Aidan O'Connell
QB
Purdue
Height
6'3''
Weight
213
Bench | 40-Time | 10-Time | 20-Time |
|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Vertical | Broad | 20-Shuttle | 60-Shuttle |
|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
3-Cone | Hand | Arm | Wingspan |
|---|---|---|---|
N/A | 9.75'' | 32.25'' | N/A |
Final Grade
6.41
Foot Surgery (2020)
Injury History
Games Evaluated
Illinois (2022), Nebraska (2022), Tennessee (2021), Iowa (2021), Northwestern (2020)
Team Fit
MIA
CIN
SF
Strengths
O’Connell may not have a rocket arm, but he has solid arm strength compared to other prospects. He has the ability to make a big play, has great ball placement, and is very accurate especially with short and intermediate throws. The thing that is clear with O’Connell is that he is a pure pocket passer and has smooth mechanics. His release of the football is also pretty quick as well. He plays with a strong level of competitiveness, grit, and is a leader on the team. He does have solid instincts and can make adjustments before the ball is snapped.
Weaknessess
A big issue with O’Connell is that he lacks mobility and does not move that well in or out of the pocket. It also does not help that he is very sloppy with his footwork. He must do a better job with his ability to adapt in pressure and improvise during plays. His decision making definitely needs improvement and has inconsistent field vision. Durability is also a concern with the foot injury he had in 2020.
Big Picture
O’Connell may not have a rocket arm, but he has solid arm strength compared to other prospects. He has the ability to make a big play, has great ball placement, and is very accurate especially with short and intermediate throws. The thing that is clear with O’Connell is that he is a pure pocket passer and has smooth mechanics. His release of the football is also pretty quick as well. He plays with a strong level of competitiveness, grit, and is a leader on the team. He does have solid instincts and can make adjustments before the ball is snapped. A big issue with O’Connell is that he lacks mobility and does not move that well in or out of the pocket. It also does not help that he is very sloppy with his footwork. He must do a better job with his ability to adapt in pressure and improvise during plays. His decision making definitely needs improvement and has inconsistent field vision. Durability is also a concern with the foot injury he had in 2020. I have O'Connel as a 5th or 6th round prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Player Comp
Skylar Thompson/Trevor Siemian
Athleticism:
6.26
Now he is not the most explosive player, but he does have some speed. He does not move that well in the pocket and struggles as a scrambler. He is not the most agile, but he would fit well in Play action schemes. Not the greatest fit RPO's and must do better avoiding & adapting to pressure.
Agility | Scrambling Ability and | RPO and Play Action | Explosiveness/Speed | Pocket Mobility/Avoid Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
6.2 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 6.2 |
Passing Skills:
6.33
Big Play Ability
7.25
Big Play Ability | Touch and Ball Placement | Arm Strength | Footwork |
|---|---|---|---|
6.5 | 6.7 | 6.2 | 6 |
Quick-Release/Mechanics | Delivery | Short Accuracy | Intermediate Accuracy | Deep Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
6.7 | 6 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 5.7 |
O’Connell may not have a rocket arm, but he has solid arm strength compared to other prospects. He has the ability to make a big play, has great ball placement, and is very accurate especially with short and intermediate throws. The thing that is clear with O’Connell is that he is a pure pocket passer and has smooth mechanics. His release of the football is also pretty quick as well. Now his footwork can get sloppy at times and he is not the most accurate throwing the ball deep. His delivery can also get inconsistent at times as well.
7
Competitiveness:
Poise in Pocket | Production | Improvisational Ability | Intangibles/Leadership |
|---|---|---|---|
7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
He plays with a strong level of competitiveness, grit, and is a leader on the team. He can be a good producer, poise in the pocket, and even improvise as well if things go wrong.
Intelligence:
6.18
Instincts | Field Vision | Decision Making | Pre-Snap Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
6.5 | 5.7 | 6 | 6.5 |
His decision making definitely needs improvement and has inconsistent field vision. However he does have solid instincts and can make adjustments before the ball is snapped.