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Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) drops back to pass against Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)
Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) drops back to pass against Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)Todd Kirkland/Associated Press

Jarrett Stidham NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report for New England Patriots' Pick

Matt Miller
Apr 27, 2019

STRENGTHS

โ€”Beautiful touch on the deep ball with ideal loft and the velocity to drop passes in a bucket.

โ€”Mobile in and out of the pocket. Can make throws rolling to both his left and right with good accuracy.

โ€”Releases the ball quickly with a high release point to limit swats.

โ€”Has shown the ability to take over games and lead his team to victory,ย like he did against Alabama in 2017.

โ€”Adequate but not amazing arm strength; can make field-side throws with anticipation.

โ€”Well-built, compact player with enough agility and athleticism to get outside the pocket and make throws.

โ€”Tough, no-bull quarterback who battled behind one of the nation's worst offensive lines in 2018.

WEAKNESSES

โ€”2017 and 2018 tape looked like two different quarterbacks; didn't take the next step in his development as expected.

โ€”Did not trust his linemen to pick up blitzes, which led to sacks, poor pre-snap reads and taking his eyes off his receivers.

โ€”Puts himself in harm's way when scrambling and often tries to play the hero. Are his 2018 issues correctable or will this be a David Carr-type problem going forward?

โ€”Hesitates to unleash the ball, looked afraid to disappoint or fail as Auburn's season fell apart.

OVERALL

As a collective, we loved Stidham's 2017 tape. However, he looked like a completely different quarterback in 2018. In 2017, Stidham looked like a lock to be a first-round quarterback, but at times in 2018, he looked like a fourth-round guy. Will the right coaches be able to restore Stidham and get his confidence and play back on track? If so, he has the talent to be a successful NFL quarterback.

GRADE: 6.75 (ROUND 2 - FUTURE STARTER)

PRO COMPARISON: Derek Carr