What is good pocket presence in a quarterback? Two plays of Jared Goff’s work versus UCLA illustrate a lot of the criteria that I value. 

Pocket presence for a quarterback is a lot like vision for a running back. There are several skills required to possess the trait an they must be well-integrated into the player’s decision making process.

As two plays from the UCLA game reveal, Goff’s peripheral vision, timing, movement, and accuracy after evading pressure are all on par with a good starter in the NFL.

As long as Goff can develop on a trajectory where these qualities aren’t beaten out of him–and this does happen–the QB from Cal possesses one of the most important traits of a long-term starter.

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