2018 NFL Draft: What the top QB prospects must prove at Scouting Combine

Mason Rudolph is nursing a left foot sprain, which will capture the attention of most everyone at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. If Rudolph’s foot checks out, however, he’ll still have an issue that scouts, coaches, and general managers will be interested in studying.

Rudolph played quarterback in a spread offense, and will now have to prove that he can get velocity behind his throws off of a three, five, or even seven-step drop.

Rudolph is one of the most accurate passers in this draft class, but his questionable footwork impacts the velocity on his throws. He doesn’t have the cleanest strides on his dropbacks, which inevitably hurts his ability to drive his lower body through his throws.

In turn, his passes have a tendency to hang and float, which makes Rudolph susceptible to both incompletions and turnovers in the NFL.

Rudolph played in a spread offense in both high school and college, which is the reason for the skepticism in NFL circles. His size, strength, and pocket presence are remarkable strengths, but coaches are uncertain of how well he can perform in a traditional offense.

If Rudolph comes out and shows that he can get the ideal zip behind his throws off of a traditional dropback, he’ll go a long way towards silencing his critics.\