QB USC
AVERAGE RATING:
5.7
OVERALL RATING:
6.5
MEANING:
A solid player you could win with
JEDI PADAWAN
MAJOR FACTORS:
| Personal/Behavior ★★★★★★★★ 8 | Competitiveness/Toughness ★★★★★★★★ 5 |
| Athletic Ability ★★★★★★★★ 3 | Mental/Learning ★★★★★★★★ 2 |
| Strength/Explosion ★★★★★★★★ 1 | Injury/Durability ★★★★★★★★ 8 |
GAMES STUDIED:
2017: Texas, Colorado, Notre Dame, UCLA
ABOUT:
Sam Darnold is a 2-yr. starter at USC, standing at 6-4, 220 pounds. While at USC, he threw for 3086 and 3787 in 2016 and 2017 respectively, ranking 7th in all of college football for passing yards during that year. Even more impressive was Darnold’s completion percentage, averaging a ridiculous 65.3% completion rate during his career as a trojan.
SCOUTING:
Darnold is your prototypical quarterback. He has all the physical traits NFL teams look for, and he checks the height and arm strength boxes so coveted by NFL scouts. He has great accuracy from within the pocket, and can devastate defenses making incredibly tight window throws with ease. Darnold’s arm is not the strongest, but he has enough to make all the throws asked of him. His throws to the inside of the defense are rifled quickly in, and he can air it out, throwing 60-70 yards downfield. In addition to his accuracy, Darnold can be a clutch late in games. There are times when he makes plays late in games to allow his team the chance to win. In the 4th quarter Darnold shines, and he preforms well under pressure.
Darnold has some glaring concerns once studying the tape. As a quarterback he is fairly athletic but functions more like your standard NFL QB, where he will not outrun any defensive linemen, but does have some ability to extend plays out to his left or right. More concerning is his decision making. He routinely stares down receivers, allowing defensive backs to key on his eyes, breaking on the ball, and either knocking down his passes or intercepting him. Another piece of his decision making that will be a problem that he reverts to running when his first read is covered. If Darnold sees that his primary WR is covered, he will often times pull the ball down and run, and with his lack of athletic ability he will end up ending drives because that. Lastly, Darnold threw a lot of passes that were uncontested or short gimme passes. I do not know whether that was the USC system he was placed in or if he wasn’t confident enough in his arm to hit guys down the field with tight coverage, but that is a major concern when going to the next level.
CHARACTER:
None
INJURIES:
Ankle injury in October 2017. He played through the injury and dealt with it for a month.
NFL COMPARSION:
When watching Sam Darnold play he reminds me of Eli Manning. His arm strength and accuracy both remind me of Eli, in the sense of he doesn’t lack in either category and can make some head scratching plays, both for his offense and for the defense. His lack of athleticism and movement in the pocket, are eerily similar to the Giants quarterback, often getting sacked from behind. Both quarterbacks have the ability to be clutch, and like Manning, Darnold could lead his team to a championship. Recently, his comparison will make some people cringe, but to have a career like a 2 time Super Bowl Champion would be a great addition for any NFL franchise.
SUMMARY:
Darnold is your prototypical NFL quarterback. He is a standard, drop back passer, and will not wow you with his athleticism or running ability. He is above average when it comes to throwing the ball and has the potential to become a great NFL quarterback. His accuracy and arm strength make him very valuable for NFL teams and this will only boost his draft stock going into April. However, his decision making is a major concern and flaw that teams will have to evaluate before picking Darnold. His eyes will be exploited at the next level, and his lack of creativity and becoming panicked in the pocket will be problems for him upon entering the league. Darnold has all the traits to become a great NFL QB, but presents serious risk to the franchise that selects him.
PROJECTION:
Darnold is one of the best quarterbacks in his year’s draft class, and even with all of his flaws still believe that NFL teams will take a risk on him in the first round.
