NFL Draft: Scout’s Notebook

This is NFL Draft Scout’s Notebook, where Matt McGuire will list the notes he took while scouting players for the 2011 NFL Draft, 2012 NFL Draft and beyond.
Send Matt an e-mail here: [email protected].
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: [email protected]




Posted Oct. 6, 2010

Jake Locker vs. USC


Jake Locker

1st – 8:35 – Nice play action and accurate throw on run in rollout

1st – 8:05 – Throw was sligtly off target on wheel route … most NFL players make this catch

1st – 8:00 – Nice throw from Locker, but WR completely quit on route

2nd – 15:00 – Looks like WR lost the ball in the sun … great throw from Locker – nice arm strength and ball was perfectly accurate … incompletion, but a nice throw

2nd – 14:54 – Shows nice speed and athleticism on QB keeper … great toughness in lowering shoulder and absorbing hit at end of play

2nd – 12:05 – Excellent roll out and deep throw from Locker … nice trajectory to hang bal over DBs … great arm strength

2nd – 8:33 – Shows 4.4-4.5 speed on this zone read … elite athleticism for a QB

2nd – 2:27 – Hit as he was thrown and defense forces incompletion … nothing Locker could do here … good job getting ball out instead of taking sack

2nd – 1:18 – Nice job avoiding sack and checking down

2nd – 0:45 – Receiver completely covered … Locker throws ball away completley over WR head instead of risking INT at end of half … nice decision

3rd – 13:05 – Displays excellent arm strength here on naked boot

3rd – 10:55 – Ball is a little in front of receiver on post route, but receiver didn’t get a very good effort and watched the ball go right by him without diving for it or anything … difficult camera angle to judge throw on in terms of accuracy

3rd – 10:49 – Droppd ball by WR … costs Washington/Locker a first down

3rd – 7:57 – Very bad throw at feet of receiver by Locker on naked boot … receiver was open.

3rd – 2:47 – Amazing job of avoiding three pass rushers and staying balanced in pocket … delivers strike for a first down on 3rd and 18 …

3rd – 2:08 – Receivers all covered and throws ball away

3rd – :31 – Nice mental clock in pocket, steps up and makes decison to run … uses speed and picks up a first down

3rd – :02 Nice touch and accuracy, ball hits WR in hands and he doesn’t make catch … should have been a TD here

4th – 6:40 – Hits WR in hands on wheel route and he drops pass for potentially big yardage

4th – 6:12 – Hits WR in hands on slant again and WR Kearse drops pass

4th – 6:07 – Ball hits WR in hands … difficult catch and might have been interference … another solid throw by Locker … teammates didn’t help him out on this drive

4th – 2:34 – No receivers open and throws ball away

4th – 2:26 – Poor protection by OL and ball is stripped by DE … OL overmatched here and not much Locker can do … receivers struggling to get open

4th – 2:11 – BAll hits WR Kearse in hands again on slant and he drops football … Locker getting no help from teammates

4th – 2:08 – Shows elite poise on this play … throws a laser to WR for a huge first down on 4th and 10 …

4th – 0:39 – Elite speed enables Locker to get first down on this naked boot keeper … Locker’s final drive sets up game winning – FG

Summary: I had heard Locker had some bad throws in this game. I only saw one poorly inaccurate throw.

This was an incredible game by Locker – the playcalling limited him to staying out of the pocket because Wasington’s OL couldn’t handle USC, and Locker couldn’t be a pocket passer if his team was going to win.

I wonder what the Jake Locker haters are saying now about his inability to “win”. He overcame a lot of adversity in this game – a road game against USC, a hostile environment, and his teammates not helping him out very much.






MISSING





NFL Picks - Oct. 10


2025 NFL Mock Draft - Oct. 9


NFL Power Rankings - Oct. 8


Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4