Justin Fields
QB
Ohio State
Height
6'3"
Weight
227
Bench | 40-Time | 10-Time | 20-Time |
|---|---|---|---|
4.46 | 1.59 | 2.6 |
Vertical | Broad | 20-Shuttle | 60-Shuttle |
|---|---|---|---|
3-Cone | Hand | Arm | Wingspan |
|---|---|---|---|
9 1/8" | 32 1/2" | 74 3/4" |
Final Grade
7.72
Injury History
Games Evaluated
Clemson
Team Fit
ATL
CAR
DEN
Strengths
Top shelf athlete for the position. Arm talent is top three in the class and he is not lacking behind any of the big names in that regard. Toughness is top notch and he will have to be scaled back from lowering his shoulder on a safety with an angle on him that has a full head of steam. Also consistently lowered his shoulder on the sideline or spun back in towards the field of play. Great arm strength/velocity and can make every throw.
Weaknessess
His evaluation has some projection that will need to be cleared up once in the league. He was very one read dependent at Ohio State, so field processing will be a development. Won’t succeed in the league if he always drops his eyes after two reads. Takes a lot of sacks/big hits and he isn’t a stranger to being dinged up. Lowers pace on his footwork at times and that can cause him to be overly reliant on his arm rather than good mechanics.
Big Picture
I always grade NFL rosterable quarterbacks in one of 3 tiers. Potential franchise guy (1st round), high upside project (Day 2), or cheap system dependent backup (Late day 3). I see Fields as a potential franchise guy. This is primarily due to his high-end athleticism combined with his passing ability. Will need to go to a team that is willing to build an offense around his scrambling ability that will ease him to NFL speed for the first couple of years with a bunch of RPO and quick read concepts to maximize his development and get him to a place where you can win because of him, not with him.
Player Comp
Cam Newton
Athleticism:
8.35
Measuring at 6'3 228, Fields is a top end athlete relative to the quarterback position. He was the top rated dual threat QB out of high school for a reason, having impressive explosiveness and linear speed for his size. His lateral agility shows in the pocket as well as in 1 on 1 tackle situations. Good pocket mobility and ability to avoid free rushers.
Agility | Scrambling Ability and | RPO and Play Action | Explosiveness/Speed | Pocket Mobility/Avoid Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
8.75 | 8.75 | 7.75 | 9 | 7.5 |
Passing Skills:
Big Play Ability
7.25
Big Play Ability | Touch and Ball Placement | Arm Strength | Footwork |
|---|---|---|---|
8 | 7.5 | 8.25 | 7.25 |
Quick-Release/Mechanics | Delivery | Short Accuracy | Intermediate Accuracy | Deep Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | 7 | 7.75 | 8 | 7.75 |
Sluggish feet on short time dependant throws leads to him relying purely on his arm and that causes accuracy issues. Has an average throwing motion, not super snappy but not something that I believe is a cause for concern. Has fantastic velocity on his throws. His fastball is precice and tight. His arm strength is not a concern to me as he can throw the ball 60 yards down the field with touch, as well as whip one in a tight window in the red zone. He isn't a perfect thrower of the football, but what he lacks can definitely be cleaned up upon once entering the league.
7.75
Competitiveness:
Poise in Pocket | Production | Improvisational Ability | Intangibles/Leadership |
|---|---|---|---|
7.25 | 7.75 | 7.75 |
Go watch that Sugar Bowl performance against Clemson and tell me if you have any doubt in this kid's toughness or his ability as a leader. Will stand in the pocket and take a hit upon delivery. Does drop his eyes and try to bail instead of going through progressions more often than I'd like, but that is likely a coaching decision because that is a trend with Ohio State QBs since the Urban - Day era. His athletic ability lets him get away with some of his improvisiation, but he can operate off script if need be. Not a dehibilitating issue.
Intelligence:
7.5
Instincts | Field Vision | Decision Making | Pre-Snap Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
8 | 7.75 | 7.25 | 7 |
Instincts as a runner? A thing of beauty. Instincts in the pocket? Ehhhhhh, he is good at eluding the first tackle, but while he has gotten better with his internal clock it still needs to develop a little bit further. Ohio State didn't put much on his plate in terms of pre snap adjustments.