- Position: Quarterback – Pocket Passer
- College: Georgia Bulldogs
- Gridiron Guy Position Rank: 3 of 11
- NFL Draft Tracker position Rank:
Age: 21 | Height: 6’2 | Weight: 220 lbs
NFL Size Comparison: Andy Dalton
Player at a Glance: Promising Pocket Passing QB with high upside and mature sense of the game, though not as flashy as his peers
RESUME:
- 4th most pass attempts in the SEC (385)
- 5th most pass completions in the SEC (234)
- 5th highest pass completion percentage in the SEC (60.8%)
- 4th most passing yards in the SEC (2,860)
- 4th most passing TDs in the SEC (24)
- 10th most career passing TDs in SEC history (78)
- 4th highest passing efficiency rating in the SEC (141.2)
- 10th highest career pass efficiency rating in SEC history (156.2)
- Best Game: v. #6 Florida (W 24-17)
- 20/30 | 66.7% | 279 pass yds | 2 TD – 0 INT | 3 att | 12 rush yds
- Worst Game: v. South Carolina (L 20-17 2OT)
- 28/51 | 54.9% | 295 pass yds | 1 TD – 3 INT | 6 att | 6 rush yds
- 8,224 career passing yards rank fourth on UGA’s all-time list
- 78 career TD passes put him in second place on UGA’s all-time list
- Ranks 4th and 5th, respectively, on UGA’s lists of career completions and attempts
- SEC Freshman of the Year (2017)
- Rose Bowl Champion (2018)
- SEC Champion (2017)
- USA Today High School All-American (2016)
Range:
- Pocket: ~55 yards
- Range-Run: ~40 yards
- Acc – Run: ~30 yards
- Arm Strength: ~35 yards
Strengths:
- Has the necessary mobility to pick up a few extra yards should he need to
- Moves seamlessly through the pocket with fluid steps and maintained balance
- Disciplined eyes continually scans the field to find the open man
- Quick to identify man coverage and attack the weak link
- Intelligent play can draw flags against overly aggressive corners
- Can maneuver the pocket with consistency while maintaining his base to throw the pass
- Adequate anticipation to know a receiver will be open in the future, rather than abandoning the read
- Excellent short range accuracy
- Can identify where the blitz is coming from and make alterations to the play
- Promising ability to improvise when the play breaks down and direct traffic
- Effective at going through progressions and moving on if the initial read is not there
- Has the awareness to know where his weapons are on the field, and the vision to keep track of them
- Average size of an NFL QB at 6’2, 220 lbs
- Ideal experience level as a 3-year starter
- Matured sense of decision making, does not force throws or play risky with the ball
- Stays composed under less than ideal situations
- Excellent use of ball placement and trajectory
- Good awareness of where the coverage is playing, and attacking the gaps
- Can put heat on the pass to keep the arch low on medium to long range throws
- Stellar touch on the pass, clean spirals and easily catchable balls riddle his highlights
- Dangerous accuracy on the medium and deep passes when in the pocket
- No injury concerns to speak of
- Pretty respectable arm strength with the ability to chuck the ball up to 35 yards off arm alone
- Throw mechanics include a tense elbow, high release, short wind up, and rotation of the shoulder and midsection without the hips
- Average range in the pocket at about 55 yards
- Good range on the run at 40 yards, with effective accuracy of up to 30
- Good pocket presence with a strong understanding of how much time he has to work with
- Solid footwork to keep himself balanced with a nice even stride through the pocket
- Can maintain respectable range under pressure at 40 yards
Weaknesses:
- Likes to force throws into tight windows over the middle, especially in the redzone
- Doesn’t always show that level of patience you would like from a pocket passer
- Seems to lose track of the deep safety on more than a few occurrences, throwing passes to the deep man that is dangerously close to where the safety is positioned
- Noticeably accuracy drop when pressured
- Not a ball carrier, low top speed and little evasiveness make his attempts at taking off only good for a few extra yards
- Saw significant drop in completions as the season went on despite trend for attempts increasing
- Less than ideal accuracy under pressure with only about 25 yards of effective range if compromised
- Has a problem evading sacks when the defender gets close enough to make a play
- Effectiveness on the field sees massive spikes and dips based on the opposition
Bold Predictions:
- Draft Placement: Late 1st – Early 2nd Round
- Plays Like: Jared Goff
- Ceiling: NFL All Pro
- Floor: One-Time Starter
The Gridiron Guy 
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