Draft Profile Series: A.J. McCarron
- Updated: April 28, 2014
As we approach the deepest NFL Draft in recent memory, I’ll give my breakdown and analysis of 75 top prospects in this year’s class. At the conclusion of this series, I will include my final overall and positional rankings, as well as my mock draft.
A.J. McCarron, QB, 6-3, 220, Alabama
Key stats: Passed for 9,019 yards with 77 TDs and just 15 picks in his career.
Strengths: Smart, poised leader who is smart with the football. … Played in pro-style offense, and had great coaching. … Anticipates and throws receivers open. … Accurate and throws with very nice touch in intermediate routes. … Reads defenses well and makes proper adjustments after his pre-snap reads. … Has equal experience playing under center and in the shotgun. … Can throw with accuracy on the run. … Came up with big drives when his team needed them and led the Crimson Tide to two National Championships.
Weaknesses: Isn’t a great athlete and doesn’t possess the strongest arm. … Will need to get stronger. .. Was much of his success due to the wealth of talent surrounding him? … Usually had plenty of time to throw, but struggled when facing pressure. Doesn’t keep eyes downfield when rush is closing in. … Held onto the ball too long at times, instead of feeling pressure and checking ball down.
Conclusion: McCarron was a great leader for Alabama, going 34-2 as a starter. … While he doesn’t have elite tools for the position, he’s racked up as many big wins as nearly any quarterback in college football history. … His intangibles are enough to earn a shot in the NFL. … People have compared him to Tom Brady. … That kind of success is not very likely. … But, more realistically, he’s a smart and capable NFL backup who could become a solid starter.
NFL comparison: Matt Cassel.
Draft projection: Third round.
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