Lamar Jackson won a Heisman Trophy as a quarterback at Louisville, but one Hall of Fame G.M. doesn’t think much of Jackson’s chances at the next level.
Bill Polian said on ESPN today that Jackson has neither the size nor the passing ability to become a franchise quarterback.
“Short and a little bit slight,” Polian said of Jackson, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds. “Clearly, clearly not the thrower that the other guys are. The accuracy isn’t there.”
So what should Jackson do at the next level?
“I think wide receiver,” Polian said. “Exceptional athelete, exceptional ability to make you miss, exceptional acceleration, exceptional instinct with the ball in his hand and that’s rare for wide receivers. That’s [Antonio Brown], and who else? Name me another one, Julio [Jones is] not even like that.”
Polian said he thinks Jackson should begin preparing to play wide receiver now, rather than trying to make it as a quarterback at first, like Terrelle Pryor did coming out of Ohio State.
“Don’t wait to make the change. Don’t be like the kid from Ohio State and be 29 when you make the change,” Polian said.
It’s safe to say Jackson won’t be taking Polian’s advice: Jackson will work out for NFL teams as a quarterback, and prepare to get drafted by a team that views his talents differently.