I'm a few weeks into my First Look series and I've already revealed my scouting reports on two of the top QBs in the country, Wyoming's Josh Allen and USC's Sam Darnold. Well, there are more than two big-time signal-callers in college football. In fact, prior to last fall the QB everyone was gushing about wasn't Allen or Darnold -- it was UCLA's Josh Rosen. He didn't quite have the year we all expected, but it wasn't all his fault. I'll explain below. Here's my scouting report on the Bruins quarterback.

Josh Rosen, junior quarterback, UCLA

Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 220 pounds (school measurements)

2016 statistics (missed 6 of 12 games due to injury): 137-of-231 (59 percent) for 1,915 yards, 10 TDs, 5 INTs.

Game tape watched: Texas A&M (Sept. 3, 2016), Arizona (Oct. 1, 2016), USC (Nov. 28, 2015), every pass attempt on third down with 6 or more yards to go from 2015 and 2016 seasons.

What I liked: Rosen is a fun player to watch on tape. He has the purest throwing motion I've seen in a long time. He is silky smooth and has a very quick release. His footwork is crisp when he's under center and he throws with a very firm base. He has touch underneath and the velocity to fit balls into tight spaces down the field.

Rosen flashes the ability to manipulate safeties, reset his feet and deliver accurate throws down the seam. He isn't a dynamic athlete, but he has some escapability and will use his legs to pick up first downs when the opportunities are presented.

Where he needs to improve: Rosen does some good things when he's under duress, but he also has a tendency to get careless with the football. He'll force balls into coverage or throw blindly at times. He wasn't afforded the luxury of good offensive line play or a healthy rushing attack in 2016, and he tried to do too much on his own. Rosen needs to learn to throw the ball away and protect the possession as well as his own body. He missed the majority of the 2016 campaign (shoulder injury), but he still took a season's worth of hits.

I see a lot of criticism about his low completion percentage, but he's been plagued by a lot of drops and a very average supporting cast. I did have some concerns about the health of his injured shoulder, but my Move The Sticks Podcast partner Bucky Brooks recently watched Rosen throw live and gave me a glowing report.

Biggest takeaway: When I watched the tape from Rosen's freshman season, I was reminded why there was so much buzz about him a year ago. He is a graceful passer when he has some protection and a place to throw the football. He has the size, arm strength and intelligence to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL.

His sophomore season was disappointing, but there were still glimpses of his great potential (see scramble TD throw vs Arizona). He might be the polar opposite of Eli Manning when it comes to personality, but I do see some similarities in their playing style. Both of them are streaky passers capable of playing at a high level. They can throw with touch and timing while also possessing enough arm strength to fit balls into tight windows in the middle of the field. If Rosen can stay healthy, I have no doubt he will reemerge as one of the premier players in the country.

I can't wait to see him play ... vs. Texas A&M on Sept. 3. Rosen was beaten up in last year's meeting against the Aggies, but he competed his butt off in that overtime loss. He'll have a chance to avenge that defeat when the Bruins host A&M at the Rose Bowl this fall. Fortunately for Rosen, Myles Garrett won't be making the trip to the West Coast this time.

1. I would not ignore DeShone Kizer’s strong spring in Cleveland. My sense is he’s proven to be the most talented quarterback on the roster and is right in the thick of the competition to be the team’s Week 1 starter.




With that in mind, I checked on Trubisky, Mahomes and Watson after six weeks in their teams’ offseason programs. Here’s what I found …

• Trubisky: The Bears rookie’s strides through May and June came in learning a lot of the basics. Through no fault of his own, Trubisky arrived with relatively little knowledge of defense in general or coverage in particular, and so he’s gotten a crash course in those areas and has made strides there. The other area of improvement came in the basics. At North Carolina, Trubisky got play calls from the sideline, didn’t take a single snap from center and never huddled. Early in OTAs, that was apparent. By the end, he was getting the hang of calling plays in the huddle and taking snaps. And he’s impressed with his accuracy and his movement skills—he doesn’t just run 4.6, he plays at 4.6, which should ease his growth once he gets on the field.

• Mahomes: Coming from Texas Tech, Mahomes probably had the furthest to go of these three, and so the best thing I heard about him out of Kansas City was something pretty simple—he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. Like Trubisky, Mahomes had to learn how to spit out a play call in the huddle, and towards the end of spring it was clear that he was starting to see the calls in a way where he could be thinking about the defense, rather than his own verbiage, as he broke it. And he’s done good work learning not only progressions, but also the why’s behind where he’s going with the ball based on what the defense is throwing at him. We said a few weeks ago that Mahomes won’t even be a consideration to play until he leaves the huddle thinking about the defense and not the offense. So these steps he’s taken are good ones.

• Watson: Tom Savage will enter camp as the Texans starter, but Watson is, as I understand it, way ahead of where the team expected him to be at the post-spring break. He’s made leaps over the past two months in his knowledge of the system, and ability to call plays and protections. Watson also has shown accuracy, arm, smarts and instincts in his on-field work. Another thing that’s been consistent coming out of Houston is that the quarterback room is a much healthier place than it was a year ago. Watson’s worth ethic has impressed and he’s easily fit in with Savage and Brandon Weeden, while pushing Savage in certain ways. The Texans don’t need their quarterback to be a superstar, so Savage still makes sense as the starter. But Watson has absolutely done all he can to affirm his spot as the team’s quarterback of the future.

So it’s easy to say in June, but so far, so good for those three. And if things are good for their teams, all this work these quarterbacks are doing will continue to happen in the background, which would be quite the departure from recent history.

If Luke Falk had entered the 2017 NFL Draft, I believe he would've been selected at some point in the first two rounds. He elected to return to Washington State for his senior campaign, though, and I believe he made the right decision. There's plenty to love about his game, but I thought an extra year at the collegiate level would increase his chances of having a long, successful NFL career. Here's my scouting report for the Cougars QB.


Luke Falk, senior quarterback, Washington State

Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 225 pounds (school measurements)

2016 statistics: 443-of-633 (70 percent) for 4,468 yards, 38 TDs, 11 INTs.

Game tape watched: Boise State (Sept. 10, 2016), Idaho (Sept. 17, 2016), Minnesota (Dec. 27, 2016).

What I liked: Falk operates with excellent poise. He never looks flustered and he shows a complete command of coach Mike Leach's offensive system. While much will be mentioned about the lack of production for some of the top QBs in the country, Falk doesn't have that issue. His career stats are eye-popping.

Falk operates in the shotgun and he is quick to scan and throw with anticipation. Although he plays in an Air Raid offense, he does read the entire field. He has a very quiet lower body (calm, firm base) and a smooth release. He has tremendous touch at all three levels. Leach gives him a lot of responsibility in the offense and he has handled it extremely well.

Where he needs to improve: Falk doesn't possess a huge arm. It hasn't been a big issue for Falk because he is so adept at throwing with anticipation. However, he does need to add some RPMs to his throws and it has been reported that he's added weight/strength during the offseason. He's a functional athlete, capable of avoiding the free rusher, but he isn't much of a threat as a ball carrier. Fair or unfair, he will have to answer questions about the lack of success Air Raid QBs have had at the next level. I think he'll be given more responsibility to make calls at the line of scrimmage this season and that should ease some of those concerns.

Biggest takeaway: Falk was smart to return to school for his senior season. I doubt he would've started as an NFL rookie this fall, and he's guaranteed to get thousands of reps (practices/games) at Washington State. I've had a chance to visit with him and I came away very impressed. He reminds me a lot of Kirk Cousins. Both guys played a lot of football in college (4-year players) and helped elevate their programs. They are also both very mature and respected by coaches and teammates. If Falk can add a little strength, I think he's going to be a long-term starter at the next level.

I can't wait to see him play ... Stanford on Nov. 4. I know most college football fans will point to the Apple Cup matchup (Nov. 25 at Washington) as must-see TV, but I'm looking forward to this rematch. Falk torched the Cardinal on the road last fall, throwing for 357 yards and 4 TDs. If he can somehow come close to duplicating those numbers and knock off Stanford for the second straight season, it would send quite a message to NFL evaluators.

Lamar Jackson took home the Heisman Trophy last year, but he's not receiving as much buzz as some of the other top QB prospects heading into the 2017 season. He is college football's most electric playmaker and Louisville is capable of knocking off any team in the country when he's on his game. I recently had a chance to study three of his games from last season. Here's my scouting report.

Lamar Jackson, junior quarterback, Louisville

Height, weight: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds (school measurements)

2016 statistics: 230-of-409 (56 percent) for 3,543 yards, 30 TDs, 9 INTs. 260 carries for 1,571 yards (6.0 average), 21 TDs.

Game tape watched: Florida State (Sept. 17, 2016), Clemson (Oct. 1, 2016), Houston (Nov. 17, 2016)

What I liked: Jackson primarily aligns in the shotgun/pistol, but he does take some snaps from under center. He shows quick feet in his drop and has an explosive/snap delivery. He can generate plenty of velocity without incorporating much of his lower half. He flashes the ability to accurately drive the ball into tight windows.

He has tremendous upside as a passer but his ability to make plays with his legs is what makes him special. He has Mike Vick-type explosiveness when he takes off on designed QB runs or scrambles. He gets up to top speed immediately and destroys pursuit angles from opposing safeties. He isn't quite as shifty as Vick, but he is just as fast in a straight line.

Where he needs to improve: Jackson has a ways to go to develop into a consistently accurate passer. He has a bad habit of locking out his front leg, screwing himself into the ground and falling off throws. This dramatically affects his ball placement and touch. He flashes the ability to work to Nos. 2-3 in his progression, but usually if No. 1 isn't there, he looks to run. In his defense, the pass protection at Louisville was terrible at times (see Houston game).

The other major concern about Jackson is his thin frame. He is very wiry and he'll need to add some bulk to withstand a 16-game schedule at the next level. The same things were said about Deshaun Watson early in his college career. He packed on plenty of bulk before leaving Clemson and hopefully Jackson will do the same.

Biggest takeaway: I don't use the Mike Vick comparison lightly. Vick is the most explosive quarterback to ever play the position. Jackson has that type of dynamic speed. However, Vick was a more polished passer and Jackson has some mechanical improvements that need to be made before he'll be capable of matching Vick's professional success. If Jackson can clean some of these issues up, watch out!

I can't wait to see him play ... Clemson on Sept. 16. Jackson put on an impressive display against the Tigers last fall, but Louisville came up a little short against the eventual national champions. This time, Jackson gets to play the Tigers at home. Last year, a highly rated Florida State squad came to Louisville and got thrashed. That was probably the moment that won Jackson the Heisman Trophy. If he leads his team to a win over Clemson this year, his campaign for a second consecutive Heisman would receive a huge jolt.

By: Eric Galko

The first weekend of college football was not kind to many of the top quarterbacks around the country outside of Louisville’s Lamar Jackson. Wyoming’s Josh Allen was no exception, and maybe had the most frustrating performance of all.

Allen, entering the year with the most hype of any non-Power 5 conference quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger in 2003, boasts wowing arm talent and flashes on film that invoke words like “rare”, “special” and the always-coveted “elite.” But it’s time to temper the expectations for the Wyoming junior.

Allen, who certainly offers a high-end NFL skill set, struggled mightily against Iowa on Saturday. He led his offense to just one scoring drive in a 24-3 loss. Allen won’t be pleased with his technique, timing or turnovers in his debut game of the 2017 season either: He completed 23 of 40 passes for 174 yards and two interceptions.

Wyoming’s game plan against Iowa — likely determined in large part due to the departed players Wyoming lost this offseason to graduation and the NFL — was to restrict the passing game to horizontally stretching quick passes, especially early in the game. Those quick passes limited the vertical passing Allen has become known for, and ultimately put added pressure on him to succeed on third downs.

Allen was sacked three times on third-down attempts, finished just 4 for 7 on such plays and only converted a first down on four occasions, one of which was a run. That gives roughly a 36 percent first-down conversation rate. Last season, Allen finished with a 43 percent conversion rate, among the worst of any future NFL quarterback in the country a season ago. So his struggles on third down are nothing new.

More worrisome was his ineffectiveness in timing, anticipation, and decision-making on the perimeter. Allen, who has a loose cannon of an arm, knows he can make throws other quarterbacks can’t. But he far too often attempts throws no quarterback should attempt.

On the play below, Allen rushes to the right side rollout, and immediately has an idea where he wants to go on the perimeter. He rushes his footwork because he knows the window is closing, relies almost entirely on his arm, and forces a throw that likely put the game out of reach in the third quarter.

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Allen will often get the “gunslinger” trait when his off-balanced, elite arm talent throws end up working out. But his decision-making and mental patience affect more of his game than just downfield throws. His mental process continually appears rushed, and the speed of the game against complete, quality defenses is repeatedly evident on film. This play is an inexcusable and lazy mistake.

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Allen struggled against Iowa. His performance was inadequate, given the praise he has received this offseason.

But it wasn’t entirely bad, and it’s not entirely predictive of the type of quarterback he’ll be by season’s end.

It’s throws like the one below, despite the rushed footwork and timing on the throw, that NFL scouts immediately see translating to the NFL level. He throws it over 25 yards, off-balance, right on the money, with room for his receiver to cut upfield along the sideline after the first-down. It’s throws like this that get offensive coordinators excited. “If he can make plays like this WITHOUT my coaching, imagine what I can do when I have him for a full off-season.”

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Allen may have already garnered an inaccurate comparison to Cam Newton, but as the season goes on, I’d imagine he begins to be compared to two former first-round picks with big arms, reckless playing style and ample excitement about their potential: Patrick Mahomes and Ben Roethlisberger.

Mahomes, like Allen, didn’t boast a great winning percentage in college, and became known for similar improvised vertical throws that wow in the moment and excite on film. But Mahomes wasn’t appreciated enough during his time at Texas Tech for his ability to process the field mentally and grow far beyond the limitations of the Texas Tech offense.

Ben Roethlisberger has become the coveted comparison for any quarterback coming out of the draft, and many have received that label, deservedly or not, including Newton, Andrew Luck, Christian Hackenberg and Carson Wentz. But Allen has more than just elite size and a remarkably talented arm in common with Roethlisberger.

Just like Allen, Ben Roethlisberger had to travel to Iowa to play the Hawkeyes in his first game of what would be his final collegiate season. He, like Allen, played terribly, finishing with four interceptions and five sacks. Roethlisberger went on to win every one of his games after that en route to a 13-1 season, eventually becoming a top-15 pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Allen wasn’t a top-five quarterback on film for Optimum Scouting to start the year, and has plenty to prove still to merit consideration there.

NFL decision-makers are highly “intrigued” by Allen, but he’s far behind a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes in terms of mental process, timing, and patience. He has all the talent you’d want if you were building a quarterback from scratch, but he’s a ways away from being a quarterback you’d trust in the NFL.

Allen has time to recover for his team and NFL Draft projection’s sake, and he’ll have plenty of Mountain West teams to beat up on this year and wow with his arm strength. But with many enthusiastically eating up all the hype that Allen has been praised with this off-season, he has left a bad taste in the mouths of fans and NFL scouts across the country.