Carson Wentz Scouting Report, QB, North Dakota State, 2016 NFL Draft

Introduction

Hometown: Bismarck, North Dakota
High School: Bismarck century
Recruitment: Preferred walk-on
Injuries/Discipline: Broken wrist was sustained in 2015

Awards

CoSIDA Football Academic All-American of the Year (2015)
CoSIDA Division I First-team Academic All-American (2014, 2015)
FCS National Champion (2014, 2015)

Measurables

Height: 6'5"
Weight: 220
Class: Junior
Projected 40 Time: 4.54

Stats

Passing

2012 - 16 Attempts, 12 Completions, 75%, 144 yards, 2 TD's, 0 INT's
2013 - 30 Attempts, 22 Completions, 73.3%, 209 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT's
2014 - 358 Attempts, 228 Completions, 63.7%, 3111 yards, 25 TD's, 10 INT's
2015 - 208 Attempts, 130 Completions, 62.5%, 1651 yards, 17 TD's, 4 INT's

Rushing

2012 - 5 Rushes, 22 Yards, 4.4 Average, 1 TD
2013 - 10 Rushes, 70 yards, 7.0 Average, 0 TD's
2014 - 138 Rushes, 642 yards, 4.7 Average, 6 TD's
2015 - 63 Rushes, 294 Yards, 4.7 Average, 6 TD's

Positives

• Excellent size for the position.
• Very coachable
• Intelligent
• Excellent work ethic
• Good mobility
• Extends plays with pocket awareness
• Good vision
• Works to his 2nd or 3rd read regularly
• Has some real athleticism in the open field
• Good arm strength
• Can make all the throws with zip and anticipation
• Excellent decision maker
• Can improvise when the play breaks down.
• Winning mentality. 2 years starting, 2 national championships (FCS)
• North Dakota throw the ball downfield, not a spread system.
• Very quick release
• Throws a good spiral with good velocity

Negatives

• Could do with adding a little bulk.
• Didn't face elite competition.
• On occasions he can lock onto his primary.
• Needs to work on his technique to ensure he's always throwing off a good platform.

Conclusion

It's a shame that Wentz will be long gone by the time the Jets come to make their selection. I personally think he'll be the first QB taken and I think he'll be a top 10 selection as well. He is the most pro-ready, complete QB in the draft. With the leadership, intelligence and physical skills to become a very good QB at the next level.

Wentz grew from a small high school freshman, to a very big high school senior. He moved to QB his senior year which resulted in him going under recruited, walking on in North Dakota. He had to wait his turn before having the chance to start in 2014, and he delivered in a big way. He has two years of starting experience, and he has two FCS championships to his name.

He reminds me of a more athletic Big Ben. He can really stand in the pocket and deliver under pressure. He improvises as well as anyone, never giving up on a play and turning a sack into a big gain. If you listen to him, you know he loves football, and he understands the work required to be a top level QB. Coaches say his biggest advantage is his mental appreciation for the intricacies of football, knowing the play-book and reading defences.

The competition argument is bound to come up in conversations and it's impossible to ignore. He was playing teams like Jacksonville State, Northern Iowa and Weber State. However the talent is obvious for anyone to see.

Draft Grade: 88

90-100 = Exceptional Talent
80-90 = Impact Player
70-80 = NFL Starter
60-70 = Solid NFL Potential
50-60 = Draftable - Lot of work needed
>50 = Undraftable, - Long Shot To Stick