NFL Draft 2018: Sam Darnold scouting report | Next Brett Favre? 'Coolest human you will ever meet'

[oc_jet]

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2018/04/nfl_draft_2018_sam_darnold_scouting_report_next_br.html

NFL Draft 2018: Sam Darnold scouting report | Next Brett Favre? 'Coolest human you will ever meet'

Posted April 26, 2018 at 08:29 PM | Updated April 26, 2018 at 11:16 PM

0 Comment

 

Zack Rosenblatt | NJ Advance Media

By Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Is Sam Darnold the next great NFL quarterback? Or the next great bust?

Darnold is the quarterback most NFL Draft analysts identified as the top option in the 2018 NFL Draft, though reportedly not all teams agreed. That's the beauty of 32 different teams ranking prospects on a board in 32 different orders.

Darnold toed the politically correct lines whenever he was asked where he wanted to play, but he now he knows his fate: He is joining Jets. Here is what the experts are saying about the "coolest human you will ever meet," including Brett Favre and Andrew Luck comparisons.

 

Kelvin Kuo | AP

Bob McGinn Football

Bypassed two seasons of eligibility; won’t turn 21 until June. “He’s Mr. Cool under pressure,” said one scout. “Nothing rattles the kid. He’s a gamer. No situation is too big for him. He’s at his best in the big-time situations. In the clutch.” Completed 64.9% of 846 passes for an NFL passer rating of 103.4. “He needs to clean up some footwork and taking care of the ball,” said another scout. “But he’s going to be a player. He’s got some (bleep) you can’t coach. He’s the opposite of (Josh) Rosen. He’s a great kid. I think he’s a better locker-room guy. He has a very good arm. I was at the workout in the rain and it was impressive.” Didn’t fare as well statistically in 2017 as he did in ’16. Finished with 21 fumbles and 22 interceptions in just 24 starts.

“I love the makeup and the character,” a third scout said. “He has play-making ability. He has toughness and poise. The turnovers are a major concern. He’s so jittery … scattered in the pocket. He’s not going to be able to keep getting away with that.” Scored 28 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test. Ran for 332 yards and seven touchdowns. “He’s Andrew Luck when Luck was a sophomore,” said a fourth scout.

“He’s 100 percent football. He’s got hitches in his motion. Great athlete, strong arm. He makes some bad decisions.” From Capistrano Beach, Calif. “His arm’s not like (Brett) Favre’s but he has a little bit of that in him,” a fifth scout said. “He makes some throws on the move. Not real natural in the pocket yet. Best on the move.”

 

 

ESPN

Darnold couldn't have possibly lived up to the hype entering the 2017 season, especially when losing three offensive linemen to the NFL and both starting wideouts (including JuJu Smith-Schuster). There's no question that he developed some bad habits with his footwork (lazy/sloppy with lower-body at times) and ball security (dangling ball with one hand when moving in the pocket), but both are correctable.

The bottom line is that Darnold is the most complete quarterback in the 2018 class and he has the type of makeup that most good NFL starters possess. Darnold grades out as a high-level NFL starting quarterback and he projects to be a top-five pick.

 

 

 

NFL.com

At the end of the day, Darnold has NFL size, arm strength, accuracy, pocket mobility, poise and field reading capability. His windup is an eyesore for sure, but he has the velocity to mitigate the additional release time. While Darnold has the mental toughness and talent to start tomorrow, early sideline seasoning could help him better process coverages in an attempt to eliminate future interceptions.

Darnold has the tools to thrive in any system and doesn't have to have perfect protection to succeed. His floor is solid starter, but he has the ceiling to be one of the top tier quarterbacks in the game as he gains more experience.

NFL Comparison: Andrew Luck

 

 

Walter Football

Across the league, Darold is the consensus top quarterback prospect even though he may not be the top pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Darnold has a quality skill set with exceptional accuracy as a passer and the ability to throw on the move. His mobility and ability to create positive plays after blocking fails him is tremendous. Darnold is superb at throwing open receivers and leading them or hitting them in stride to set up yards after the catch. In the NFL, Darnold would be a great fit in a West Coast offense.

Darnold is the safest quarterback prospect in the 2018 NFL Draft. He didn't throw at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he interviewed well with teams showing good recall and football IQ. At his pro day, Darnold put on a clinic, throwing accurate passes in the rain with excellent timing and anticipation. Of the top quarterback prospects, Darnold had the best pro-day performance.

In 2017, Darnold completed 63 percent of his passes for 4,143 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He had an up-and-down season with too many turnovers - fumbles were a particular issue beyond the interceptions. Darnold also made some beautiful anticipatory throws with excellent accuracy in just about every game.

 

Jae C. Hong | AP

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report

A two-year starter at USC, Sam Darnold is widely praised for his toughness, football IQ and leadership. A coach with the Trojans told me Darnold only cares about football and not the benefits of being a star quarterback. He did turn the ball over 22 times in 2017, which should at a minimum send scouts back to the tape to find the context of each turnover. But Darnold's tangible and intangible traits are tops in the class.

 

 

DraftTek

Strengths

• Great arm strength
• Prototypical size and build for a quarterback 
• Impressive athlete for his size 
• Cerebral player 
• Calm and poise 
• Displays NFL quarterback traits (Anticipation, Ball-Placement, Reads full field, Maneuvers in pocket without dropping his eyes)

Weaknesses 

• Limited experience 
• A bit of a wind up in his motion 
• Occasionally becomes a gunslinger

 

 

 

Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media

Trent Dilfer, quarterback analyst

“Darnold is the coolest human you will ever meet. He’s just cool. He can do anything. Sam Darnold could be the president. He’s just cooler than everybody you know. He is the coolest dude at the Super Bowl party, he is the coolest dude at the bar, he is the coolest dude at the basketball court. His teammates love him. Everybody loves him.”

 

 

10 final thoughts on NFL Draft: 'Scared for Josh Allen' in New York

 

 

 

 

Mike Mayock, NFL Network

"Darnold is my number one guy because I think he can beat you from both inside the pocket and outside the pocket. Your first pick has got to set the tone, and I think at the end of the day it will be Sam Darnold, and he's got a little Brett Favre in him, which I think John likes. John likes a little swagger. He'll make some mistakes and turn the ball over, but at the end of the day, that's what my gut tells me."

Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network

"I've been on record for a long time saying I think Sam Darnold should be the pick for the Cleveland Browns. I think he's the right guy there. I personally think he's the best quarterback in his class. And I think he's, at 20 years old, is just scratching the surface of what he can do.

"So that to me, coupled with him going through the process, he didn't throw at the combine so we'll see him at the pro day. And I thought it was a lights-out pro day, in the rain. Look, it wasn't a snowstorm. But you wanted to see how he spun the ball and it was wet out there, it was raining pretty good, and I thought he did a great job."

 

 

 

 

Bucky Brooks, NFL Network

"Sam Darnold is a guy who is an ultimate competitor, but when you're around him, he is humble, he kind of goes about his business, he just kind of goes to work."

[Patriot Killa]

I hope our coaching staff can progress him to his absolute ceiling because this guy has a VERY HIGH ceiling.

[Saul Goodman]

Some high praise there, thanks for compiling all of these and posting. 

Very exciting! 

[nycdan]

I look forward to the day 3 years from now when CLE fans look at Darnold hoisting the Lombardi and say "WTF was our ex-GM thinking?!"

[jetsons]

Now Is the time to hire Pennington as his QB Coach.

[Larz]

[joewilly12]

[joewilly12]

[nycdan]

2 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

Did Ryan Fitzpatrick shave his beard?

[Patriot Killa]

2 hours ago, jetsons said:

Now Is the time to hire Pennington as his QB Coach.

I agree. That or come to training camp and help him out for a few months.

[joewilly12]

6 minutes ago, nycdan said:

Did Ryan Fitzpatrick shave his beard?

Thats Darnold photoshopped. 

[Patriot Killa]

4 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

Thats Darnold photoshopped. 

He was being sarcastic lol

[joewilly12]

Just now, Patriot Killa said:

He was being sarcastic lol

Thanks Dad I know. 

[joewilly12]

[BurnleyJet]

[Patriot Killa]

4 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

Thanks Dad I know. 

Oh did you?

[joewilly12]

Just now, Patriot Killa said:

Oh did you?

Yes I did. 

[Patriot Killa]

1 minute ago, joewilly12 said:

Yes I did. 

Sam Darnold is going to be a pro bowl QB..did you know that too?

[RoadFan]

Favre comparisons are the laziest.  Total cliche.

"He's got a little Favre in him."

What does that mean? 

"He seems to have fun?  He's a 'gunslinger.'  He forces the ball into triple coverage?  Throws untimely interceptions?"

Find somebody else to compare a player to for f*ck's sake.

 

[joewilly12]

3 minutes ago, Patriot Killa said:

Sam Darnold is going to be a pro bowl QB..did you know that too?

Yes I do know this and he's going to win multiple Super Bowls here. 

Are you ok that we didn't get Baker Mayfield? 

[nycdan]

12 minutes ago, Patriot Killa said:

He was being sarcastic lol

Thanks, man.  This place is still a little salty from the last two months.

[Patriot Killa]

1 minute ago, joewilly12 said:

Yes I do know this and he's going to win multiple Super Bowls here. 

Are you ok that we didn't get Baker Mayfield? 

Beyond ok that we didn’t take Baker Mayfield. Darnold has a crazy high ceiling. 

Rosen was the one I set my heart on..but about 2-3 hours after the selection I really really got behind Sam. This is what fans are suppose to do when they fall in love with a prospect that their team doesn’t pick. Clear your mind and heart and embrace the pick that we did pick. 

Darnold is my guy and he’s DAMN talented.

[joewilly12]

Just now, Patriot Killa said:

Beyond ok that we didn’t take Baker Mayfield. Darnold has a crazy high ceiling. 

Rosen was the one I set my heart on..but about 2-3 hours after the selection I really really got behind Sam. This is what fans are suppose to do when they fall in love with a prospect that their team doesn’t pick. Clear your mind and heart and embrace the pick that we did pick. 

Darnold is my guy and he’s DAMN talented.

Agree we finally have something good and this organization needed just that Sam Darnold. 

[Patriot Killa]

Just now, joewilly12 said:

Agree we finally have something good and this organization needed just that Sam Darnold. 

Sam is so humble and he’s all about business. As awesome as a personality like Baker’s is...I think maybe Darnold’s persona is what we really needed.

[Larz]

[Happy Clouds]

He’s talented, likeable, and cool. 

Yup. I think I’m really going to enjoy watching Sam develop into the next star QB for this franchise. 

[rangerous]

until just about the draft darnold was the near consensus best qb in the draft.  mayfield seems like he was hyped into the number 1 pick.  not saying he won't be a good qb but darnold is a more complete package and has the height too.

[Patriot Killa]

6 minutes ago, rangerous said:

until just about the draft darnold was the near consensus best qb in the draft.  mayfield seems like he was hyped into the number 1 pick.  not saying he won't be a good qb but darnold is a more complete package and has the height too.

Macc smoke screened Dorsey into Mayfield if you ask me.

It was said that  “Cleveland didn't draft Darnold. because they thought it would just be trying to turn around the franchise too big for him” 

[jack48]

4 hours ago, oc_jet said:

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2018/04/nfl_draft_2018_sam_darnold_scouting_report_next_br.html

NFL Draft 2018: Sam Darnold scouting report | Next Brett Favre? 'Coolest human you will ever meet'

Posted April 26, 2018 at 08:29 PM | Updated April 26, 2018 at 11:16 PM

0 Comment

 

Zack Rosenblatt | NJ Advance Media

By Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Is Sam Darnold the next great NFL quarterback? Or the next great bust?

Darnold is the quarterback most NFL Draft analysts identified as the top option in the 2018 NFL Draft, though reportedly not all teams agreed. That's the beauty of 32 different teams ranking prospects on a board in 32 different orders.

Darnold toed the politically correct lines whenever he was asked where he wanted to play, but he now he knows his fate: He is joining Jets. Here is what the experts are saying about the "coolest human you will ever meet," including Brett Favre and Andrew Luck comparisons.

 

Kelvin Kuo | AP

Bob McGinn Football

Bypassed two seasons of eligibility; won’t turn 21 until June. “He’s Mr. Cool under pressure,” said one scout. “Nothing rattles the kid. He’s a gamer. No situation is too big for him. He’s at his best in the big-time situations. In the clutch.” Completed 64.9% of 846 passes for an NFL passer rating of 103.4. “He needs to clean up some footwork and taking care of the ball,” said another scout. “But he’s going to be a player. He’s got some (bleep) you can’t coach. He’s the opposite of (Josh) Rosen. He’s a great kid. I think he’s a better locker-room guy. He has a very good arm. I was at the workout in the rain and it was impressive.” Didn’t fare as well statistically in 2017 as he did in ’16. Finished with 21 fumbles and 22 interceptions in just 24 starts.

“I love the makeup and the character,” a third scout said. “He has play-making ability. He has toughness and poise. The turnovers are a major concern. He’s so jittery … scattered in the pocket. He’s not going to be able to keep getting away with that.” Scored 28 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test. Ran for 332 yards and seven touchdowns. “He’s Andrew Luck when Luck was a sophomore,” said a fourth scout.

“He’s 100 percent football. He’s got hitches in his motion. Great athlete, strong arm. He makes some bad decisions.” From Capistrano Beach, Calif. “His arm’s not like (Brett) Favre’s but he has a little bit of that in him,” a fifth scout said. “He makes some throws on the move. Not real natural in the pocket yet. Best on the move.”

 

 

ESPN

Darnold couldn't have possibly lived up to the hype entering the 2017 season, especially when losing three offensive linemen to the NFL and both starting wideouts (including JuJu Smith-Schuster). There's no question that he developed some bad habits with his footwork (lazy/sloppy with lower-body at times) and ball security (dangling ball with one hand when moving in the pocket), but both are correctable.

The bottom line is that Darnold is the most complete quarterback in the 2018 class and he has the type of makeup that most good NFL starters possess. Darnold grades out as a high-level NFL starting quarterback and he projects to be a top-five pick.

 

 

 

NFL.com

At the end of the day, Darnold has NFL size, arm strength, accuracy, pocket mobility, poise and field reading capability. His windup is an eyesore for sure, but he has the velocity to mitigate the additional release time. While Darnold has the mental toughness and talent to start tomorrow, early sideline seasoning could help him better process coverages in an attempt to eliminate future interceptions.

Darnold has the tools to thrive in any system and doesn't have to have perfect protection to succeed. His floor is solid starter, but he has the ceiling to be one of the top tier quarterbacks in the game as he gains more experience.

NFL Comparison: Andrew Luck

 

 

Walter Football

Across the league, Darold is the consensus top quarterback prospect even though he may not be the top pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Darnold has a quality skill set with exceptional accuracy as a passer and the ability to throw on the move. His mobility and ability to create positive plays after blocking fails him is tremendous. Darnold is superb at throwing open receivers and leading them or hitting them in stride to set up yards after the catch. In the NFL, Darnold would be a great fit in a West Coast offense.

Darnold is the safest quarterback prospect in the 2018 NFL Draft. He didn't throw at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he interviewed well with teams showing good recall and football IQ. At his pro day, Darnold put on a clinic, throwing accurate passes in the rain with excellent timing and anticipation. Of the top quarterback prospects, Darnold had the best pro-day performance.

In 2017, Darnold completed 63 percent of his passes for 4,143 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He had an up-and-down season with too many turnovers - fumbles were a particular issue beyond the interceptions. Darnold also made some beautiful anticipatory throws with excellent accuracy in just about every game.

 

Jae C. Hong | AP

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report

A two-year starter at USC, Sam Darnold is widely praised for his toughness, football IQ and leadership. A coach with the Trojans told me Darnold only cares about football and not the benefits of being a star quarterback. He did turn the ball over 22 times in 2017, which should at a minimum send scouts back to the tape to find the context of each turnover. But Darnold's tangible and intangible traits are tops in the class.

 

 

DraftTek

Strengths

• Great arm strength
• Prototypical size and build for a quarterback 
• Impressive athlete for his size 
• Cerebral player 
• Calm and poise 
• Displays NFL quarterback traits (Anticipation, Ball-Placement, Reads full field, Maneuvers in pocket without dropping his eyes)

Weaknesses 

• Limited experience 
• A bit of a wind up in his motion 
• Occasionally becomes a gunslinger

 

 

 

Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media

Trent Dilfer, quarterback analyst

“Darnold is the coolest human you will ever meet. He’s just cool. He can do anything. Sam Darnold could be the president. He’s just cooler than everybody you know. He is the coolest dude at the Super Bowl party, he is the coolest dude at the bar, he is the coolest dude at the basketball court. His teammates love him. Everybody loves him.”

 

 

10 final thoughts on NFL Draft: 'Scared for Josh Allen' in New York

 

 

 

 

Mike Mayock, NFL Network

"Darnold is my number one guy because I think he can beat you from both inside the pocket and outside the pocket. Your first pick has got to set the tone, and I think at the end of the day it will be Sam Darnold, and he's got a little Brett Favre in him, which I think John likes. John likes a little swagger. He'll make some mistakes and turn the ball over, but at the end of the day, that's what my gut tells me."

Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network

"I've been on record for a long time saying I think Sam Darnold should be the pick for the Cleveland Browns. I think he's the right guy there. I personally think he's the best quarterback in his class. And I think he's, at 20 years old, is just scratching the surface of what he can do.

"So that to me, coupled with him going through the process, he didn't throw at the combine so we'll see him at the pro day. And I thought it was a lights-out pro day, in the rain. Look, it wasn't a snowstorm. But you wanted to see how he spun the ball and it was wet out there, it was raining pretty good, and I thought he did a great job."

 

 

 

 

Bucky Brooks, NFL Network

"Sam Darnold is a guy who is an ultimate competitor, but when you're around him, he is humble, he kind of goes about his business, he just kind of goes to work."

Okay.

[UntouchableCrew]

52 minutes ago, RoadFan said:

Favre comparisons are the laziest.  Total cliche.

"He's got a little Favre in him."

What does that mean? 

"He seems to have fun?  He's a 'gunslinger.'  He forces the ball into triple coverage?  Throws untimely interceptions?"

Find somebody else to compare a player to for f*ck's sake.

 

He likes to pop on his wranglers and sling it around in the mud!

[Embrace the Suck]

8 hours ago, oc_jet said:

"But he’s going to be a player. He’s got some (bleep) you can’t coach. He’s the opposite of (Josh) Rosen. He’s a great kid. I think he’s a better locker-room guy."

Nice.

[pointman]

On the Michael Kay Show he was asked something like 'you turned the ball over a lot, should the fans be worried?' 

He didn't skip a beat and quickly responded 'no. they shouldn't be worried about that. I watched the film and fixed it'. Something like that. Super confident, and saying how it wasn't a concern any longer. Made me really excited.

[pointman]

Mike Garafolo‏Verified account @MikeGarafolo

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I told Darnold I cover all 32 teams so I wouldn’t be out there every day. I live in NJ so I’ll be out there to cover them occasionally. But assignments depend on how good the team is. “Well,” he said, “I guess I’ll see you out here a lot then.”

3:21 PM - 27 Apr 2018

[Patriot Killa]

39 minutes ago, pointman said:

Mike Garafolo‏Verified account @MikeGarafolo

FollowFollow @MikeGarafolo

More

I told Darnold I cover all 32 teams so I wouldn’t be out there every day. I live in NJ so I’ll be out there to cover them occasionally. But assignments depend on how good the team is. “Well,” he said, “I guess I’ll see you out here a lot then.”

3:21 PM - 27 Apr 2018

Darnold 1 Media 0

[Patriot Killa]

Baker vs Darnold