2021 NFL Draft: Examining the three-way battle for QB1
By Cory Kinnan
Taking a deeper look at Justin Fields
What a 2019 season it was for Justin Fields.
Not only did he transfer and receive immediate eligibility to play at Ohio State after departing from Georgia, but he finished the season with the third most votes for the Heisman Trophy. Now entering his Junior season with the Buckeyes, he and head coach Ryan Day both look to grow together and take Ohio State to new heights in 2020.
While QB1 is Trevor Lawrence’s race to lose, Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller sees a definite route to the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft for Fields:
"“Fields looked like a uniquely gifted talent playing as a first-year starter who is raw above the shoulders but showed flashes of brilliance, which should build confidence toward a high projection moving forward. He’ll have to take some drastic steps in his junior season to match the pro prospects of Lawrence. But on a physical level, they are about as neck-and-neck, and special, as any duo we’ve seen (Miller via PFN).”"
Mobility is obviously a plus for Fields as he has the ability to navigate the pocket and escape pressure; he is not a bad open field runner either. The mechanics are there, the footwork is there, now it comes down to timing on the field for the Ohio State quarterback.
The tools are there for Fields, but as Miller said, he is still raw with only one year as a starter under his belt. The accuracy is there, as his ability to throw from multiple arm slots and manipulate space. Now it is time to see a leap in Fields’ development as a mental processor on the field both pre-snap and in-play.