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Matt Barkley Scouting Report

December 20, 2012 One comment

Matt Barkley

Position

QB

Height

6’2

School

USC

Weight

230

Class

Senior

40 Time

4.85

Grade

2nd Round

Arm Strength:

Matt Barkley’s arm strength is adequate. He doesn’t have a strong arm by any stretch of the imagination but it’s not something that should hinder his performance. He can make every throw and he does have the ability to put some extra zip on passes over the middle. He naturally doesn’t have a strong arm so if his footwork is sloppy or if he doesn’t drive his hips then we start to see some passes sailing a bit. His deep ball also tends to have a lot of air on it giving safeties some extra time to react.

Grade: 2.5

Accuracy:

While his accuracy can be good at times, he’s inconsistent and is certainly never going to be an elite passer in terms of accuracy. When he has time in the pocket he generally makes good throws and places the ball well. When pressured however, his accuracy declines and you’ll see him put the ball on his receivers wrong shoulder or throw a ball up for grabs. His receivers are very talented so he gets away with this more than the average quarterback. His down-field accuracy is good but again can be inconsistent. He does show the ability to drop the ball between safeties and linebackers however which does take a lot of skill. His deep ball accuracy isn’t great and a lot of the time he’s asking his receivers to simply go up and make the play. Also, because he doesn’t have a great arm to flip it 60 yards down-field, a lot of his “deep” balls actually come out pretty early where his receivers don’t have much of a chance to create a lot of separation.

Grade: 3.0

Mobility:

Barkley isn’t much of a scrambler and he presents very little threat to run. However, he is pretty good at maneuvering in the pocket. He can buy himself some extra time and does a good job of escaping pressure while keeping his eyes down-field.

Grade: 2.5

Decision Making:

Credit must be given to Barkley because he seems like a smart quarterback who studies well. He makes pre-snap reads and does a good job of taking advantage of certain situations. At the same time he occasionally tries to force the issue based on the pre-snap match-up alone and not what actually occurs between the receiver and defensive back post-snap. He has the ability to stand in the pocket and go through his progressions to find an open receiver. Unfortunately, his offensive line at USC was terrible at times so he didn’t get many clean pockets. This is likely why so much of the offense is based on quick short passes. It takes the burden off the line to protect Barkley but it also takes the burden off him as the passes are pre-determined. Under pressure he tends to make mistakes. He rushes throws and will force the issue. Sometimes its better to take the sack or throw the ball away and like most young quarterbacks Barkley still tries to make the play, often ending with an interception. The pressure can also get to him late in games. He sometimes rushes throws that he really didn’t have too but because of getting pressured so much throughout the game his internal clock gets faster and faster.

Grade: 2.5

Mechanics:

Barkley’s mechanics are quite good. He has a clean overhead release and while it’s not lightning quick, it definitely isn’t slow. He has experience dropping back from under center and his footwork is generally good. He’ll make some off-balance throws under pressure which can get him in trouble at times. That ties more into his decision making than his mechanics though. He also does a great job of adjusting his throwing angle given the situation.

Grade: 3.5

Pocket Awareness:

As mentioned earlier, Barkley has a good feel for the pocket. He feels pressure well and is able to move around in the pocket to find a clear throwing lane. He does tend to get a bit jumpy if he’s been pressured throughout the game. However, for the most part he is calm and poised in the pocket.

Grade: 4.0

Intangibles:

A 4 year starter for one of the best teams in college football. A smart quarterback who obviously puts in a lot of work in the film room. Well liked and regarded as a high character player. Runs an offense that is very heavily oriented on dinking and dunking. Has a very talented group of skill position players around him that pad his numbers by taking simple screens and slant passes all the way for touchdowns. Would need to be in a similar system in the NFL to succeed. Has never had any off-field issues or major injuries although he did suffer an AC sprain on his throwing arm before his senior year ended.

Grade: 3.0

Outlook:

I am not sold on Matt Barkley being a slam-dunk franchise quarterback being worth the #1 overall pick. He does some things well but nothing really stands out to me that says he’ll be a great starter in the NFL. He’s got an average arm and makes questionable decisions when rattled. I’m also concerned that he had so many talented players around him that were able to take his short passes and turn them into long gains. If he’s dinking and dunking so much at the college level I can’t see him being a down-field passer in the NFL, especially considering defensive backs will drive on his passes much faster. His ceiling to me is someone like a Sam Bradford or Andy Dalton. Smart quarterbacks who put up solid numbers but they need pieces around them to be successful. They can’t carry a team and they are limited in what they can do offensively. That’s not worth the #1 overall pick. It’s not even worth a first round pick in my opinion.

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Pre-Season Scouting Report: Matt Barkley

May 22, 2012 No comments

What I like:

Barkley is my pre-season #1 quarterback for the 2013 draft. He’s a prototypical pocket passer who possesses the arm and intelligence to be a top draft pick. He has great accuracy in the short and intermediate game and has adequate arm strength. He plays in a pro-style offense and his mechanics are above average. He’s calm in the pocket and despite not being the best athlete, he can move around well when he feels pressure.

What I don’t like:

His arm is just average. At times his passes can die on him and he doesn’t throw a great deep ball. It’s enough to get the job done but it won’t be bailing him out either. He’s not a great athlete and isn’t much of a threat with his legs. His footwork needs to be cleaned up a bit and he needs to work on driving the ball down-field better. Despite making good decisions overall, he tends to make some bad decisions with pressure in his face.

Outlook:

Barkley should have another good year at USC and while he has some competition for the #1 overall pick, I think he’s got the head start. I can’t imagine him not being a top draft pick in the 2013 draft class.

Quarterbacks, Scouting Reports , , , ,

Nick Perry Scouting Report

January 13, 2012 No comments

Position

DE/OLB

Height

6’3

School

USC

Weight

250

Class

Junior

40 Time

4.65

Grade

1st Round

Pass Rush:

A good pass-rusher who shows some nice natural ability. Lacks a great repertoire of moves but flashes some nice moves occasionally including a spin move. Primarily a speed rusher who shows nice flexibility when turning the corner. Will occasionally come back with a hard inside move, beating the tackle with his quickness. Has a pretty strong bull-rush as he plays with good leverage and keeps his feet under him. Lacks any counter moves however, and if initially stopped he struggles to get free. Displays a good motor however and will work hard to free himself.

Grade: 3.5

Strength:

Undersized but has impressive lower body strength. Generally plays with a good pad level which helps him out a lot. Flashes strong hands occasionally as he rips blockers arms away. Struggles when he doesn’t get his pad level down however. Can be over-powered by bigger lineman at times simply because he’s undersized. Could stand to add some bulk depending on what position he’s asked to play in the NFL.

Grade: 2.5

Quickness:

Has a great burst off the snap, but not elite. Can be slow off the snap and is sometimes the last man to move. Not an elite athlete but a good one. Has the speed to threaten around the edge consistently but won’t terrorize tackles purely with his speed. Drops back into coverage a few times a game and doesn’t look out of place in space.

Grade: 3.0

Point of Attack:

Better at the point of attack than you’d expect. Plays with good leverage and uses his hands well to free himself from blocks allowing him to make plays on running plays. Still has trouble freeing himself when he gets upright however, as lineman can control him easily due to his size. Has a solid anchor but will take false steps leaving him off-balance. Shows poor awareness at times as he has a tendency to come downhill in a hurry which leaves him susceptible to fakes on read-options. Doesn’t always keep contain.

Grade: 3.0

Tackling:

Good tackler who shows the ability to wrap up. Usually plays controlled and doesn’t miss very often. Has the range to chase quarterbacks out of the pocket and make the stop. Does a good job of grabbing onto runners with his free hand when fighting off a block.

Grade: 4.0

Intangibles:

A 2 year starter but saw a lot of action as a redshirt freshman. Has been very productive in his 3 year career at USC. A bit undersized and has experience playing in space so some feel he’d be a better fit in the 3-4. Would fit either scheme so he brings some versatility to the table. A tough kid who grew up in Detroit and chose sports over the streets. Has been praised for his work ethic. Has had some trouble with injuries. Suffered minor knee injuries in 2009 and 2010 and played most of the 2010 season through a high ankle sprain. Beat up on projected 1st rounder Jonathan Martin when he faced Stanford.

Grade: 3.5

Outlook:

Nick Perry has the potential to develop into a solid pass-rusher in the NFL. I’m not sure he will ever be elite, but he can definitely be great. He has the speed and flexibility to win on the edge, he just needs to continue to improve his technique and add to his pass-rushing repertoire. He can play both in the 4-3 as a RDE or in the 3-4 as an OLB. He doesn’t rush out of a 2 point stance often but he does have experience dropping back into coverage. I’ve heard someone make a Tamba Hali comparison and it’s not a bad one, although Hali may be a little bit more of a quick twitch athlete which is why he’s been so productive in the NFL.

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Matt Kalil Scouting Report

December 6, 2011 No comments

Position

OT

Height

6’6

School

USC

Weight

295

Class

Junior

40 Time

5.05

Grade

1st Round

Pass Blocking:

Great pass blocker who looks like a natural fit at left tackle. Bends at the knees and looks smooth when asked to pass protect. Has quick feet to mirror rushers and can beat quicker defenders to the edge. Has a strong anchor and will rarely be driven back. Has to do a better job of being more alert and keeping his feet moving. Will occasionally commit to the speed rush and be beat back inside with a counter move.

Grade: 4.0

Run Blocking:

Not a road grader but an efficient run blocker. Locks onto defenders and keeps his feet moving to drive them out of the play. Does a good job on trap blocks and is good at walling off defenders from running lanes. Can get a little high in his stance and can have some difficulty pushing back bigger defenders.

Grade: 4.0

Mobility:

Very good mobility. Looks good moving in space and is comfortable hitting the second level. Asked to roll out a lot and looks good doing so as he gives defenders a strong initial punch that takes them out of the play. Does a good job of cutting defenders as well showing excellent technique. Can get caught over-extending and bending at the waist when trying to hit linebackers and safeties in space.

Grade: 4.0

Technique:

Uses his hands incredibly well to lock onto defenders. Once he locks on it’s pretty much game over for the defender. Has an excellent knee bend but can get caught bending at the waist in space. Has good balance and looks very smooth in his movements. Has improved his leverage and does a much better job at driving his legs when run blocking. Needs to work a little bit on anticipating double moves, especially against speed-rushers.

Grade: 4.0

Mean Streak:

Has a bit of a mean streak and will finish his blocks. Will drive his defender to the ground and pancake them. Not afraid to get into the pile and push anything in his way. Will block to the whistle and stops when the play is over ensuring he won’t get called for stupid penalties.

Grade: 3.5

Intangibles:

Brother of standout center, Ryan Kalil, who plays for the Carolina Panthers. His father also played in the NFL so he has good bloodlines. Was the left tackle at USC over Tyron Smith who has had a very good rookie season thus far in Dallas. Was regarded as the better pass blocker between the two so he started at left tackle. Seems to be a hard worker as he’s corrected some technique issues he had in 2010.

Grade: 4.0

Outlook:

Kalil is hands down the consensus offensive tackle in the 2012 NFL Draft if he chooses to declare. He looks like the prototypical left tackle and would be a welcomed addition to any team. He may not be elite but he has little flaws to his game and should be a very good starter in the NFL. I would not hesitate to draft him in the Top 5.

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Matt Barkley Scouting Report

October 26, 2011 No comments

Position

QB

Height

6’2

School

USC

Weight

220

Class

Junior

40 Time

4.85

Grade

1st round

Arm Strength:

Matt Barkley can make all the throws but his arm is nothing more than average. He can sling it down-field but his passes lack zip. The velocity on his passes can be poor at times and he’ll have a tougher time fitting balls into windows that will close much faster in the NFL. It’s not a deal breaker because it’s something he can improve on. His deep balls also tend to float a bit and he’s really not great at throwing the deep ball in general. Otherwise he throws a very catchable ball and is smart enough to know when to deliver touch passes.

Grade: 2.5

Accuracy:

Barkley is generally a pretty accurate quarterback. His short to intermediate accuracy is quite impressive. He routinely leads receivers and has shown time and time again he can thread the ball between defenders. He knows where to put the ball to shield it away from defenders and give his receiver a better shot at catching the pass. He can misfire at times and throw too high or behind receivers but it doesn’t happen too often and it isn’t too concerning. One area he has trouble in is his accuracy down the field. He’ll over/under throw his receiver deep often and it leads to his receivers having to make great adjustments to make the catch on what should be a routine throw.

Grade: 3.5

Mobility:

Barkley is fairly mobile, although it’s quite evident he’s not much of a runner. He’s a pocket passer and that’s where he’s most comfortable. He has the ability to throw on the run and he looks quite good doing so. He’s not a threat to run however. He does a good job of evading the rush by flipping his shoulders and despite not being a great athlete can make some defenders miss in the back-field.

Grade: 3.0

Decision Making:

You will rarely see Barkley forcing the ball into coverage as he is usually pretty smart and can find the open man. He remains very calm and collected in the pocket in the face of pressure and usually makes sound decisions. He’s a smart quarterback who does a good job of reading defenses and scanning the field. He rarely locks onto one receiver and he shows the ability to look off the safety with his eyes. He is capable of making pre-snap reads and calling audibles at the line of scrimmage. He’s very good at finding his check-down when there’s nothing open down-field. I’d like to see him be a little smarter with the football when trailing and under pressure. He sometimes tries too hard to make a play and several times he’s tried to throw passes when the defender had him in his grasp with pretty bad results. It’s something he’ll learn as he matures as a passer but he’s well ahead of most collegiate quarterbacks in this area.

Grade: 4.0

Mechanics:

Takes a lot of snaps from under center so he’s already ahead of the curve as a quarterback prospect in today’s game. Still has to work on his drop back as he’ll throw in unnecessary hop steps that lengthens his overall release time. He also has to be more consistent with his footwork as he’ll throw off-balance at times. Tends to lean back instead of following through and it does have an affect on his velocity. Has a nice over the top release that is fairly quick.

Grade: 3.0

Pocket Awareness:

Very calm in the pocket. He’ll stand in and scan the field and you really want to describe him with the term “field general”. He has a good feel for pressure and knows when to step up to avoid the rush. Has a tendency to double pump when he’s faced with good coverage but I’d rather he take the coverage sack as opposed to throwing a pick.

Grade: 4.0

Intangibles:

Started as a freshman and played really well. Has matured a lot as a football player and almost has a kind of savvy to his game. Is definitely the type of guy that can be a franchise quarterback. Regarded as a good leader and has a high football IQ. Has suffered through some injuries and has missed some time so there are some slight concerns there. Plays in a pro-style offense against tough competition.

Grade: 4.0

Outlook:

Matt Barkley is the undisputed #2 quarterback, to most, in this draft class and would probably be the favorite to go first overall if it wasn’t for Andrew Luck. He’s very polished and he’s a very smart football player. He has all the tools to become a franchise quarterback and if I was drafting in the Top 5 and needed a quarterback I wouldn’t hesitate to pick him. He has a high floor and I guess a bit of a low ceiling. That’s not a bad thing however. I compare him to someone like Matt Ryan who had the intangibles and accuracy but lacked that elite arm strength. Like Ryan, Barkley can be an above average starter at the next level but he’ll need a good supporting staff to win a Superbowl. As a note, he also struggles throwing the deep ball consistently like Matt Ryan.

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