Friday’s PFT Live included a visit with Jets quarterback Josh McCown. And it eventually became apparent that McCown is a budding draft expert.
“For me that’s part of what I enjoy doing,” McCown said regarding the analysis of incoming rookie quarterbacks. “I’ve got a computer set up in my office here at the house with all the college quarterbacks on it, and I’m watching them. For me trying to sharpen my skills as being able to evaluate young guys coming into this league. I would like to do that one day. Obviously whether it’s with the Jets or anybody to be able to say, ‘This is my thoughts or opinions on a guy.’ I would love to share that. I think that’s part of it. At this age you have to welcome the young guys in and be able to share your knowledge with them.”
Unlike former NFL G.M. Bill Polian, who has hitched his wagon to the “Lamar Jackson should move to receiver” narrative, McCown believes Jackson will thrive.
“A lot of times what you have to look at is what are these young guys being asked to do in their systems?” McCown said. “When you get a talent like Lamar you can go, ‘Man, there is so much that we can do.’ Especially with . . . the RPOs and things like that. There’s an ability to move the football with his legs. We saw it at times when he just won football games with his legs, period.
“I think sometimes when you see that then it’s easy to just go, ‘Man, he should play receiver.’ But when you watch this guy throw the ball, he’s really got a good whip. The ball comes out of his hand pretty hard. Those are the things I think you have to take into consideration.”
McCown actually thinks that, with the changes to the pro game in recent years, Jackson could do even better at the next level.
“You get a guy like that -- and I’m not comparing him to Dak Prescott -- but why did Dak Prescott go in the fourth round?” McCown said. “Well, because maybe in college he wasn’t being asked to make some of these throws and play in a system. Then he gets into the league, and his game translates to the league better than college. I think Lamar Jackson could fall in that mold where you get this kid and you say, ‘Hey do these things,’ and that may open up a whole other part of his skill set that we didn’t see. Even more recently Deshaun Watson last year. He’s an intriguing prospect to me because of his athleticism, because of the home run speed that he has and because I think when you get him into a system there’s a lot of upside for him.”
Here’s hoping that current evaluators listen more to McCown and less to Polian. They have every reason to do that, given that there still aren’t enough good quarterbacks to go around.