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Christian Hackenberg is a quarterback getting some Draft buzz from the Jets. Let's take a look at him.
Measurables
Height: 6'4"
Arm Length: 32"
Weight: 223
Hand Size: 9"
Statistics
Completion Percentage: 56.1%
Yards Per Attempt: 6.8
Touchdown Rate: 3.9%
Interception Rate: 2.5%
Combine Results
40 Time: 4.78 seconds
Vertical Jump: 31.0 inches
Broad Jump: 114.0 inches
3 Cone Drill: 7.04 seconds
Bill Parcells Quarterback Rules (1/4)
Was he a senior? No
Was he a three year starter? Yes
Did he graduate? No
Did he win at least 23 games as a starting quarterback? No
26-27-60 Rule (1/2 Known)
Did he score at least 26 on the Wonderlic? Unknown at this time
Did he start at least 27 games? Yes
Did he complete at least 60% of his passes? Yes
Football Outsiders' QBASE Formula
Mean Projection, Years 3-5: -414 DYAR
Bust (less than 500) 80.1%
Adequate Starter (500-1499) 13.6%
Upper Tier (1500-2500) 5.1%
Elite (>2500) 1.2%
Compared to (Connor) Cook, Hackenberg played against a slightly tougher college schedule and had less support in NFL-caliber offensive teammates. But Hackenberg projects further below replacement level because his expected draft position is lower and his 2015 stats (53.5 percent completion rate, 7.0 YPA, 16 TDs, 6 INT) are even worse.
No quarterback in QBASE's database (all top-100 picks since 1996) has succeeded with remotely similar stats. The list of previous top-100 picks with completion rates under 55 percent in their last college season -- Brock Huard, Dave Ragone, Josh McCown, Kyle Boller, Marques Tuiasosopo and Quincy Carter -- augurs poorly for Hackenberg's NFL prospects.
PFF Draft Guide Stats
Accuracy: 64.0% (22nd of 22 QB prospects)
Accuracy Under Pressure: 47.2% (22nd of 22 QB prospects)
Deep Passing Accuracy: 39.7% (17th of 22 QB prospects)
What the Experts Say
Mike Mayock: "I have two wild cards, and the wild cards from me are Christian Hackenberg from Penn State and Cardale Jones from Ohio State, both of whom have a ton of talent, big, good-looking kids, but their tape is poor. So they're going to be wild cards as to who -- because they have the upside of being from -- from a skills perspective, they have starter skills, but their tape is poor. "
Gil Brandt: "He entered Penn State as the No. 1 QB recruit in 2013 and flourished as a freshman under now Houston Texans coach Bill O'Brien, winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year. But Hackenberg never came back around to show anything the last two years under James Franklin, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns as a sophomore and averaging fewer than 200 yards a game in 2015. I'm not saying he would have suddenly turned things around as a senior, but there certainly are a lot of questions surrounding him in this draft. He does have an ally in O'Brien, and the Texans do need a quarterback, so there's that."
Greg Cosell: "I’ve seen him throw live and I’ve talked to him. When you see him in shorts and a tee shirt he looks like Troy Aikman. He ran an offense as a freshman where he was predominantly under center with a lot of play action. He ran an offense the last two years where he was in the shotgun almost all the time and looked uncomfortable. The pure physical talent is there you just have to decide what can be coached and what can’t."
To the Film!
vs. Temple
vs. Illinois
vs. Michigan State
2014 vs. Ohio State
2014 vs. Michigan State