The SEC’s single-season touchdown pass leader, Missouri’s Drew Lock, is NFL bound. Will he be the next NFL star or be like the last quarterback from his school drafted and be a dud?
Name: Drew Lock
School: Missouri
Position: QB
Projected Draft Position: Mid First Round
Missouri’s Drew Lock may have the best arm of any quarterback in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 6’4 gunslinger has a huge arm and can stretch the ball downfield with a quick trigger. However, his big arm can sometimes get him into trouble as he is prone to making poor throwing decisions. For Lock, he will look to be far better than the last Missouri quarterback drafted. That would be Blaine Gabbert, one of the biggest duds in NFL history.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports has Lock’s draft stock trending upwards. Trapasso loves Lock’s ability to make all sorts of plays. “Aggressive to all areas of the field. There isn’t a throw he thinks he can’t make. Typically impressive throwing on the run.”
Though Trapasso also worries about Lock’s decision making. “he’s not consistent with it and can prematurely leave clean pockets.” We have seen NFL Team’s take a chance on big-armed quarterbacks who struggle with consistency before, with mixed results.
Drew Lock finds himself in a good position, as Oregon’s Justin Herbert is staying in school. This means Lock enters the early stage of the offseason as the second quarterback on most teams big boards. Lock will have plenty to prove at the combine and during team workouts.
The Missouri Quarterback will have plenty of skeptics, and he will have to shake the Blaine Gabbert comparisons, but Lock has shown flashes and could be an above average starter at the next level. As with any rookie, much of their success and development is determined by their situation. If Lock lands with a team where he is not rushed into starting duty, it would be to his benefit.
Let’s take a closer look at Drew Lock as a prospect.