Senior Bowl 2012: Experts Agree Boise State QB Kellen Moore Struggled

No position is under more scrutiny during the pre-draft process than quarterback, and that includes a trip to Mobile, Ala. for the Senior Bowl. One quarterback—Boise State's Kellen Moore—had a lot to prove this past week about his ability to play the position at the next level.

Despite a successful collegiate career that featured a fair share of wins and school records, Moore was a disappointment in three days of open practice in Mobile.

Here's a sample of what some draft scouts and experts are saying about Moore's performance at the Senior Bowl, and how it affects his draft status.

From Matt Miller, Bleacher Report:

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Moore looked like a seventh-grader at weigh-in, coming in at just 190 lbs. Moore has zero muscle definition and couldn't have picked up a weight during his four years at Boise State. Moore's poor technique was on display, but his lack of arm strength was more concerning. He doesn't put enough zip on the ball to get it there on time, and when it got windy outside the ball couldn't cut through the breeze.

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Also, a tweet from Miller:

From Russ Lande, Sporting News:

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Moore did not look like an NFL quarterback. His throwing motion was elongated, the ball lacked zip coming out of his hand and his accuracy was terrible. On numerous deep routes, the ball hung in the air, exposing his lack of arm strength.

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From Omar Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

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He'll be lucky if he's on an NFL 53-man roster in 2012. He's FAR from starter material, and when NFL scouts talk about him the words "high school body" consistently come up. He's tiny, and looks like he's run from a gym his entire life. 

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From Tony Pauline, Sports Illustrated:

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Many on hand believe the problem with Kellen Moore's poor arm strength starts with his delivery. Moore has a short throwing motion and looks like he's pushing the football. The comparison to Tyler Palko of the Kansas City Chiefs is being made.

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Also from Pauline:

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Though it's still early, Kellen Moore (QB/Boise State) does not look good. He shows no ability to put speed on his passes and his throws have consistently been behind receivers.

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From Pro Football Weekly:

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Boise State QB Kellen Moore had an up-and-down practice and really seemed to struggle to drive the ball on downfield throws.

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From Rob Rang, CBS Sports:

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The Boise State All-American appeared every bit as un-athletic as scouts feared when he measured in at a touch under 6-0 (5'11 and 3/4) and 191 pounds during the weigh-in. Worse, concerns about his arm strength appeared to be legitimate when he struggled connecting with his receivers on simple quick outs to open practice. 

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From Matt Waldman, New York Times "Fifth Down Blog"

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Moore also struggled to make accurate throws into tight coverage. While he delivered the ball in the general area of the receiver, it was frequently high and away or in a path advantageous to the defender to make a play.  Moore was also one of the least flexible athletes in warm-ups on the field.

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Needless to say, these aren't exactly glowing endorsements from some of the top draft scouts. And while opinions on players usually vary drastically from scout to scout and analyst to analyst, the overwhelming consensus on Moore was exactly what you've just read.

Moore still has Saturday's game to make something out of this trip to Alabama, but it looks like his performance over the first three days has done enough damage to his already tenuous draft stock.