Auburn coach Gus Malzahn says Nick Marshall can become an NFL quarterback. Alex Brown of Optimum Scouting and I watch the QB and discuss.
As quick as I’m offering you a chance to study Nick Marshall, I’m asking you to forget him for a brief moment. Watch this film room session because you’re going to learn a lot about scouting quarterback play and gain some introductory insights into the politics, the economics, and other dynamics of pro football that contribute to the rapid rise and fall, or stunted development of arguably the most important position in the NFL.
Marshall has the athleticism and arm of Michael Vick. Alex Brown and I explain why a prospect of Marshall’s seductive physical skills are a source of football ecstasy and frustration for teams seeking a starting quarterback. We not only discuss the fundamentals of the position, but also cover subjects important to a good evaluation:
- Pocket presence/handling pressure
- Touch
- The importance of mechanics (footwork, stance, release, and delivery)
- Why football is more performance than science and how it relates to quarterbacking
- The pros and cons of the read option quarterback/athlete in the NFL and the contrasts between Robert Griffin, Colin Kaepernick, and Russell Wilson
- Where Blake Bortles regressed this year, why it happened, and how it relates to quarterback development
- Good techniques Marshall displays as a passer that are difficult to teach
- Where Marshall has improved physically and conceptually as a passer
- Where his decision-making and feel for the game as a passer is still “wooden”
- Other positions that could be a good fit for Marshall
Plus, there’s a 63-yard throw on a line and a few other displays of athleticism are hard not to watch multiple times.
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