Bryce Petty: Breaking Down Baylor QB's Pro Day Workout

Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota may be stealing the majority of the headlines at the quarterback position in the 2015 NFL draft, but Baylor's Bryce Petty highlights the rest of the field at the position. On Wednesday, he had another chance to prove his worth to NFL teams at Baylor's pro day.

Quite a few teams came out for the show, per Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News:

The first order of business was measuring his height and weight, per Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

But everyone was most eager to see Petty throw, and the Baylor quarterback didn't disappoint. Baylor Football captured several of his throws on Twitter:

George tabulated Petty's final stats from his throwing session:

Those are solid numbers. More importantly, Petty showed NFL scouts and coaches that he could make throws from under center. He didn't throw out of the shotgun at all, instead answering a question about his game that resulted from him playing mostly in the shotgun in Baylor's spread attack. Petty certainly showed that he can make a drop and maintain his accuracy.

He certainly impressed quarterback guru and trainer George Whitfield, per Suzanne Halliburton of the Austin American-Statesman:

Of course, he did all of that without having to make true reads or deal with actual pressure in his face, but pro days are all about showing scouts that you can make all of the throws on the field, not necessarily that you can do so in a game situation. That is what film sessions try to determine.

Ultimately, quarterbacks are simply trying to show off their ability as passers, and the idea isn't so much that a quarterback will dramatically help his stock, but rather that he won't expose some major flaw in his motion or accuracy and hurt his draft stock. Just ask Teddy Bridgewater.

Immediately after Petty's session, one coach set up a private meeting with him, per Williams:

It will be neither his first nor last such meeting, and Gil Brandt of NFL.com passed along this interesting tidbit on Wednesday:

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#Bills coach Rex Ryan was in Waco last week to work out Baylor QB Bryce Petty.

— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) March 18, 2015"

Petty was excellent for Baylor in his junior and senior seasons, throwing for a combined 8,055 yards, 61 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. And the NFL Network's Mike Mayock, who was at Petty's pro day, thinks he has the tool set to be successful at the next level. 

"He might be the most natural thrower of the football in this entire draft," Mayock told the NFL Network's NFL AM on Wednesday, per Mike Huguenin of NFL.com.

Huguenin passed along more of Mayock's analysis:

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Mayock touted Petty's arm strength and quick release, and said, "I really think he's got starter physical traits." At the same time, Mayock said, "I don't think he's (NFL-)ready."

He said the best scenario for Petty would be to "sit a year or two" to become acclimated to the NFL game. Mayock specifically brought up the New Orleans Saints, saying sitting behind Drew Brees "might be an intriguing opportunity" for Petty and for the team.

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His head coach, Art Briles, certainly thinks NFL teams will scramble to draft him, as he told Williams at Baylor's pro day:

It's certainly possible. While Mariota and Winston have generally been forecasted as the only first-round talents at the position in this draft, teams value quarterback more than any other position and many players at the position climb dramatically up the board by the time the draft rolls around. Petty has the chance to be such a player. 

He certainly did nothing at his pro day to dispel notions that he'll be able to succeed at the next level.