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.
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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.






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