California’s Goff Cream of the Quarterback Crop for 2016 draft class
The Philadelphia Eagles took the NFL by storm Wednesday, winning the offseason trophy by trading up eight spots to the second overall pick in next week’s draft. The Eagles gave up a lot in the deal, albeit for good reason: to attain the coveted franchise quarterback the team has lacked since Donovan McNabb left.
Now, the fans must wait to see who the number one pick-holding Los Angeles Rams take, effectively giving them control of the Eagles’ future at quarterback. Many in the media believe the Rams will take Californian’s Jared Goff over the favored Wentz. While the Eagles may ultimately end up with the North Dakota State product, fans should hope LA screws this one up, and allows the higher caliber passer in Goff to come to Philly.
Having watched tape on the Berkeley junior, it is clear to most that Goff has a very good mental grasp of the game. His offense is very similar to pro passing schemes, and his reading of the game is very polished. While the play is going on, Goff goes through progressions well, as he can see him scanning the field from one side to the other quickly on tape. This also allows him to look off defenders well, creating windows to fit the ball into. Goff has a great clock in his head for pressure, almost always releasing the ball just as the defense approaches him, giving him as much time as possible to find an open receiver. One very unique aspect of Goff’s game is that he is fearless, as he throws well when about to be hit. Several times on tape, Goff is seen making a timing throw to a receiver just before being buried by a lineman.
As a thrower, Goff possesses the necessary tools to be effective right away in the NFL. His quick release helps catalyze the short passing game that Cal thrived on, which served as an alternative to the traditional, handoff-based running game. Goff is also consistently accurate on short and medium passes, which make up the bulk of NFL playbooks, and are crucial on third downs. A somewhat natural soft touch follows Goff’s seam and sideline passes, important when placing a throw so only the receiver can make a play.
While Goff’s throwing tendencies spell out his readiness to be a pro, a lack of arm strength will hurt him at the next level. It is present in the long passing game, as often times on tape Goff can’t lead receivers downfield, forcing them to come back to the ball and allowing the defender to recover. Like the last Eagles quarterback taken second overall, Donovan McNabb, Goff throws low sometimes on short and medium routes. These “worm burners” give the receiver no chance to make a catch, and simply waste a play. Goff is slightly streaky when it comes to this, and he can go a quarters at a time mixing in low passes and accurate ones.
As a runner, Goff has shown a knack for moving around well in and out of the pocket. He throws well on the run, keeping his eyes downfield no matter how far outside the tackle box he runs. His size and strength also allow him to break tackles in the open field. He is not afraid to push for the first down market, but he protects himself on runs and isn’t reckless about taking open field hits.
Overall, Jared Goff is the more NFL-ready quarterback, and is the more “sure-fire” selection to represent the franchise for the next ten years.
Photo: Flickr
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Categorized:Eagles