Silly season is upon us as the 2021 NFL Draft continues to approach us. Each and every year anonymous sources and scouts leak information to media members. The latest victim of this silly season is the 2019 Heisman Trophy finalist and Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields.
According to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, Fields is slipping down draft boards:
"“The main concern is that Justin Fields stares down the primary target. He doesn’t look away from the primary target. He doesn’t process things as quickly as they want him to. During the Senior Bowl, I mentioned how there was one team who has broken down all of Justin Fields’ passes in 2020. They said that just seven times, he looked off the primary target. The other 200+ passes he threw to his primary target.”"
For a multitude of reasons, this is downright inaccurate, and can be easily disputed by simply turning on the tape. Fields has consistently shown the ability to work every level of the field, and do so with a high level of accuracy. As for not working through progressions? This is an issues that must be addressed.
Just a reminder that Justin Fields is wacky accurate. pic.twitter.com/sX2oQ1Z5hX
— Cory (@fakecorykinnan) February 21, 2021
Justin Fields falls victim to same narrative as Watson
Coming out in 2017, former Clemson quarterback and now superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson fell victim to the same valuation by big headed media members. Implicit bias in the scouting community is still alive and well, and must be addressed. Despite being far less physically gifted and even less polished, a quarterback like Mac Jones has gotten a far bigger benefit of the doubt than Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance.
In fact, Fields and Lance are far above the curve in terms of learning verbiage and reading the field, however, it seems like the margin for error for black quarterbacks is ultra-thin with their NFL Draft stock on the line.
Ask Brent Venables if Justin Fields processes quickly enough
— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) February 20, 2021
pic.twitter.com/HNVPvn2zkC
We do this every year when we over-think a player with elite tools. Not only does Fields have elite physical tools, but he is deadly accurate as well. He is the second best quarterback in this class and should be the second one off the board this upcoming April. Don not over-think this.