Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley is one of the top senior quarterback prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he has a prime chance to boost his stock Saturday against Michigan.
The 6-foot-4, 243-pounder is off to an efficient, albeit unimpressive statistical start to the season. He’s passed for 965 yards and eight touchdowns on the season while completing 64.4 percent of his attempts.
Stanley hasn’t thrown an interception this season, which is impressive, but that number can be a little deceiving; Stanley had at least two dropped picks in the Iowa State game alone.
He’s a traditional pocket passer that doesn’t offer much mobility in the pocket. He can climb the pocket and isn’t afraid to run if there’s nothing available downfield, but he’s a below average athlete. He’s a load to bring down, but Stanley could have issues avoiding pressure if Michigan decides to bring the heat Saturday, which they should (more on that in a minute).
The ball isn’t always pretty leaving his hand, but Stanley has NFL-caliber arm talent and displays accuracy in the short and intermediate passing games. He’s displayed the ability to squeeze it along the boundary, while he can place it in position for his receivers to pick up yardage after the catch.
Nate Stanley leads @HawkeyeFootball to a 30-0 win over Rutgers. pic.twitter.com/82CCrPBaJp
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) September 7, 2019
His deep ball placement leaves a bit to be desired but he has flashed accuracy downfield in spurts. Stanley’s deep ball will get away from him a bit with pressure in his face but he stands tall in the pocket and isn’t afraid to take a shot.
His matchup against Michigan presents an interesting challenge, both for him and the Wolverine defense.
Despite the individual talent defensively, specifically senior edge rusher/outside linebacker Josh Uche, Michigan hasn’t been able to get after the quarterback much this season. They’ve generated just seven sacks at this point, tied for the 92nd lowest mark in the country.
This shows up in the turnover department as they also rank amongst the worst in the nation in turnovers created this season.
It won’t get any easier as they face off against one of the nation’s top offensive lines, but there is still opportunity for them in this game. Iowa’s strength is at tackle, so expect Michigan to try to bring pressure on the interior. Stanley’s set up and delivery are a bit longer than other quarterbacks, which could give Michigan’s defense an additional split second to collapse the pocket.
If he’s productive and sustains his turnover-free brand of football, Stanley is in position to improve his NFL Draft stock Saturday.
It’s early in the season and he has matchups looming against Penn State and Wisconsin, but this could be an opportunity for him to get his first signature win of the season, depending on how highly you value the Cy-Hawk rivalry.