Quarterback 

Washington

6-3 231

Draft Board Overall Quarterback Rank: #4

Draft Board Overall Prospect Rank: #80

Rating: 72 (mid 3rd round) 

40 time: 4.52

4/16/11: You’re probably thinking, Locker went 39 of 41, why are you knocking him? He had what was called a “deliberately easy” work out. Do I really want a signal caller who doesn’t challenge himself? Where’s the confidence? It’s also worth noting that the Seahawks were the only ones who sent their head coach to watch him and the Titans were the only ones who had decision makers, upper level executives, there. I would be really surprised if he went 12^th to Minnesota like some are projecting. He’s probably a 2^nd rounder. 

2/15/11: Jake Locker lost a lot of money returning to Washington for his Senior Season. He was being talked about as a potential #1 pick, over Sam Bradford, last year and probably wouldn’t have fallen out of the top 10. The Redskins might have drafted him, as Mike Shanahan admits he really liked Locker as a prospect coming out last year, though the Redskins eventually traded for Donovan McNabb.

Now, he’s being talked about as a potential 2nd or 3rd round pick. I think the absolute highest he’s taken is 10th by the Redskins, who, after a falling out with Donovan McNabb, need a new quarterback. However, I don’t know if they’d use the 10th pick on him because I can’t think of any other team that would draft him in the top 20.

Seattle at 25 makes sense as he’s a hometown kid who played in a system run by Steve Sarkisian at Washington. Sarkisian happens to be a former assistant of Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. Someone could always trade up into the bottom of the first round, but if he gets by Washington and Seattle and no one trades up, he’ll fall into the 2nd round.

I was never that high on Locker. I had a 2nd round grade on him last and before he decided to return to Washington, citing his lack of footwork and accuracy. Since returning to Washington, his accuracy problems haven’t improved, at all. His completion percentage dropped from 58.2% to 55.4%. He completed 4-20 against Nebraska. 5-16 in a rematch against Nebraska. 10-21 for 68 yards against UCLA. 7-14 for 64 yards against Stanford. Those are all terrible games.

Lot of people like to blame his lack of elite stats on his supporting cast and though his supporting cast is somewhat to blame, a lot of the blame has to fall on Locker. His footwork is terrible and he often overthrows open receivers. He often misses open receivers entirely in his reads. His accuracy didn’t improve with a better supporting cast at the Senior Bowl, not in practices or the game. He almost kills two receivers on two separate wild throws in the game. 

When asked about his accuracy at the Senior Bowl, about how he’s never completed more than 60% of his passes in a season, he didn’t respond with a reason, like stats don’t show the whole picture. He said it’s because he hasn’t been playing under center for that long, making an excuse (plus he’s been under center for 3 or 4 years, so it’s a bad excuse at that). 

I also question Locker’s leadership. His record at Washington was 15-26, a lot of which does have to fall on the shoulders of the quarterback. He also choose to return to Washington rather than challenging himself at the next level in 2009, which I see as a sign of weakness and lack of confidence. 

What Locker does have is a cannon arm, great athleticism, and mobility, and experience in a Pro Style West Coast offense. However, that doesn’t make him an NFL quarterback. It makes him a project, someone who’s not ready to step in right away. I’m not questioning the upside. I’m questioning whether he’ll ever make good on it.

NFL Comparison: Brian Brohm