Jeff Tuel: 5 Things You Need to Know About Washington State QB

The 2013 NFL draft is light on high-end talent at the quarterback position. Unlike last year, when Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin were the first two picks in the draft, there's no true "can't-miss" prospects among this year's crop.

What there are, however, is a number of mid- to late-round options at the position, including Washington State's Jeff Tuel, who threw for just under 2,100 yards as a senior in 2012.

Here's a look at five things you need to know about the 6'3" 221-pounder. 

Background

Hometown: Fresno, California

High School: Clovis West High School (Fresno, California)

Major: Psychology

Year: Senior

A two-sport star who played both baseball and football at Clovis West High School, Tuel was an All-District performer as a senior, leading his team to the district championship while accounting for 56 percent of his team's total offense according to Washington State's website.

Tuel's high-school success did not translate to a great deal of interest from colleges, however, as Tuel entered his collegiate career a 2-star unranked prospect according to Rivals.com.

Statistics

it didn't take very long for Tuel to see action in Pullman, as he joined Drew Bledsoe as the only true freshman to start a game under center for the Cougars.

Tuel made five starts that year before moving into a full-time role as a starter during the 2010 season, where he threw for a career-high 2,780 yards.

Sadly, it was all downhill from there. A collarbone injury limited Tuel to three games as a junior, and his senior season was marred by inconsistent play, injuries and a paltry eight touchdown passes.

Year	Games	Att.	Comp.	Pct.	Yards	TD	INT
2009	6	121	71	58.7	789	6	5
2010	12	366	219	59.8	2,780	18	12
2011	3	45	29	64.4	276	1	0
2012	10	332	211	63.6	2,087	8	8

Draft Process

Measurables

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 218 pounds

Arm Length: 32.375"

Hand Size: 9.25" 

Combine Results

Did not participate

Pro Day Results

40-Yard Dash: 4.6 seconds

Broad Jump: 9'3"

Vertical Jump: 32"

Tuel was not invited to the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. However, not only did Tuel perform fairly well at the Cougars' pro day, but he also threw the day before at Eastern Washington's pro day, in part so he could work out with former teammate Marquess Wilson.

Pro day results courtesy of Walter Football

Interesting Facts

Here's a look at some things you may (or may not) have known about Jeff Tuel.

Tuel originally petitioned the NCAA for a fifth year of eligibility. However, as Chris Huston of CBS Sports reported, Tuel withdrew the petition after learning that the NCAA wanted him to testify that he was "mistreated" by the staff at Washington State.

Tuel had one of the best games of his collegiate career as a senior in the Apple Cup rivalry game against Washington, throwing for 350 yards in a 31-28 win by the Cougars.

At the conclusion of his collegiate career in Pullman, Tuel ranked first in completion percentage, fifth in completions, sixth in passing attempts, seventh in passing yards and seventh in passing touchdowns in Washington State history.

Observations

Leading up to the NFL draft, here's what some scouts and sportswriters had to say about Jeff Tuel's NFL prospects.

Rob Rang, CBS Sports: "When healthy, Tuel has demonstrated the combination of intelligence, mobility, and accuracy that every scout is looking for in a developmental quarterback. He possesses good size and enough athleticism to buy time in the pocket and scramble for yardage when the defense is caught napping. Tuel's best asset might be his touch, as he's consistently shown the ability to drop passes over the top of his receivers, leading them beautifully for long gainers."

Chris Roling, Bleacher Report: "In the NFL, Tuel is a developmental quarterback at best who may find a home and a nice career as a backup. Unless he can improve his arm strength, Tuel would only truly fit in a vertical offense that leaves him with plenty of time to make his throws."

Russ Lande, National Football Post: "Tuel is going to struggle with a few issues that he won't be able to overcome in the NFL. He doesn't have much ability to move and escape pressure and it will only get worse as the players get faster and stronger in the NFL. Tuel lacks good arm strength and will never be able to make all of the throws that he needs to make as an NFL quarterback. He is mechanically sound, has a quick release and a good throwing motion, but the ball doesn't jump out of his hand. Tuel throws a floating football that seems to stay in the air far too long. He doesn't handle pressure very well and will make poor decisions when pressured. Given that he has little arm talent, doesn't have great escape-ability and tends to make poor decisions, Tuel is not a player that should be drafted. Tuel should be a priority free agent in the 2013 NFL draft."