- Dillion Gabriel has nearly as good of a shot as anybody to be this draft class’ Brock Purdy: Gabriel’s capability to carry out effectively at completely different colleges, in several schemes and for various coaches throughout his faculty profession exhibits a prospect that may adapt rapidly to his setting and succeed.
- Cam Miller might come from a small faculty, however he has carried out effectively in massive moments: His legacy of manufacturing and workforce success at North Dakota State is uncommon for a quarterback prospect, as he completed with a 45-11 report(with two of these losses coming towards FBS groups), together with 15-3 within the FCS playoffs whereas profitable two nationwide championships.
Estimated studying time: 6 minutes
Each NFL workforce would love to seek out an above-average beginning quarterback on Day 3 of the NFL draft, however historical past exhibits that may be a uncommon incidence. When seventh-round decide Brock Purdy emerged as a beginning quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, that allowed the workforce to spend cash elsewhere on the roster for years, which is extraordinarily valuable because of the limitations of the wage cap.
Purdy had a stable and productive profession at Iowa State however wasn’t thought of a high prospect by NFL groups. He was a four-year starter and in his final three seasons at Iowa State, he recorded 79.8, 78.9 and 79.3 PFF general grades. On the mix, Purdy didn’t wow along with his measurables or testing, as he was simply shy of 6-foot-1, weighed 212 kilos and ran a 4.84-second 40-yard sprint. Purdy’s greatest traits as a quarterback prospect have been that he was a sensible and skilled chief, and the 49ers have reaped the advantages of that have as he rapidly adjusted to the NFL recreation.
NFL Corridor of Fame head coach Invoice Parcells used to have necessities that he wished to see in a draftable quarterback prospect. Parcells wished a quarterback that was a confirmed skilled chief on the place. A number of the Parcells quarterback necessities have been:
- A 3-year starter
- Senior
- Began 30 video games
- Gained 23 video games
- A 2:1 landing to interception ratio
- Accomplished 60% of his passes
Brock Purdy checked all of those packing containers as a prospect, as he began 46 video games and posted a 29-17 report. Purdy had a 67.3% profession completion share at Iowa State with a giant leap his senior yr when he accomplished 71.4% of his passes, however he solely had a 7.5-yard common depth of goal. Purdy threw 81 touchdowns and 33 interceptions with 65 big-time throws and 61 turnover-worthy performs throughout his time at Iowa State.
In an effort to discover comparable gamers to Purdy, the Invoice Parcells quarterback standards shall be used as a filter to see what prospects match the invoice (no pun supposed). Whereas we at PFF don’t often put a lot emphasis on a quarterback’s variety of begins, or the win-loss report of the workforce he performed on as defining options of the prospect, Parcells’ standards are getting used on this article to kind by means of the draft class and discover gamers with comparable faculty careers to Brock Purdy. Moreover, to point out progress on the place, the quarterbacks might want to have a 78.0 general PFF grade or greater throughout their final two seasons as a starter, like Purdy.
Utilizing these standards just a few quarterbacks begin to emerge within the draft class. I’m not claiming that any of those prospects are going to be as productive as Brock Purdy on the NFL stage however that their faculty manufacturing, expertise and historical past of profitable stand out in the same method.
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Dillon Gabriel has extra beginning expertise than any quarterback prospect ever as his 63 profession begins are probably the most in NCAA historical past. Gabriel’s report in video games he began was 46-17. In Gabriel’s final three seasons as a starter, he posted 87.0, 91.9 and 87.0 PFF general grades, respectively. Gabriel’s profession completion share was 65% whereas he recorded a 10-yard profession common depth of goal. Gabriel had a record-breaking 155 profession landing passes towards 32 interceptions and 118 big-time throws to go together with 47 turnover-worthy performs. The most important knock on Gabriel as a prospect is his lack of measurement, as he measured in at 5-foot-10 and 202 kilos on the Senior Bowl. Nevertheless, Gabriel’s capability to carry out effectively at completely different colleges, in several schemes and for various coaches throughout his faculty profession exhibits a prospect that may adapt rapidly to his setting and succeed.
Cam Miller, North Dakota State
Miller began 56 video games throughout his stellar profession at North Dakota State. Miller’s report in these video games was 45-11 (with two of these losses coming towards FBS groups), together with 15-3 within the FCS playoffs whereas profitable two nationwide championships. Miller is a great participant who takes care of the ball, as he had 81 profession landing passes and solely 19 interceptions, 73 big-time throws and 35 turnover-worthy performs. Miller accomplished 69.1% of his profession passes and a powerful 72.9% of his passes in 2024 with a ten.1-yard common depth of goal.
Miller recorded very spectacular PFF grades in his final two seasons with 93.9 in 2023 and 91.9 in 2024. He additionally gives added worth as a runner. In 2023, Miller posted 723 speeding yards, 13 touchdowns and a 72.4 PFF speeding grade. In 2024, he recorded 734 speeding yards, 12 touchdowns and a 77.8 speeding grade. Miller solely measured in at 6-foot and 207 kilos on the East-West Shrine recreation, however his legacy of manufacturing and workforce success at North Dakota State is uncommon for a quarterback prospect.
Seth Henigan, Memphis
Henigan began 50 video games throughout his profession at Memphis, because the workforce completed with a 34-16 report. He has a 64% profession completion share with a 9.3-yard common depth of goal. Henigan put up spectacular touchdown-to-interception performances all 4 years he performed at Memphis, totaling 104 touchdowns and 31 interceptions with 101 big-time throws and 59 turnover-worthy performs.
In 2024, Henigan’s PFF grade was 81.7. It was 81.4 in 2023 and 90.5 in 2022, so Henigan has three straight seasons of actually good performances. On the Senior Bowl, Henigan measured in at 6-foot-3 and 213 kilos, so he’s greater than the opposite gamers talked about. Sadly, Henigan had arms that have been solely 8-7/8 inches so considerations about his hand measurement ought to push him down draft boards.
Brady Cook dinner, Missouri
Cook dinner’s profession stands out amongst this group as a result of his begins got here within the ultra-competitive SEC. During the last two seasons, he has earned 84.4 and 80.4 PFF grades in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Cook dinner began 39 video games at Missouri with the workforce ending 26-13 in these begins. Cook dinner has a 65% profession completion share with a 9-yard common depth of goal. Cook dinner recorded 49 landing passes in comparison with simply 15 interceptions and 55 big-time throws to 34 turnover-worthy performs. Cook dinner is simply 6-foot-1 and 209 kilos, however he has proven to be an efficient runner, as he was used on designed runs within the low purple zone at Missouri. His athleticism ought to assist him as he tries to adapt to the NFL.
