as a starter in 2017 and completed 67 % of his throws. The sample size is still small but it looks like the 49ers are in good hands with Jimmy G at the controls entering 2018 and beyond. Has one of the quickest releases if not the quickest in NFL &  consistently throws receivers open.

17.  Sam Bradford – In his lone start of 2017, Bradford went 32-43 for for 382 yards with 3 TD’s and 0 INT.  One of the most instinctually accurate QB’s in league who if he can remain healthy will make the Cardinals competitive in the NFC West.

18. Deshaun Watson – An injury shorted 2017 is the only reason Watson is this low on list. Watson earned NFL Player Of The Month For October (2017) Watson proved to be as advertised as he brought electricity, playmaking ability & deep ball prowess to the fold throughout his first seven NFL starts.

19. Dak Prescott –  Prescott struggled in 2017. Some of the reasons were out of his control (OL Play, Receiving Talent, Lack Of Run Game) but other reasons were due to his lack of consistent and smooth footwork and accuracy issues that accompanied this. He is in dire need of a great year 3 and will be poised to have a bounce back year.

20. Blake Bortles – Bortles passed for 3,600 yards 21TD & 13 INT in 2017. He played some of the best football of his career in 2017 & played well against both the Steelers & Patriots in AFC playoffs. Bortles got his confidence back in a large way last year and should continue to play well in 2018.

21. Eli Manning – Eli finished 2017 with 19 TD’s and 13 INT’s playing in a dysfunctional organization. Manning was excellent in 2016 so the prognosis under new coach Pat Shurmur has to be at least luke-warm as Manning enters his 15th year in the league. The tape however shows a quarterback who physically is on the decline. That’s not to say Shurmur won’t be able to squeeze one more solid year out of him with all of the offensive weapons at his disposal.

22. Tyrod Taylor – During his three years as the Bills starter, Taylor completed nearly 63% of his passes and rarely turned the ball over while producing big time throws down the field and playing the position with an electric style. Taylor has limitations as an anticipatory passer but he should do well in Cleveland relying on his experience in the league & ability to improvise.

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2018 Pre-Season NFL Quarterback Rankings (1-11)

By Bryan Trulen

A new NFL season is upon us & once again we rank all 32 league starters.

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Photo Credit – (USA Today)

1. Tom Brady – Brady delivered another “Brady like” season in 2017 that culminated in him throwing for a Super Bowl record 505 yards with 3 touchdowns but having the Patriot defense give up 41 points to Philly. Brady threw for 32 TD’s 8 Ints and over 4,500 yards in the regular season. Even as he ages it is hard to knock him off from the top spot but with an influx of new receivers and turmoil in New England it would not be shocking to see a slight dip in production in 2018

2.  Aaron Rodgers – An injury cut Rodgers season short in 2017 but the Packers have     re-tooled their receiving core and added more weapons for Rodgers. Expect Rodgers to pick up where he left off as he put together a tremendous month of September for the Packers.

3. Matthew Stafford – Stafford went for 4,400 29 TD’s against 10 INT in 2017 and continues to perform at an All-Pro level for Detroit. Expect Detroit to be much improved defensively this season. If the dice finally roll the Lions way in 2018 they may end up being a dark horse Super Bowl contender.

4. Carson Wentz – Wentz put together an MVP caliber season during his 2nd year as he made tremendous strides in multiple areas. Keeping a close eye on how he performs coming off an ACL injury will be telling on if he can pick up where he left off in 2017.

5. Drew Brees – Brees played second fiddle at times due to the strong ground game the Saints employed last season but when it mattered most he delivered. Brees is surrounded by young talent across the board and put together one of the better playoff performances in recent memory against Minnesota. Keeping himself in top physical condition along with his intense mental preparation should allow for continued success in 2018.

6. Philip Rivers – 2017 was all about the “Rivers Revival” in Los Angeles as he carried the Chargers week in and week out as the team relied upon Rivers to keep them in games and win them in the fourth quarter. 2016 was a down for Philip but he put up some staggering numbers in 2017 (4,500 yards 28 TD 10 INT) Duplicating 2017 will be tough to do with Hunter Henry out for the year but if he can remain hot the Chargers will be in prime position to win the AFC West and secure a playoff berth. From there, anything is possible.

7. Ben Roethlisberger – Another aging signal caller who continued to shine in 2017. Big Ben had a few rough outings early but got hot late in the year and threw for 469 yards and 5 TD’s in the Divisional round game against Jacksonville. Adjusting to a new OC will be something to watch early on this year.

8. Matt Ryan – Ryan went through growing pains in 2017 as Steve Sarkisian was tasked with taking over for one of the better play callers in football. Ryan did not match his production from the Super Bowl run the year prior but he delivered in the playoffs and played well enough for the team to beat the Eagles. Expect Ryan to continue to play at an elite level in 2018.

9. Russell Wilson –  Wilson threw for a career best 34 touchdowns against 11 INT while continuing to deploy his playmaking brand of football. The Hawks were not their usual selves from a defensive standpoint and unless they can bolster the pieces around Russell he may have to put the team on his back yet again in 2018 operating under a new offensive coordinator for the first time in his NFL career.

10. Cam Newton – Newton continued to tease us in 2017 and at times looked like his MVP self from 2015. His numbers were inconsistent as he turned the ball over 16 times through the air however. Newton delivered against New Orleans in the Wild Card Round and reminded us of the electric player we have come to expect of him. Norv Turner is the new coordinator in Charlotte and if he can harness Newton we could see the Panthers run away with the NFC South.

11. Kirk Cousins – Cousins threw for over 4,000 yards 27 TD’s to 13 INT’s in 2017 but the Redskins endured multiple injuries along the way to key weapons surrounding him. Jay Gruden’s system fit Cousins very well but the Redskins ultimately elected to let him walk as Cousins was a hot commodity on the free agent market. How well he Adjusts to new teammates and a relatively inexperienced play-caller in John DeFelippo will determine how successful he performs in 2018. The pressure & stakes are sky high and Cousins excitable personality must not get the best of him in his first year as a Viking in order to reach expectations in Minneapolis.

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2018 NFL Quarterback Rankings (1-11)

By Bryan Trulen

A new NFL season is upon us & once again we rank all 32 league starters.

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Photo Credit – (USA Today)

1. Tom Brady – Brady delivered another “Brady like” season in 2017 that culminated in him throwing for a Super Bowl record 505 yards with 3 touchdowns but having the Patriot defense give up 41 points to Philly. Brady threw for 32 TD’s 8 Ints and over 4,500 yards in the regular season. Even as he ages it is hard to knock him off from the top spot but with an influx of new receivers and turmoil in New England it would not be shocking to see a slight dip in production in 2018

2.  Aaron Rodgers – An injury cut Rodgers season short in 2017 but the Packers have     re-tooled their receiving core and added more weapons for Rodgers. Expect Rodgers to pick up where he left off as he put together a tremendous month of September for the Packers.

3. Matthew Stafford – Stafford went for 4,400 29 TD’s against 10 INT in 2017 and continues to perform at an All-Pro level for Detroit. Expect Detroit to be much improved defensively this season. If the dice finally roll the Lions way in 2018 they may end up being a dark horse Super Bowl contender.

4. Carson Wentz – Wentz put together an MVP caliber season during his 2nd year as he made tremendous strides in multiple areas. Keeping a close eye on how he performs coming off an ACL injury will be telling on if he can pick up where he left off in 2017.

5. Drew Brees – Brees played second fiddle at times due to the strong ground game the Saints employed last season but when it mattered most he delivered. Brees is surrounded by young talent across the board and put together one of the better playoff performances in recent memory against Minnesota. Keeping himself in top physical condition along with his intense mental preparation should allow for continued success in 2018.

6. Philip Rivers – 2017 was all about the “Rivers Revival” in Los Angeles as he carried the Chargers week in and week out as the team relied upon Rivers to keep them in games and win them in the fourth quarter. 2016 was a down for Philip but he put up some staggering numbers in 2017 (4,500 yards 28 TD 10 INT) Duplicating 2017 will be tough to do with Hunter Henry out for the year but if he can remain hot the Chargers will be in prime position to win the AFC West and secure a playoff berth. From there, anything is possible.

7. Ben Roethlisberger – Another aging signal caller who continued to shine in 2017. Big Ben had a few rough outings early but got hot late in the year and threw for 469 yards and 5 TD’s in the Divisional round game against Jacksonville. Adjusting to a new OC will be something to watch early on this year.

8. Matt Ryan – Ryan went through growing pains in 2017 as Steve Sarkisian was tasked with taking over for one of the better play callers in football. Ryan did not match his production from the Super Bowl run the year prior but he delivered in the playoffs and played well enough for the team to beat the Eagles. Expect Ryan to continue to play at an elite level in 2018.

9. Russell Wilson –  Wilson threw for a career best 34 touchdowns against 11 INT while continuing to deploy his playmaking brand of football. The Hawks were not their usual selves from a defensive standpoint and unless they can bolster the pieces around Russell he may have to put the team on his back yet again in 2018 operating under a new offensive coordinator for the first time in his NFL career.

10. Cam Newton – Newton continued to tease us in 2017 and at times looked like his MVP self from 2015. His numbers were inconsistent as he turned the ball over 16 times through the air however. Newton delivered against New Orleans in the Wild Card Round and reminded us of the electric player we have come to expect of him. Norv Turner is the new coordinator in Charlotte and if he can harness Newton we could see the Panthers run away with the NFC South.

11. Kirk Cousins – Cousins threw for over 4,000 yards 27 TD’s to 13 INT’s in 2017 but the Redskins endured multiple injuries along the way to key weapons surrounding him. Jay Gruden’s system fit Cousins very well but the Redskins ultimately elected to let him walk as Cousins was a hot commodity on the free agent market. How well he Adjusts to new teammates and a relatively inexperienced play-caller in John DeFelippo will determine how successful he performs in 2018. The pressure & stakes are sky high and Cousins excitable personality must not get the best of him in his first year as a Viking in order to reach expectations in Minneapolis.

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New York Giants QB Davis Webb Pre-Draft Analysis

An example report on Giants QB Davis Webb. For additional reports like this visit our sales page where you can find all of our analysis products

Davis Webb, California 6’5” 229

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Overview

Davis Webb enjoyed one of the best seasons statistically in Cal history in 2016 as he threw for nearly 4,300 yards and 37 touchdowns. Webb played early at Texas Tech as well throwing for over 5,000 yards and 44 touchdowns combined as a freshman and sophomore. Webb is a classic pocket passer with touch ingrained into his DNA as a passer. Webb clearly is one of the better deep ball throwers in the class with an easy, natural throwing motion. Webb will get a system label due to his lack of pliability in terms of reacting to pressure and making things work outside the structure of the Air-Raid system.

Analysis  (2016) Stanford, UCLA, Oregon, USC, Utah, (2013) WVU

Davis Webb is an easy thrower who innately puts touch on the ball no matter the type of pass he is throwing. By doing this, he consistently is able to throw a catchable football, making life easy for his receivers. Webb is a refined passer who understand eye manipulation and throwing receiving targets open. Confident thrower. Cover 2 hole shot in the rain against UCLA was a prime example of Webb at work. He first changed the play at the LOS, manipulated the SS with his eyes while putting himself in a position to deliver the ball in the window between the SS and CB with pro level velocity and trajectory. A pure thrower of the football with movement limitations. Not tremendously gifted yet still adequate at throwing on the move in a dead sprint. Also good at throwing off platform or fading away. Throws a great deep ball. May throw the best deep ball/ fade in the entire class, although Deshaun Watson may have something to say about that. Consistently drops the ball into the bucket on fades. Webb is a long strider which can lead to a lack of immediacy in getting himself ready to throw on the move. Will be forced to adjust to more of a pro-style offense after playing in the Sonny Dykes air raid at Texas Tech and Cal. This may prove to be an issue but he is a slightly more talented prospect than Jared Goff was coming out. He is an anticipation thrower by nature who does not have to exert much energy when getting rid of the ball. His release hovers in the 3/4 range and this is something that is not ideal for him even at 6’5”.

Does not show particularly good feet dropping back with his drops becoming lazy and undisciplined. Will need to be worked with on the elements of his drop because often at Cal and Texas Tech Webb would take a hitch in the pocket as opposed to just planting his back foot and firing the ball. Raw from an overall feet perspective but still possesses high end balance and mechanics while transferring weight during throws. Might throw with best touch in class. His deep balls do lose energy on the end. Can be a push thrower at times. Not a natural full throwing motion. Tendency to drop his arm slot on intermediate to deep level touch throws.
Has tendency to bounce in the pocket which makes him less efficient in throwing on time. He does have high end arm talent in the sense that he can get rid of the ball in very smooth order while making a variety of throws. Timing and rhythm thrower who has a place in the league as a backup.

Weaknesses

Webb does not consistently drive off his back leg which affects his overall velocity on certain throws. Sloppy, freelance type feet in the pocket. Un-disciplined from a footwork standpoint. Is going to need a re-tool of drop back mechanics at next level. Not crisp with his feet. Lazy Feet (at times), not a great mover. Would prefer to throw with touch rather than anticipating windows although he still can do that.

Played in a very quarterback friendly system. Not the most graceful of movers.
Not nearly as quick twitched or athletic as you would like, comes across as raw from a pure footwork perspective. In shotgun 100 percent of time, somewhat lackadaisical from the time he catches snap until ball comes out of hand. Very in control as thrower just does not generate adequate torque which causes passes to lose steam on back end. Has a tendency to not get his lower half involved in his throws ie throwing without a solid base mechanically and often fades away off his back foot.

Projection

​Davis Webb has excited during the pre draft process with his football intelligence, character and off the field polish. This coupled with his senior season tape has generated a decent amount buzz surrounding him. We feel though based on where he is at currently as a player that he has a decent road ahead in terms of developing into a starting quarterback. Webb has flashed his arm talent but needs mechanical work as he transitions to the pro level. Look for Webb to stick in the league as a developmental backup for some time with the potential to