Lamar Jackson - Louisville

Position: QB

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 216 lbs

Year: Junior

Hometown: Pompano Beach, FL

Experience: 3-Year Starter

Measurables:

40 yd. dash: DNP

Broad Jump: DNP

Vertical: DNP

3-cone: DNP

20 yd shuttle: DNP

Bench press: DNP

Career Notes:

Jackson's career at Louisville is as impressive as any you'll find in college football. He has been a firecracker from the very beginning. As a true freshman, he bounced around the depth chart a bit, even starting a game at running back before taking over the starting job at quarterback. In eight games as a starter at Louisville, Jackson set the school record for rushing yards by a quarterback, racking up over 900 yards on the ground. Through the air, he passed for 1800 yards.

As a sophomore starting full time for Louisville, Jackson dominated the competition. He nearly doubled his passing and rushing yards while throwing three touchdowns for every interception he threw. He exploded onto the national scene in a game against Clemson in which he almost clawed a victory from the paws of the Tigers. Despite losing that game, Jackson showed he was a force to be reckoned with. Of course, the crowning achievement of his sophomore season was being awarded the Heisman trophy as a 19-year old kid.

His junior year was loaded with expectations and for many, he fell short of those expectations. To put those expectations in perspective, Jackson ended his career setting the Louisville single-season rushing record for a quarterback for the third straight season, on 28 fewer rushing attempts than he had in 2016. His efficiency as a passer plateaued, but at such a high plateau, 2017 was hardly a statistical let-down for Lamar Jackson.

Injury Report:

Jackson has had no major injuries to report.

Career stats: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/lamar-jackson-1.html

Analysis:

Arm Strength 4.0/5.0: Jackson showed the arm strength to deliver situationally appropriate passes. It's worth noting that at the combine, his velocity was the lowest among the group of top-tier quarterbacks. His feet were always light and he always kept himself balanced by adjusting his foot position. He consistently adjusted passes, sometimes drilling fastballs into tight windows, sometimes lofting passes over receivers' heads to let them play center field. It has been noted by some scouts that his base is too narrow. His feet never prevented deep passes. Footwork mostly prevented him from being as accurate as possible on throws to the perimeter. He threw with a quick, tight motion and could heave a pass downfield on a moment's notice. Because of that quickness and power, Louisville was often able to spread the field with shot passes.

Accuracy 3.5/5.0: Jackson never hit 60% completion as a member of the Cardinals. Granted he has never been surrounded with an all-star cast of talent and his receiving core has had its fair share of drops, but Bobby Petrino's play design created enough open windows that Jackson's hit rate should have been closer to 65%. That being said, he has hit passes in windows that no one in this draft class has hit. His anticipation to feel out when receivers would come open was second to maybe Baker Mayfield in this class of passers. So much of accuracy comes down to knowing when and where guys will be open, and Jackson has a catalogue of plays that show excellent knowledge of play design coupled with a touch to deliver accurate passes all over the field.

Athleticism 5.0/5.0: Duh, right? For the last two years, Jackson has been the most gifted athlete on every field and in every room he has set foot in. He is so damn fast and so damn quick. If EA Sports still made NCAA Football games, they would have to give him 100s in speed and agility. The fact that some analysts believe Jackson should take reps at running back or receiver is insulting to his ability as a passer, but that fact is also a legitimate compliment to how well he moves. If he woke up tomorrow and forgot how to throw a football, he could be a rotational running back in the NFL. His patient, precise footwork is the foundation that makes him great as a passer. His flexibility allows him to effortlessly evade pass rushers. The cherry on top? This season, Jackson was stronger and more durable, breaking tackles from guys who had 50 pounds on him.

Leadership 4.0/5.0: Jackson was a quiet leader off the field, but not a leader without personality. He had a boyish charm in interviews after winning the Heisman that may have made people question if he was ready for the limelight. Following tough losses, he showed composure in answering questions quickly and owning losses as a member of Louisville's offense. He spoke highly of his defense at all times and made it clear that it was his job as quarterback not to leave the defense on the field.

Summary: Jackson took advantage of Louisville's mix of spread and tight formations by reading defenses in the pass and in the run. As a passer, he read through multiple progressions consistently and often made the right read. He showed great situational awareness on second down, despite taking quite a few risks on first downs. His accuracy was not the most consistent, as evidenced by his career 57% completion rate. However, his most accurate passes are better than any in this draft class. Perhaps his best work was a pass at the end of the first half against North Carolina State. The impressiveness of that play was not only his accuracy, but his pocket movement, tight throwing motion, light feet, and his ability to manipulate defenders. Defenses paid whether they pressed receivers at the line of scrimmage or if they played off of receivers. The only defenses that have kept Jackson's light in a bottle have been LSU in 2016 and Clemson in 2017, both of which were packed with NFL talent.

As a runner, Jackson's vision was incredible at Louisville. He showed the ability to press to the outside and cut inside to make the most of his blockers' position. His burst allowed him to wait for blockers to get their assignments before he put the pedal to the metal. There wasn't anything the guy couldn't do on the field.

Overall Grade 4.12/5.0

If drafted by the Packers:

Jackson is a quick processor at the time of the snap who isn't married to his first passing option. He also loves to improvise down the field. With that skill set, Jackson is a natural protege to number 12 in Green Bay. McCarthy's offense has depended for years on Rodgers's ability to read defenses and process receiving options before the snap. Jackson did that consistently, sometimes throwing on fewer than three steps into his drop. He was also not shy to use running backs releasing underneath when downfield receivers weren't open, a disposition which would cash in on Jamaal Williams's ability to catch and run. The Brett Hundley experiment has gone about as well as one could realistically expect from a fifth round pick with question marks about decision-making and handling pressure. Hundley is a fine backup, but the last half of 2017 made it clear that he is not the future. Jackson would be.

Jackson is the most athletically gifted prospect in this draft class. That isn't something that can be said for many quarterback prospects. If he's on the board in the first round, it would hurt to pass on him, especially considering the depth of this year's class of pass-rushers and cornerbacks. He would be the kind of splash pick with whom new management could excite fans, and we would be excited for good reason.

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