Strengths: Let me get this out of the way. If any of you who watched Darnold stink it up in his bowl game against Ohio State are proclaiming him as a bust without actually watching his tape, then you sound like an uneducated idiot. There is a lot to like about Darnold’s game. The first is his accuracy. Whether he is on the move or standing in the pocket, he has pinpoint accuracy. He has a great feel for where his guys are on the field and hits them in places where they can catch the ball and make a play. Along with accuracy, comes his Anticipation and Ball placement. His ability to throw receivers open is advanced beyond his years. He makes anticipation throws that many guys in the NFL can’t make. Along with that, he not only throws the ball accurately, but his ball placement, especially over the middle of the field, is excellent. His pocket presence is also awesome. He has a slick way of maneuvering within the pocket. He isn’t the most athletic guy, but his improvisation within the pocket is fun to watch. He is a guy who can make something out of nothing. He is a smart kid and a good leader. Teammates seem to really like him. His field vision is also really good. He does a nice job of going through his progressions and hitting the right guy. Overall, there is a lot to like about his game.

Weaknesses: While there is a lot to like about Darnolds game, there are definitely some questions and concerns about him. The first is his lack of arm strength. While his arm is fine, it is not elite and behind the likes of Rosen’s, Allen’s, Jackson’s, and Mayfield’s. His mechanics are funky as well. His motion is so long that it makes his receivers windows tighter, since the separation does not last as long due to his long windup. He needs to tighten it up to make it easier on himself because the windows get tighter in the NFL. But the biggest concern I have about him is his turnovers. He is a risk taker, and sometimes it works out, but a lot of the times, it doesn’t. He also has a hard time holding onto the football when he gets hit. His fumbling is a problem.

Overall: He is a great, but raw, talent who has a lot of the tools to be a great QB, he just needs to work on his mechanics, and decision making .

Grade: 92

Pro comp: Philip Rivers

QB1