Mason Rudolph NFL Draft 2018: Scouting Report for Pittsburgh Steelers' Pick

POSITIVES

—He's a true pocket quarterback with the field vision and tools of a future pro starter.

—Rudolph moves well in the pocket for a non-athlete and can extend the play by stepping in and up from the rush.

—He's a tough player under pressure and will hang in the pocket to make throws.

—Rudolph sees the field well and is adept at manipulating defenses with his eyes.

—Doesn't have an A-plus arm, but he can execute beautifully on deep throws and shows the touch needed to turn catches into major gains.

—Experienced starter with ideal NFL size (6'5", 235 lbs).

NEGATIVES

—Comes from a prototypical spread scheme and faced meager competition defensively.

—The Mike Gundy scheme hasn't projected well to the NFL for other quarterbacks.

—Is an arm passer who doesn't drive the ball with his legs or core. Can lead to sailing passes and a lack of velocity on out routes.

—Improved his pocket presence in 2017 but struggled in previous seasons to stand tall and make throws.

—Small hands (9 ⅛") lead to a lack of tight spirals at times and shows in poor ball security.

Mason Rudolph QB NFL Draft

GRADE: 6.75 (Round 2)

PRO COMPARISON: Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts

OVERALL

Rudolph doesn't have the eye-popping traits of the guys ranked ahead of him, but he's an accurate quarterback with the toughness to hang in the pocket and execute. He will start games in the NFL.