2017 NFL Draft: Miami Brad Kaaya Scouting Report

The 2017 NFL Draft is a in the distant future, but now is the time to start doing work on prospects like Miami’s Brad Kaaya.

Brad Kaaya is one of several quarterback prospects getting early consideration as one of the players to watch for the 2017 draft. He’s an experienced player who already has 25 college starts under his belt. His experience is just one of his positive traits.

Kaaya stands in the pocket with great balanced and poise. He features a smooth and easy throwing motion that allows him to quickly get the ball out of his hands. Kaaya needs to be more consistent with squaring his body to his target.

At times, he will make a last second decision to throw it to a secondary target. This negatively impacts his accuracy and ball placement. However, it’s important to note that in most situations he does square up before he throws the ball.

Kaaya’s accuracy is one of the biggest issues with his game at this point. He struggles with ball placement and often delivers a pass that forces his receivers to stop their momentum and thus limiting yards-after-catch opportunities.

This appears to be tied to a lack of anticipation and the fact that Kaaya is more of a see-it throw-it quarterback. He needs to do a better job reading the defense and quickly identifying his open target. This is something that can be corrected through coaching and more experience.

We should expect to see some changes in Kaaya’s game thanks to Miami’s addition of Mark Richt as head coach. Richt is an offensive minded coach who is known for his ability to develop quarterbacks. He has previously worked with quarterbacks such as Charlie Ward, Chris Weinke and Matthew Stafford.

An area where Kaaya needs a lot of work is his deep ball accuracy. He struggles delivering a catchable bucket pass often getting too much loft and under throwing his receiver. The ability to consistently connect on deep passes is a key to any NFL quarterback’s success.

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Kaaya has good height for the position, but does need to add some bulk to his frame. This is something that can be improved by getting into the weight room and working with an NFL nutritionist.

His athleticism isn’t something that will help him in the draft process. He lacks the quickness and speed to out run defender or pick up yards with his legs. However, it’s important to note that Kaaya does a good job navigating the pocket by taking subtle steps to avoid the rush.

Kaaya shows solid arm strength, but there are times when the ball doesn’t get delivered on a line. He needs to focus on stepping into his throws and exploding off his back foot in order to generate enough zip. His tendency to float some balls up for grabs in the middle of the field is also concerning.

However, this is a talented quarterback prospect who has a chance to come off the board in the early rounds. He has the natural talents, experience and toughness evaluators look for in a quarterback. The presence of Mark Richt is something that should only help his draft stock by giving him some experience in a pro-style system.

Current Draft Range: Late 3rd Round