Eagles Draft: Meet Rookie QB Clayton Thorson
With the 167th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Eagles selected quarterback Clayton Thorson out of Northwestern. Thorson, who is the only QB in Big 10 history to throw for 10,000 yards and rush for 20 TDs, will compete for the role of backing up Carson Wentz.
Despite the obvious commitment to Wentz as the team’s quarterback of the future, the Eagles taking a quarterback isn’t much of a surprise. Nate Sudfeld is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2020, and Jeffrey Lurie was clear about his desire for the team to take a quarterback every other year in the draft.
Though Thorson (or any QB not named Wentz) having to line up behind center in meaningful games wouldn’t be ideal, Thorson is somewhat trustworthy if he were to be called upon. Thorson is viewed as a steady prospect with a high floor and low ceiling, with the fundamentals and experience to create a legitimate opportunity for himself in the NFL.
Thorson started all four years at Northwestern, finishing with a record of 36-17 in those games. Thorson has plus-size as a passer, standing at 6’4 and 222 pounds. Thorson threw 61 touchdowns and 45 interceptions in college, completing 58.4% of his passes, and he averaged 6.3 yards per pass. Thorson has a big arm, which will be important considering the importance of the deep ball in the Eagles offense. Thorson also has a great ability to make plays with his legs, adding a nice addition to his game.
Similar to Wentz, Thorson has had some issues with health, which may have contributed in his fall to the fifth round. In Northwestern’s 2017 bowl game, Thorson suffered a torn ACL. Thorson still played 14 games the following season, but the previous knee injured likely put a red flag next to his name. Some viewed Thorson as a potential second-round pick before the injury, and NFL.com’s Gil Brandt ranked Thorson as his 94th overall prospect before the draft.
Thorson may never play a meaningful snap for the Eagles as long as Wentz is healthy, and he has a tough position battle waiting for him against Sudfeld, someone many within the organization feel is capable of being a starting quarterback. Despite that, Thorson is still excited for the next step in his football career.
“Going to college, you come in as the guy and obviously there are guys there. I learned from Trevor Siemian my freshman year of college,” Thorson said. “I’m really looking forward to getting in there and learning from Nate and Carson and those great coaches.”
Doug Peterson understands the Eagles quarterback situation more than anyone, but he says Thorson’s winning record and Northwestern, along with his arm strength and ability to extend plays checks every box for the team.
“He fits exactly what we look for in a quarterback,” Peterson said.
Thorson’s father, Chad Thorson, played linebacker with the Eagles for six weeks back in the 1990s, which is an added bonus for the latest member of the family to join the franchise.
The Eagles could have gone a number of directions with their final pick of this years draft, but it’s hard to complain about getting an added insurance policy behind the team’s star quarterback.
The success in 2019 for the Eagles will start with the play of their quarterback, so it’s only right they finished out the draft by selecting a quarterback.
Photo: Joan Niesen/SI
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Categorized:Eagles