STRENGTHS
Matt has excellent arm strength, velocity, and accuracy and can make all the throws needed for the next level. He shows the ability to throw with accuracy from different release points while throwing from the pocket or out of the pocket, extending the play. Matt is a good athlete, with the speed to pick up yardage easily on those third and long downs. He has quick feet that can help him get out of trouble when the pocket breaks down and, with his ability to throw the ball with accuracy and anticipation, Matt will attract a lot of teams to select him early in this draft.
CONCERNS
Matt has a slight build so taking the beating a QB takes in a 17-game schedule will be difficult for him. Matt is what I call a systems QB, nothing wrong with that except if the team that selects him doesn’t use him in the right system, Matt will struggle to be successful. Matt doesn’t read defenses on the fly. I’m not saying he is not smart or can’t show you in practice or, on the whiteboard these needed skills, I’m saying, in a game, all of that is done for him through play calling and the up-tempo offensive system.
BOTTOM LINE: 2.66
Matt reminds me a lot of Gardner Minshew who in his short career has already played for two different teams, the Jaguars and the Eagles. The difference is that Matt has played in the SEC division and Gardner for Washington State in the Pac 12 and, Gardner traveled through some other colleges to get there. Matt is a good QB but unless the team that selects him is willing to use the same “up-tempo”, spread offense with a coach on the sidelines reading the defense and calling the plays for Matt, I suspect Matt will struggle for a few years. Matt will struggle because he will have to learn to play under center or in a huddled up, pro-style spread offense, going through progressions, for an egomaniac offensive coordinated who will not change anything to make it easier for Matt to learn. He has the talent but unless he is selected by the Arizona Cardinals I’m not sure what his future will be at the NFL level. Right now, he lacks the stoutness to take hits for a 17-game schedule and the knowledge of the game when the bullets are flying all around him. That being said, Matt has excellent arm talent and is tough and those two traits will give him a chance at the next level…also being selected by the right team, willing to use him in the right system.
