Evaluating quarterback play is considered one of my favourite workout routines, and there aren’t many higher individuals to do this with than a Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer.
Kurt Warner joined me on the most recent episode of “The Joel Klatt Show” to debate passing ideas, quarterback play within the NFL immediately and plenty of extra quarterback-related gadgets.
We additionally mentioned our evaluations of the quarterback prospects within the 2025 NFL Draft, significantly Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. Final month, I ranked Sanders forward of Ward in my list of the top five quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. As Warner and I can be part of NFL Community’s Draft Day protection subsequent month, I wished to choose his mind a bit and see how he views Ward and Sanders a month out from the draft.
This is a snippet of our dialog.
Klatt: So let me simply begin with this: You noticed all the fellows on the mix. As you put together for the draft, how do you stack up this class basically, and what have been your total emotions of the category after Indy?
Warner: I believed the category was stable throughout the board. After I assume again to Indy, I form of assume that a number of instances it form of goes up and down, and you bought some guys which might be fairly good, after which the fellows that are not excellent. I believed this class as an entire we had numerous guys that threw the ball nicely on the mix. I do not do a number of tape research earlier than the mix, perhaps do some bit simply to get only a contact of who these guys are. As you recognize, I do not watch a number of faculty soccer in the course of the NFL season. I am an NFL man, in the beginning. So, I wish to go to the mix and get an opportunity to see the fellows, after which I will pop on the tape afterward, which I have been doing for the final week or so.
This is the fascinating factor for me: After I watch them on tape, I am undecided any of those guys are that totally different from a processing, taking part in on time, studying the sector kind of perspective. I really feel like nearly all of these guys, at the least on the prime of the category, are very comparable guys once I watch them on tape. If you happen to simply took the names off the jerseys and also you seemed, you’d go, “OK. I’ve seen that earlier than. I’ve seen that earlier than. I’ve seen that earlier than.”
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Now Cam (Ward), he is acquired slightly additional uniqueness to his potential to throw the soccer. I feel that is what catapults him to the highest of the category. I do not assume while you watch him in comparison with these different guys, like Shedeur, Jaxson [Dart] or Tyler [Shough], that while you watch his decision-making and throwing on time that Cam jumps off the pages, like “Oh gosh, he is so a lot better in all these areas.” I simply assume he is acquired slightly uniqueness to the best way he throws the soccer. Perhaps slightly extra muscle on the ball. He has the flexibility to throw off platform. So, I feel you place [Ward] on the prime as a result of what if that expertise transfers to the subsequent degree, do we’ve one thing particular past that?
Klatt: Whenever you take a look at a man like Cam, what kind of offense do you see him thriving in on the subsequent degree?
Warner: That is an ideal query. What I actually imagine about all of those guys, even Cam, is that I am undecided any of those guys is an effective sufficient athlete to outlive on the NFL degree being an athletic quarterback, if that is sensible. You understand that the Josh Allen’s, Lamar Jackson‘s and the Patrick Mahomes‘. I feel most of those guys, if they are going to be actually good on the subsequent degree, it is acquired to come back right down to processing and getting the ball out of their fingers, as a result of I do not assume any of them are nice at shopping for time or being elusive.
That is the factor that actually fascinates me, as a result of we by no means actually know, particularly while you watch guys in faculty. It actually frustrates me to look at faculty tape as a result of once I was watching Cam, what I stated was 90% of his throws went to his first man, or it was a scramble. There wasn’t an entire lot else you’ll see. You would not see him go growth, growth and work via these items.
I feel that was the case with numerous these guys. Most guys ought to have the ability to make these throws, however I did not see the processing and dealing via issues. That is the place that is so arduous for me. If you happen to wrestle to do this on the NFL degree, I do not assume any of those guys have that additional to beat it.
Klatt: What’s your tackle Shedeur Sanders?
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Warner: Shedeur could throw the perfect ball, and what I imply by that’s the most catchable and correct of all these guys. I like that he can tempo the ball. Whether or not it is due to arm energy or no matter, he by no means throws it arduous. He by no means has to throw it via you. I like that side of issues. I like guys that perceive find out how to make totally different throws. He is acquired nice contact. I feel he throws a extremely good deep ball.
I watched a few of his [tape] from the start of the yr and I watched the final 4 video games of all these quarterbacks. You talked about the offensive line. After I break down quarterbacks, I attempt to remove what has occurred all yr lengthy. I strive to have a look at it play from play … did you do the appropriate factor on this play?
I felt within the final 4 video games, Shedeur was very uneasy within the pocket. Like, very seldom did I see him sturdy within the pocket, get again and set, and browse and ship the ball. It was like he was all the time uneasy again there. You talked concerning the sacks and points that they had upfront. Perhaps that led to, “OK, these final 4 video games, I’m simply not simple as a result of I’ve gotten hit a lot.”
That was the factor that involved me. He very seldom went via the method. It was form of like he would return, see the primary man after which get uneasy, making an attempt to create a throw versus simply taking part in the sport. That’s a priority for me. Is that one thing solely due to the scenario right here and due to the offensive line?
I appreciated the throws. I appreciated among the totally different throws and ideas he needed to play via as a result of that’s thrilling for me. After I watched Bo Nix final yr, I had the identical questions on throwing the ball down the sector. However what I cherished was that he had probably the most intensive playbook of anyone in faculty soccer final yr. … I felt that he did that extraordinarily nicely and why I felt he may translate to the NFL degree.
Shedeur needed to do a few of that. Shedeur needed to run some extra pro-style offense there. I like that a part of it, and also you’ve been uncovered to that.
Joel Klatt is FOX Sports activities’ lead faculty soccer recreation analyst and the host of the podcast “The Joel Klatt Show.” Comply with him at @joelklatt and subscribe to the “Joel Klatt Show” on YouTube.
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