2018 NFL Draft

Kurt Benkert Pre-Draft Report

Posted on by QB Film Room

Purchase’ our 2018 Draft Guide

Author – Bryan Trulen

Kurt Benkert​ 6’2 1/2 218 Virginia

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Overview

Kurt Benkert started his career at Eastern Carolina & ended up transferring to UVA in 2016 reuniting himself with Ruffin McNeill who recruited Benkert to Eastern but ended up taking a coaching job at Virginia. Benkert immediately took hold of the starting quarterback job in 2016 and ended up being a very productive player for the Cavaliers. Benkert ended up throwing for over 5,700 yards 46 touchdowns against 20 INT’s across 24 starts in Charlottesville.

 

Trait Grades (Benkert)

Arm Talent (A-)
Arm Strength (A-)
Ball Placement/Accuracy (B) Delivery/Mechanics (B+)

Toughness (B-) Pocket Presence (C)

Intangibles/Off-Field (B) Running Ability/Athleticism (B)

Anticipation (B+) Football IQ (B) Touch (A-)
Throw on Run (A-)

 

Tape Analysis (Benkert)

Benkert is a natural athlete at the position with solid instincts as a passer which make him an intriguing developmental quarterback prospect. A naturally accurate passer on a variety of throws. A guy who has a natural feel for the passing game’ in terms of his

ability to throw with both pace & touch something that is accentuated on deeper more difficult throws. Benkert is also highly competent at throwing in breaking routes on time with velocity. Shows the ability to make difficult down the field throws on the move and a throw against Miami illustrated this skill as Benkert rolled left and fired a perfect deep bomb 50 yards down the field with precise ball location (placing ball away from FS) touch and top level arm strength. Benkert is blessed with natural arm talent.

Benkert’s mechanics have a tendency to break down under pressure. Does not respond to pressure in most positive fashion as he will freeze up at times. His accuracy is inconsistent. At times he plays like he could develop into an NFL starter but there other times where Benkert looks like a guy who could end up getting cut and be out of the league in a few years.

Projection

Benkert will garner interest’ as a late round (5-7) pick and will end up in competing for a roster spot this august. There are holes within his game’ that must be addressed but many of the raw throwing materials already exist for the Virginia product. Best case scenario is Benkert latches on somewhere and is granted the opportunity to develop into a a primary backup’ role within a few years.

Pre-Draft Report (Lamar Jackson)

Posted on by QB Film Room

Author-Bryan Trulen

Lamar Jackson​ 6’2” 216 Louisville

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As a three year starter for the Cardinals, Lamar Jackson threw for 9,043 yards 69 touchdowns & 27 interceptions. Jackson also rushed for an astounding 50 touchdowns while amassing over 4,000 yards on the ground. Jackson was tasked with being the triggerman for a pro-style spread attack that featured both his arm & legs. Jackson exited his college career as one of the most dynamic quarterbacks to ever play at the NCAA level.

Trait Grades (Jackson)

Arm Talent (A-) Arm Strength (A) Ball Placement/Accuracy (B) Delivery/Mechanics (A-)

Toughness (A) Pocket Presence (A-) Intangibles/Off-Field (B+) Running Ability/Athleticism

(A) Anticipation (B+) Football IQ (A-) Touch (B-) Throw on Run (A)

 

Strengths 

Arm Strength, Electric Playmaker, Throwing On The Move With Ease, Familiarity With Pro Style Passing Concepts, Compact Delivery, Natural Passing Instincts, Sheer Speed As A Runner, Toughness, Pocket Instincts, Anticipation

Weaknesses

Inconsistent Touch & Ball Placement On Deep Ball, Throws From a Narrow Base, Often Throws With All Arm, Overall Accuracy Concerns

Tape Analysis (Jackson)

Lamar Jackson played in a pro style offense under Bobby Petrino that allowed for continued growth & development in relation to NFL passing concepts. ​Mechanically, Jackson boasts a compact, snap delivery of the football allowing him to get passes off regardless of pressure or lack of space around him. ​As a passer, Jackson is a short strider which also helps him get the ball off quickly even when his foot platform to throw is sub-optimal. Jackson’s feet are quick & fluid from a drop back game standpoint which in turn allows him to deliver passes before defenders are able to react. Jackson maintains a high ball carriage position & is very quick/sudden mechanically from a release standpoint. Strong arm & quick decision make & displays outstanding arm strength both from within the pocket & on the move. ​When Jackson aborts the pocket he does so in a highly refined manner.​ Often times he would survey down field deep into the play & would only evade the pocket when his instincts called for it, simply put Jackson has elite pocket feel & awareness. There are many

instances on tape where it is apparent Jackson is a passer first & has true passing instincts. Jackson intuitively understands when, where & how to deliver the ball. Shows the ability to make wow type arm strength on the move. Multiple instances of Jackson firing the ball 35-40 yards on a line as he is running out of real estate near the sideline. Jackson is power thrower who is able to generate tremendous velocity on the move without a long windup.

Jackson does have inconsistent lower body mechanics at times & can be a bit stiff as a thrower. Needs to be coached to use more of his body & not just his arm & this is illustrated on throws such as sideline fades where Jackson will be become too erect & lacks the requisite feel & touch to deliver strikes. These are minor issues or at least should be in terms of correcting them as he transitions. The more tape we watch on Lamar the more it becomes apparent that he is the prospect with the highest ceiling in the entire class & deserves to be in discussion with Sam Darnold in terms of QB 1 and 1A.

Projection

Jackson is one of the top three quarterbacks in this class & has clearly demonstrated refined abilities in terms of coverage recognition, pure passing instincts as well as operating a pro style attack & is a rare runner at the position. Do not be shocked if Jackson ends up starting as a rookie and takes the league by storm. Jackson has pro bowl potential if he is developed properly at the next level.

 

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Baker Mayfield Pre-Draft Sample Report

Posted on by QB Film Room

 

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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Josh Allen Draft Guide Sample

Posted on by QB Film Room

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 Quarterback Mock Draft

Posted on by QB Film Room

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For In-Depth Analysis on the 2018 QB Class Purchase Our 2018 Draft Guide

Round 1

Sam Darnold (1) Browns

Josh Rosen (2) NYG

Baker Mayfield (3) NYJ

Josh Allen (6) Buf Trades W/Indy

Lamar Jackson (11) Miami

Mason Rudolph (28) Steelers

Kyle Lauletta (31) NE

Round 2

Mike White (46) Bengals

Round 3

Kurt Benkert (79) Cardinals

Logan Woodside (93) Jaguars

Round 4

Luke Falk (110) Raiders

Chase Litton (118) Ravens

Round 5

Brandon Silvers (147) Saints

Nik Shimonek (151) Vikings

Round 6

Tanner Lee (167) Texans

Luis Perez (206) Eagles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Josh Allen (Wyoming) Sample

Posted on by QB Film Room

Josh Allen is an enticing talent who has a heaping amount of arm talent of which he blends with both rare athleticism & footwork. These raw materials are accompanied by a lack of intuitive processing ability, particularly before the ball is snapped which puts Allen in precarious situations that otherwise could have been avoided.

 

For comprehensive tape based player analysis on the 2018 Quarterback Class, be sure to Pre-Order your copy of our 2018 Draft Guide

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2018 Draft Guide Overview

Posted on by QB Film Room

Our annual Quarterback Centric Draft Publication is slated to be released April 1, 2018. For the price of a Burrito, you will gain access to in-depth, tape based scouting reports on 30 draft eligible quarterback prospects. We blend both trait based & holistic scouting when evaluating quarterbacks and below we outline exactly what you will get upon purchase of our 2018 Draft Guide.

What You Get:

Encyclopedic/Comprehensive Scouting Reports (4-8 games Watched on 30 Rookie QB Prospects)

Trait Glossary Defining Critical Areas of the Position As Relates to Pro QB Play With Each Prospect Graded Out Categorically

In-Depth Player Evaluation (Micro & Macro)

Draft Day Projections (Round, System Fit, Career)

2018 Fantasy Impact Projections (Delivered Post Draft)

Each Player is Bookmarked for Navigational Simplicity

Select number of WR & TE Scouting Reports

Optimized for On-Demand Web & Mobile Access

Digitally Delivered To You Between March 20 – April 1, 2018

Pre Order The 2018 Draft Guide Here – 2018 Draft Guide

Demo Of Our 2017 Draft Guide

 

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