NFL Draft 2011: 10 Reasons Jake Locker Will Have a Successful NFL Career
No player in this year's NFL Draft class has seen his draft stock fall more than Jake Locker, but despite accuracy concerns, Locker has a good chance at having a solid NFL career.
Locker completed just over 55 percent of his passes during his senior season at Washington, but he did throw 17 touchdowns compared to just nine interceptions, and his low completion percentage was partially due to poor blocking and poor receiver play.
There is no doubt that Locker will have to improve his accuracy at the next level, but there are plenty of reasons to believe he will do so and, in turn, go on to be a productive NFL quarterback.
Here are 10 reasons Locker will succeed in the NFL.
1. He Will Have a Chip on His Shoulder
1 of 10
Had Locker left UW after his junior season, there is a good chance that he would have been one of the top picks in the draft, but since he stayed for his senior year and had a mediocre season, his draft stock has taken a big hit.
Locker does not like to fail, and he will want to prove that he belongs in the NFL. The fact that he will likely fall on draft night gives him even more incentive to succeed at the next level.
2. Arm Strength
2 of 10
Locker has one of the strongest arms in the draft, if not the strongest arm, and his ability to make all of the throws is what garnered him consideration for the first overall pick in the first place.
Locker will need to improve his accuracy, but there is no questioning his ability to get the ball down the field in any conditions.
Locker has a good release, and he gets the ball out of his hand quickly, which will be another positive attribute when facing NFL defenses.
3. Leadership
3 of 10
Locker did not have a great supporting cast around him like many of the other top quarterbacks in this draft, but he was able to help lead the Huskies to their first bowl game since 2002, a win over Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl.
Locker was very well respected by his teammates at Washington, so there is no doubt that he will command the respect of whatever team he leads in the NFL.
He is also known as a great character guy who has been active in the community throughout his career at UW.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
4. He Will Have Time to Grow in the NFL
4 of 10
It is very unlikely that Locker will go into a situation where he will be asked to play right away, and he should have plenty of time to learn and grow wherever he ends up.
Locker could definitely benefit from having at least a year to further develop his skills and learn the playbook while working to improve his accuracy.
There shouldn't be as much pressure on Locker to succeed in the NFL now that his stock has slipped somewhat and the expectations have been lowered.
5. Two Years in a Pro-Style Offense
5 of 10
Most of the top quarterbacks in this year's draft played in some form of the spread offense, but Locker spent the past two seasons playing in Steve Sarkisian's pro-style offense.
While Locker's numbers suffered because of it, he should benefit once he gets to the NFL because he has already spent two years under center and learning many of the same types of plays that he will run on Sundays.
Locker may have been hurt in the short term by the Huskies offensive scheme, but he stands to gain in the long run.
6. Hard Worker
6 of 10
Every scouting report on Locker says the same thing—he is a very hard worker.
The fact that Locker was drafted by the Angels to play baseball is further proof that he has an excellent work ethic, and the work that he put in between the end of this season and the combine has helped to ease some of the concerns about him.
After having an up-and-down senior season, Locker has started to see his stock improve in the past month, and that can be attributed to his great work ethic.
7. Great Competitor
7 of 10
Locker played a chunk of this season with a rib injury that was ultimately determined to be fractured ribs, but he missed only one game all season because of it.
Locker took a lot of hits during his time at Washington, and he also delivered some hits of his own. He was knocked out for the year in the Huskies fourth game of the 2008 season while blocking down field, and the team went on to finish the campaign with an 0-12 record.
There were many occasions during his career in which he played through pain and injury, and he is the kind of competitor that most fans want to have leading their team.
8. Running Ability
8 of 10
Locker played in the spread offense throughout high school and in his first two seasons with the Huskies, and this was to take advantage of his terrific running ability at the quarterback position.
Locker ran a 4.59 40 at the combine, but he often played even faster than that on the field. He also learned to evade the rush while playing at UW because he was constantly being pressured, so not only does he have the ability to run, but he also can throw on the run quite well.
9. He Has a Solid Frame
9 of 10
Locker was battered and bruised during his career at Washington, but he showed the ability to take hits and get back up.
Locker won't be expected to run the ball nearly as much in the NFL as he did for the Huskies, but there should be little worry that Locker will spend much time on the injury list. He is well-built and has good size that many of the top quarterbacks in the league possess.
10. He Will Have Better Pieces Around Him in the NFL
10 of 10
The Huskies weren't exactly the most talented team in the country during Locker's tenure at UW, but he was still able to lead them to some big wins.
There is no doubt that he will have a more talented team around him in the NFL, and there is even a solid chance that he will have a good team around him.
If Locker goes in the latter part of the first round, he will not only have time to learn, but he should have capable players around him that will only make his job easier.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
