2018 NFL Draft: Key strengths and weaknesses for J.T. Barrett

Weakness: Arm Strength

In addition to struggling to put the ball in the most ideal of places, J.T. Barrett doesn’t exactly have the biggest arm. It’s a concerning flaw for a quarterback who doesn’t have much to fall back on as far as throwing the ball is concerned.

Barrett can work to improve the way he drives through his throws, but we would be remiss to ignore the concerns about his arm strength.

Barrett completed a mere 28 percent of his throws that traveled at least 21 yards in 2017. That’s an alarmingly low number for a player who must at least be able to complete deep throws when the opportunities are presented to him.

It’s another weakness that can be corrected in time, but the harsh reality is that Barrett hasn’t yet displayed the ability to make deep throws with consistency.

There’s certainly a precedent for quarterbacks finding success in the NFL without the ability to routinely make deep throws. The concerns about Barrett’s arm strength go deeper, however, as some also worry that he doesn’t have enough velocity behind his short and intermediate passes.

Barrett’s arm is stronger than he’s been given credit for, but being able to put some zip on a pass will be a crucial development for a long-term career.