Athleticism: 6.54

Q.A.B.: 6.40

Won't make anyone miss in the open field, but has the requisite athleticism to pick up a few yards with his legs, move around the pocket, and make would-be tacklers miss. Also has very good balance to throw on the run.

Flexibility: 6.80

Arm has good range of motion and hips are pretty loose. Doesn't have particularly swift hips and can look a bit tight when throwing on the run, but it doesn't seem to create much of a problem. Can adjust arm angle if necessary.

C.O.D.: 6.00

Lacks the quickness to change direction when avoiding defenders in space and will not pick up many yards rushing as such. Good at sliding around the pocket to avoid defenders though.

Explosiveness/Speed: 6.20

Probably the slowest of all the top QBs in the draft. Lacks acceleration ability and can only really use his legs to extend plays while rolling out, and even then only for a relatively short period of time. However, his arm can be very explosive if his deep ball accuracy improves.

Pocket Mobility/Avoid Pressure: 7.30

Comfortable moving up in the pocket and sidestepping to avoid defenders. Keeps his eyes downfield at all times. When he rolls out he does not tend to retreat backwards as other QBs do, but instead stays parallel to the LOS.

Passing Skills: 7.04

Quick Release/Mechanics: 6.50

Ball generally comes out in a straight line with a tight spiral. Base tends to lean on the narrow side, and he can occasionally throw off his back foot. The ball gets out pretty quickly, but he could shorten his delivery. He also holds the ball a bit low, could raise it a bit to speed up the release. Very rhythmic in his movements.

Delivery: 6.40

Delivery is too long at times, which impacts his accuracy. Follows through on most of his throws, though on short range passes he sometimes uses more arm than body. Needs to learn to adjust velocity based on distance between himself and receiver.

Short Accuracy: 7.80

No problems with short accuracy. Ball gets there in an instant with a tight throw, and Haskins has lots of experience leading receivers forward on slant routes or screens. Has plenty of arm strength to zip it to a receiver even while getting hit. Once in a while the ball can be thrown too hard, making it a bit more difficult for the receiver to catch.

Intermediate Accuracy: 7.40

Aside from throws that require lots of touch, Haskins has great accuracy in the intermediate game. His arm strength lets him get it to the receiver effortlessly and he does an impressive job of squeezing the ball into holes in the defense. He also leads the receiver well on sideline throws or on shallow posts. When dropping the ball in the breadbasket Haskins is inconsistent and needs better control of touch.

Deep Accuracy: 6.50

Deep accuracy is simply inconsistent. It is very often overthrown, seemingly a product of Haskins' relative inexperience with his arm. Tends to over-rotate his shoulder on deep passes; should trust that he has the arm strength to make the throw.

Big Play Ability: 6.90

Explosive arm offers big play potential- just needs to become more consistent with it.

Avoid Errors/Mistakes: 6.80

Very conservative decision-making, though sometimes to a fault. Sometimes misses a coverage and throws it into a precarious spot, as any college QB does, but got better as season progressed. Only threw 8 interceptions, at least 2 of which were purely the fault of the receiver. Generally knows when to throw the ball away when under pressure.

Arm Strength: 8.40

Excellent arm strength to hit all levels of the field without a problem. Can throw deep bombs far down the field and has outstanding velocity on every throw. Even off his back foot he can hit a route 15 yards downfield as if his feet were set.

Footwork: 6.70

Balanced, bouncy feet

Competitiveness: 7.23

Toughness: 7.80

Has no problem standing in the pocket and taking a hit. Has a big body and is comfortable lowering his shoulders into defenders when on the run. Doesn't have an injury history (though he did only start for 1 season) and has a big body to help stay healthy.

Intangibles/Leadership: 7.70

Has an Eli Manning-esque demeanor. Quiet yet leads by example. Moves his players around pre-snap and is clearly the one the team looks to. Shows competitive nature when he fights for extra yardage instead of going down. Is completely unfazed by his previous mistakes or the game script, which would let him thrive in any environment.

Poise In Pocket: 6.70

Very comfortable stepping up when under edge pressure and can sidestep pressure in the pocket. Always keeps his eyes up and can deliver a strike while being hit thanks to his arm strength. Could benefit from looking further downfield. Rushes his throws at times when under pressure and can tend to throw off his back foot. Becoming a quicker decision maker would help his accuracy and poise under pressure.

Consistency / Motor: 7.70

Never lets his mistakes rattle him. Plays hard even when down, as evidenced by the Purdue and Penn State games. Runs hard when scrambling and always likes to hit. Posted very consistent weekly numbers and only improved as the season progressed.

Production: 7.60

Only started for one season, but posted huge numbers this year, finishing 3rd in the Heisman trophy race. He did have very good receivers around him who excelled at creating yards after the catch and making space, but he also had a weak offensive line. He also did a very good job of getting the ball to his receivers in places to maximize their speed.

Improvisational Ability: 5.90

Does not have the mobility to extend plays for too long and doesn't always know where to go when the play breaks down. Seems hesitant to take shots, which would help open up opportunities when the play breaks down. Needs to get better at throwing off his base.

Intelligence: 7.18

Instincts: 7.00

Has a good feel for pressure and knows when he needs to get rid of the ball, though the actual process of doing so needs to get quicker. Anticipates receivers' routes well and generally has a good understanding of where defenders are on the field around him.

Blitz/Coverage Recognition: 7.30

Much further along than his peers in this respect. Took advantage of blown coverages and open spaces, and got better at taking what the defense was giving him as the season progressed. He is very comfortable going through his progressions, but could get better at doing so when the plays take longer to develop.

Decision Making: 6.70

Generally finds the open receiver, but settles for underneath routes too often. Doesn't try to force the ball into very tight coverage too much and takes off to run at appropriate times. Knows when to throw the ball away to avoid loss of yardage.

Learn/Retain: 7.70

This is the reason Haskins I believe Haskins has high potential. He improved dramatically each week as a starter, and continually improved his defensive reads and progressions. His decision making also got quicker as the season went on.

STRENGTHS:

Despite starting for the first time this year, Haskins already seems to have the tools to become the best pure drop-back passer in this class. His greatest asset is easily his arm strength, as the ball can reach all areas of the field regardless of his base or delivery. His short range accuracy is outstanding, as he keeps the ball away from defenders and can hit targets while he’s on the run. He also adeptly hits targets in stride in the intermediate areas of the field. Haskins is also comfortable stepping up in the pocket and can deliver the ball while being hit. Beyond the arm talent, however, what really stands out is his ability to go through reads and make the pre-snap diagnosis. He sees blitzes before the play and audibles, and while Ohio State’s offense may be predicated on screen passes and short plays, Haskins has shown that he can survey the field and take what the defense gives him. Most importantly for a 1-year starter, Haskins showed significant improvement as the year went on.

WEAKNESSES:

Haskins' biggest need for improvement is his mechanics and delivery. His throwing motion needs to get shorter and quicker, and he struggles mightily when throwing off his base. The Ohio State QB is also much more limited physically than the other QBs in the class. He doesn't have the quickness or speed to escape pressure, and struggles when he is pushed off his base. He can also hold on to the ball a split second too long when under pressure, which seems to be due to slightly delayed decision making. Haskins is also a very erratic deep-ball thrower, often overthrowing, and the lack of touch extends to the intermediate game when he is asked to drop the ball in a receiver's breadbasket.

BIG PICTURE:

After a redshirt freshman season in 2016, Haskins entered 2017 as the backup to starter J.T. Barrett. He played sparingly yet effectively, and became the starter for this season. He came in 3rd in Heisman Trophy voting this year, and was named First Team All-Big Ten, Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year, and Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year. He has also set numerous passing records at Ohio State. Haskins is being highly touted for his 69.1% career completion percentage and his gaudy touchdown to interception ratio. There are certain areas of his game that need to be refined such as his mechanics, deep ball accuracy, and quick decision making, areas that are imperative to becoming an NFL passer. However, Haskins showed marked improvement each game this season, and with proper guidance he can be a very good QB.

Projected Round: 1st (Top 5)
Team Fits: New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins

Pro Comparison: Alex Smith

Dwayne Haskins

Position: Quarterback

College: Ohio State

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 220 lbs

SCOUTING GRADE

6.94

Injury History: No Major Injury History

Games Evaluated: 2018 vs. Purdue, Washington, Michigan, Michigan St., Penn St.

Scout: Alexander Amir

Scouting Report