The biggest pre-draft criticism of Jake Locker is the former Washington Huskies quarterback’s failure to consistently demonstrate accuracy, particularly inside the pocket. In 40 college starts, Locker completed just 53.92 percent of his passes. It’s the lowest mark among quarterbacks likely to be drafted this April.
He was much better at Wednesday’s Pro Day.
Locker completed 40-of-42 attempts, and his only misfires were on throws of 50 or more yards downfield. He did place three short passes high of his intended target, but Huskies receivers hauled them in.
Locker’s Pro Day performance compared favorably to that of Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, who completed 50-of-60 throws on March 8. Blaine Gabbert went 44-for-49 at the Missouri Pro Day, Andy Dalton 49-of-52 for TCU, and Colin Kaepernick 36-for-38 at Nevada.
After viewing the workout, former Rams and Panthers personnel man Tony Softli predicted that Locker would be the “third QB off the board,” and called him a “possible top-ten pick.”
ESPN’s Brock Huard, another Washington alum, said Locker “aced the test” and that “this is as good as I’ve ever seen him throw.”
Locker’s pre-draft schedule is far from over. He met with the Jaguars immediately after Wednesday’s Pro Day, and per our Visits and Workouts Tracker, Locker is scheduled for a private workout with the Titans on Thursday. The Broncos will work out Locker on Friday.
He’s already worked out for the Vikings (March 15), will officially visit the Titans in April, and will also work out at some point for the Seahawks.
Both Mel Kiper and Todd McShay project Locker to be Seattle’s first-round pick at No. 25 overall.