NCAAF · 1 year ago

NFL Draft: Daniel Jeremiah on QBs Entering the Scouting Combine

Paul Connor

Host · Writer

Bo Nix, Oregon/Auburn
Jeremiah: "I really think that Bo Nix is going to be a starter pretty early on. Gosh, the guy started 61 games, played really well last year. He's accurate. He makes good decisions. People can talk about the ceiling upside. I think his arm is a little bit livelier then maybe you give him credit for. He just executed the offense as it was designed there. I know some people get hung up on what happened with him at Auburn. It's, like, man, we've seen so many examples of quarterbacks shining at their second spot, and I actually think him and Penix, both those guys going through adversity in their first stop, I think is good for them wherever they land."
Caleb Williams, USC/Oklahoma
Jeremiah: "Caleb, to me, is a top guy. . . If we're just looking at pure talent, you can put him up there with really any of the guys we've had in terms of arm strength, athleticism, the creativity that he has, the playmaking ability that he has. . . I think there's still some more growth and some cleaning up to do with Caleb's game, but talent-wise, it's pretty special."
Drake Maye, North Carolina
Jeremiah: "I thought there were times this year compared to last year where he got a little elongated, a little long with his delivery. . . That would be the physical thing I'm looking forward to seeing, whether that's at the combine or his pro day. Just seeing him tighten that up a little bit. . . Then, just meeting with teams. I think it will be helpful for him to explain some things because when I watch the tape, I have questions of just, man, he gets a lot of unblocked pressures, and there doesn't seem to be answers. Whether that's a hot route, whether that's in terms of what they're doing protection-wise to help him out, that's something when you are watching tape."
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Jeremiah: "With JJ, I have said he is an acquired taste. . . You are watching TV, and you are like, gosh, they don't ask him to do much. They run the ball. They play great defense. He will manage the game and get them through it, and make a couple of plays here and there. When you dig into the tape and really watch it, and watch on third downs where they have to throw the ball, and they do put the ball in his hands, you know, there's a lot to like with him. He has a really, really quick mind. He has a quick release. Just everything he does is real smooth. Some other guys in his class get in trouble big-play hunting. If you are going to get him check-downs or completions, he is never going to get bored taking those. He can rev it up and drive the ball in the seams. He can extend plays."
Michael Penix Jr., Washington/Indiana
Jeremiah: "The semifinal game was awesome. He moved around better in the pocket than I had seen him previously. He threw some seeds that game. Just back-foot-missiles where he just hangs on his back foot, and the ball jumps out of his hand. He's outstanding on over the top, kind of those touch throws down the field, deep ball throw is beautiful. He can drive the ball, especially to the perimeter. I thought that the thing that showed up in the championship game, number one, they hit the stuffing out of him. I thought that kind of rattled him a little bit from that standpoint. I didn't think the pocket movement was as good as we saw in the previous game. Then I think the throw that I want to see from him is just that kind of up-and-down throw. Can you get it up and over and get it down, which requires a lot of touch and feel. That's something that's not really his strength. . . From a scouting standpoint, I think you're looking at saying, if you are going to take him, how do we put an offense around him that makes sense and that fits him?. . . I think he goes to a team with a really good run game. I think off of play action in a vertical passing game is probably going to be his best fit."
Bo Nix, Oregon/Auburn
Jeremiah: "I really think that Bo Nix is going to be a starter pretty early on. Gosh, the guy started 61 games, played really well last year. He's accurate. He makes good decisions. People can talk about the ceiling upside. I think his arm is a little bit livelier then maybe you give him credit for. He just executed the offense as it was designed there. I know some people get hung up on what happened with him at Auburn. It's, like, man, we've seen so many examples of quarterbacks shining at their second spot, and I actually think him and Penix, both those guys going through adversity in their first stop, I think is good for them wherever they land."
Caleb Williams, USC/Oklahoma
Jeremiah: "Caleb, to me, is a top guy. . . If we're just looking at pure talent, you can put him up there with really any of the guys we've had in terms of arm strength, athleticism, the creativity that he has, the playmaking ability that he has. . . I think there's still some more growth and some cleaning up to do with Caleb's game, but talent-wise, it's pretty special."