From now until the 2021 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to showcase as many prospects as possible and examine both their strengths and weaknesses. Most of these profiles will feature individuals that the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to have an interest in, while a few others will be top-ranked players. If there is a player you would like us to analyze, let us know in the comments below.
#1 Zach Wilson/QB/BYU – 6021, 214 lbs.
The Good
– Acceptable hand size (9 1/2”) for the QB position
– Played both under center and in the shotgun for the Cougars’ offense
– Good athlete in terms of speed and explosiveness for the position
– A very capable runner with the ball in his hands when he needs to tuck it and go
– Was well-utilized on QB designed runs up the middle as well as having a sense to scramble out of the pocket with the play is breaking down
– Good to have in the RPO game with the RB to make the read man have to decide, having the legs and open field speed to make defenses pay should they not respect his running threat, especially in the red zone
– Has a good amount of elusiveness as a runner, being able to side-step defenders and make quick lateral cuts without losing a lot of speed
– Knows how to avoid contact as a runner, knowing when to hit the dirt and slide to avoid a big hit
– Great arm talent as a passer with the arm strength to throw it 50+ yards on a dart
– Has a pretty deep ball with the strong arm and ball placement to drop it in the bucket to his receiver in-stride
– Really has some great velocity on his throws, putting some zip on the ball when he needs to fire it in quick and put it on his man accurately
– Can fire it in quickly to the sideline on the deep out as the receiver makes his break
– Has the arm talent and powerful hip drive to make a lot of off-platform throws when pressure is in his face or on the run to get the ball to his receiver on target
– Can make the sidearm throws or drop it over the defender’s head when the direct path of the pass isn’t present
– Great on the play action game with his mobility out of the pocket and ability to roll out into a pass
– Accurate thrower of the football while on the run, having the arm and hip drive to make the pass even when his feet are not set
– Has the movement ability to work outside of the pocket and extend the play when pressure is coming at him
– Plays with a strong base in the pocket as a passer, having the footwork for solid dropbacks and to step up well into his downfield throw
– Throwing motion is pretty clean with a smooth release and delivery
– Has that sense of when to tuck the ball and run or go to the check down, taking what he can get rather than try and force to ball somewhere it shouldn’t go
The Bad
– Has average height but can stand to add some size to his frame for durability at the next level
– Two surgeries to his throwing hand and shoulder over the past year
– Has some strength as a runner and getting out of tackles, but isn’t going to break out of a lot of sacks or move the pile as a runner
– Had one crazy productive season against lower-level competition, having mediocre performances in a few high-profile games (Coastal Carolina)
– Can struggle when pressure gets to him quickly in terms of adjusting to the broken play when the pocket isn’t clean
– Pressure can throw off his ball placement at times as he braces to take a hit
– Goes through his progressions, but mostly relied on quick reads right off the snap and would lock onto one target on a lot of instances
Bio
– Junior prospect from Draper, Utah
– High-level performer in the state of Utah as a HS athlete, also played varsity basketball
– Played in nine games, starting seven as a true freshman, completing 120 of 182 passes for 1,578 yards and 12 touchdowns with 221 yards on 75 attempts and two touchdowns on the ground
– Had shoulder surgery on his right labrum after his freshman year
– Started nine games as a sophomore, completing 199 of 319 passes for 2,382 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions while running for 167 yards and three touchdowns
– Hurt his right hand halfway through his sophomore campaign, causing him to miss several games with a minor surgery
– Returned for his junior campaign, lighting up the stat sheet in 12 games played, completing 247 of 336 attempts (73.