2021 NFL Draft Scouting Report: QB Trey Lance

Positional ranking: #4

Big Board ranking: #11

 

Overview

Position: QB

College: North Dakota State

Class: Sophomore (RS)

Age: 20

 

Measurables

Height: 6’3 3/8”

Weight: 224 lbs.

Arm length: 31 1/2″

Hand size: 9 1/8″

 

Athletic testing

40-yard dash: N/A

Vertical jump: N/A

Broad jump: N/A

Bench press: N/A

3-cone drill: N/A

Short shuttle: N/A

 

Strengths

Impressive combination of size and athleticism. Great arm strength and velocity. Tremendous mobility and dual-threat skillset. Twitchy athlete. Able to set feet and quickly deliver an accurate ball. Throws a very tight spiral. Quick release. Very accurate on underneath throws. Decisive reading the defense on short concepts. Ideal arc on the deep ball. Excellent ball placement outside the numbers and on back-shoulder throws. Natural feel for throwing targets away from coverage down the seam. Accurate on the move (especially to the right). Really sells play-action fakes. Shows promise working through progressions. Tries to win from the pocket before running. Keeps eyes downfield while navigating the pocket. Played in a pro-style offense. Great on designed runs (quarterback power/counter). Exceptional contact balance. Can shed arm tackles. Breakaway speed and plus vision in the open field. Zero interceptions in only full season as starter.

 

Weaknesses

Limited overall experience as one-year starter. Not much of an anticipatory thrower right now. Field vision isn’t advanced. Could be better feeling/avoiding pressure in the pocket. Would like to see more consistency and cleaner mechanics as a downfield passer. Worst game through the air came in only 2020 action.

 

NFL comparison

Donovan McNabb

 

Conclusion

Overall, Lance is a dangerous dual-threat quarterback that has shown enough natural accuracy to feel good about him developing into a high-end starter in the right situation. I think Lance’s best fit would be in a West Coast offense that also takes advantage of his ability as a runner.