Kellen Moore's NFL Combine 2012: Where the Boise State Quarterback Must Improve

Despite finishing with a career record of 50-3 and all kinds of other collegiate and school records, Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore is only considered a late-sixth to early-seventh-round pick.

Now, much like all other NFL Draft prospects, Moore still has to improve and put on a strong showing at the combine. That said, here are some ares where the Broncos former Heisman Trophy finalist must improve.

Arm Strength

Certainly not the most impressive aspect of Moore's game, without putting some good velocity on the rock, he will struggle in the pros.

Fortunately for Moore, this is just another tangible quality that's fixable by simply pushing himself to another level when the cameras are off. Favoring Moore in this area though, is his 74.3 completion percentage in 2011.

What's impressive about that number is that, in 2010, he was 71.3 percent with receivers Austin Pettis and Titus Young. So, improving there a year later without them warrants more credibility.

In short, setting himself up for better throws will only enhance his accuracy with strength. We know that pass will be on target, but it's much more difficult to defend when it slices through the air.

Mobility

Not the most important area of concern for Kellen Moore, but certainly one that will only assist him at the pro level.

In the pocket, there's simply limited time, and with four pass rushers, it's usually no more than three seconds. After that, getting out of the pocket by feeling the rush is where we see the elite quarterbacks excel.

They don't need to scramble and Moore definitely does pose that threat, but sliding outside the pocket while keeping the eyes downfield is imperative.

Moore's not the most athletic quarterback, so he needs to remain sharp and keep the cognitive advantage, as he did throughout college.

This then allows Moore to recognize delayed blitzes, shifting zone-coverages and how to adjust his feet accordingly. Doing so is how he must buy time, because ducking under and breaking out of defensive lineman will not happen.

Snaps Under Center

Here is where Moore has the most to prove, as he spent a lot of his time in shotgun.

Taking snaps under center is easily one of the most difficult aspects of playing quarterback in the NFL, because shotgun doesn't imply a direct threat to run the ball.

In addition, this is where a quarterback must excel with footwork and setting up every pass. It's basically the foundation of dropping back, reading defenses, feeling the rush and maintaining proper mechanics within a three-second span.

The hardest part will be play-action plays, where a quarterback's back is turned to the defense and he must then get a late read after faking the handoff. Moore doesn't have much experience in proving he can roll out, carry out fakes and read defense pre-snap from under center.

Additionally, a player's backpedal quickness is vital in terms of taking three-, five- and seven-step drops all while never fumbling the snap to begin with.

John Rozum on Twitter.