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Carson Strong NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Nevada QB
HEIGHT: 6'3 3/8"
WEIGHT: 226
HAND: 9 1/8"
ARM: 32"
WINGSPAN: 6'4"
40-YARD DASH: DNP
3-CONE: DNP
SHUTTLE: DNP
VERTICAL: DNP
BROAD: DNP
POSITIVES
— Good height and size for the position.
— Shows a great understanding of concepts and game situation. Willing to pepper throws underneath but will push the ball when opportunities present themselves.
— Good accuracy at all three levels. Can change arm slots and is able to get the ball out quickly versus pressure or on quick-hitting passes.
— Above-average arm strength. Flashes the ability to throw with anticipation on intermediate throws to maximize his arm talent.
—.Has good feel in the pocket. Willing to cheat to a side to deliver a throw.
NEGATIVES
— Below-average athlete with medical concerns. Struggles to create in tight pockets and extend plays.
— Inconsistent on his progression if his pre-snap read isn’t open.
— Benefitted from clean pockets versus only three pass-rushers.
— Can take a hitch too long when getting rid of the throw and make him late on throws.
2021 STATISTICS
12 G, 366-522 (70.2%), 4,175 YDS (8.0 Y/A), 36 TD, 8 INT, 157.0 RTG
NOTES
— 2021 Mountain West Player of the Year.
— 2021 first-team All-Mountain West.
— 2020 Mountain West Player of the Year.
— 2020 first-team All-Mountain West.
— Missed senior year of high school due to knee injury.
OVERALL
Carson Strong is a good-sized quarterback who constantly displays an understanding of the concept being run and his own strengths and limitations.
Strong benefited at Nevada from a traditional Air Raid attack with spread-out formations, but he was a great operator of that offense. He is accurate at all three levels and knows what each concept attempts to accomplish. He constantly finds answers for whatever the defense shows him by getting the ball out quickly and changing his arm slots to do so.
Strong will push the ball when he has to, but he's sometimes too willing to take underneath options. He flashes the ability to drive throws in and will test defenses over the top, but he has overall above-average arm strength at all three levels, which might cause him to be gun-shy.
Strong shows good feel in the pocket to navigate himself away from the pass rush, but he will cheat toward his target to overcome any arm strength deficiencies. Defenses often dropped eight defenders into coverage against Nevada’s offense, and he got to enjoy roomy pockets to maneuver in. His tendency to work into throws might not be as easy to accomplish in the NFL in tighter pockets and with faster defenders.
Strong is a below-average athlete who struggles to get away from defenders in the pocket or as a scrambler. But he also understands what he is and tries to overcome it as much as possible by using pocket movement and the ability to quickly deliver the ball.
At times, Strong can take a bounce too many when hitching on his dropback, which can cause him to be late. He can overcome this at times with his accuracy, but it will be a big adjustment for him in the NFL. This issue can also crop up when he attempts to push the ball deep or toward the sideline. He's sometimes a hair too late, which forces his receiver to slow down for the ball or run out of room.
Overall, Strong has the size and mental processing of an NFL starter. He finds ways to get rid of the ball and his eyes consistently go to the right place, no matter the concept being run. But his athletic and arm limitations are hard to overlook.
While he has the size and toughness to stand strong, he has trouble maneuvering away from defenders near him in the pocket because of his lack of speed and stiff running style. He shows the ability to throw the ball off-platform, but he lacked the ability to create at the college level. Things will only get tougher against NFL defenders.
Strong is accurate at all three levels, but he doesn’t have overwhelming arm strength. Instead, he shows more flashes than the consistent ability to drive the ball.
Teams will appreciate Strong because of his understanding of various pass concepts and accuracy, but his limitations will make it hard for him to win week-to-week as a starter. But he could do well as a high-end backup with the ability to make spot starts in a pinch.
GRADE: 7.0 (High-level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)
OVERALL RANK: 110
POSITION RANK: QB6
PRO COMPARISON: Trevor Siemian
Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice