QB Josh Woodrum and Wobbly Tables


Table

David Igono had to bring up the wobbly leg of a table at the fave lunch spot. If you’re instantly annoyed, then you know how the former DB feels about aspects of QB Josh Woodrum’s game.

It’s easy during draft season to get excited by prospects due to combine invites, pro days or whatever seems to be the buzz around a player. Quarterbacks are no exception. One quarterback who has received some pre-draft buzz is Liberty QB Josh Woodrum. Woodrum has some positives to his profile, but overall he leaves me asking more questions about what he can do in an NFL offense.

The little I’ve seen of Woodrum has me feeling miffed; like when you go to your favorite spot for lunch and you sit at a table that has a wobbly fourth leg. Your meal isn’t ruined and you’ll definitely be back for more, but you question why that table was even in the restaurant that day.

Woodrum has tools. His skill set might work best in a West Coast offense where he can hit crosses, slants, etc. He has functional accuracy, but he’s more of a spot thrower.

He puts the ball where it should be however there’s little room for error for his intended target. Although he doesn’t have the strongest arm, his short to intermediate passing game has some pop to it.

Quarterbacks who don’t have upper tier arm strength have to compensate by anticipating how and when to fit passes into windows.This clip on the surface looks like a good anticipation throw. In reality this highlights a habit Woodrum has for anticipating pressure instead of windows to attack downfield.

He often employs a fadeaway type of throwing motion that takes velocity and accuracy off of his passes. Can he exploit coverages and mismatches when they present themselves? He had plenty of time to attempt a throw over the top that could have garnered more yardage. The receiver has his man beat. Good outcome, bad process.

Woodrum also flashes plays within an offense where you can potentially build more onto his abilities. How quarterbacks complete playaction fakes can be an indicator to their grasp of timing and spacing in an offense. Woodrum is a savvy ball handler.

He does a great job of carrying out the fake although it’s easy to see that Woodrum isn’t adept at driving targets into windows. His intermediate passes tend to sail and if they do arrive they are heavily contested or expose his receiver to more contact.

Can Woodrum capitalize on what he sees? I don’t think so from what I’ve seen so far. The next cut should be a back shoulder throw on a double move for a touchdown, if Woodrum drives the ball into that window that the cornerback gives him. Physically and conceptually, there’s a glitch. Note where he places the ball and where the corner is on this play.

The bottom line for any prospect looking to make an NFL roster is competition: You have to beat someone out to earn that roster spot. Can Woodrum do that? Maybe. The real issue is if he will be given time to clean up parts of his game while on a roster.

David Igono is a former defensive back who played at West Virginia University and a couple of seasons of arena football. A longtime draft anorak, he considers the 2014 RSP the inspiration for taking the process more intentionally. Follow him at @d1gono.

For analysis of skill players in this year’s draft class, download the 2016 Rookie Scouting Portfolio – early-bird purchase for the April 1 download is available now. Better yet, if you’re a fantasy owner the Post-Draft Add-on comes with the 2012 – 2015 RSPs at no additional charge. Best, yet, 10 percent of every sale is donated to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse. You can purchase past editions of the Rookie Scouting Portfolio for just $9.95 apiece.


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