NFL Combine Player Draft Profiles - Michigan QB/WR/TE
Follow up to the prior post. The NFL combine website has a draft profile for every player at the combine. Since the offensive players have completed most of their drills, here is how they assessed Patterson, DPJ and McKeon:
Shea Patterson
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/shea-patterson?id=32195041-5450-3195-e593-e4da92878312
Prospect Grade: 5.60 - Chance to make end of roster or practice squad
Overview
Undersized, energetic quarterback who put tantalizing moments together on tape, but failed to sustain it at a high level. Patterson doesn't have the arm or accuracy to consistently beat NFL coverages, but he can get through progressions quickly and is willing to sit in and deliver to targets in the face of pressure. He appears to be a quick processor on the move and shows some ability to improvise and win. Finding an RPO-heavy offense that allows him to play fast and utilize his talent outside of the pocket could be critical in sticking on an NFL roster long-term as a backup.
Strengths
- Plays with energy, grit and fortitude
- Rapid setup with sudden plant and rip release
- Quick operation time on RPO throws
- Experienced in pro-style passing attack
- Works through progressions and makes quality decisions
- Climbs pocket effectively
- Sits and takes the wallop to win the throw
- Able to alter target plan quickly when needed
- Evacuates and extends the play against pressure
- Capable of moving chains with his legs
Weaknesses
- Small quarterback with below-average arm for drive throws
- Needs play-action help to open seams
- Leaves deep balls short
- Ball comes out with a wobble
- Short passes need more touch and less heat
- Release point drops, causing issues with accuracy and placement
- Consistent ball pat mechanism before throwing
- Needs to get better at hitting receivers in stride
- Slow to feel edge close in at times
Donovan Peoples-Jones
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/donovan-peoples-jones?id=32195045-4f60-4060-aa06-be3909ebff80
Prospect Grade: 5.90 - Backup/special-teamer
Overview
Former five-star and top-rated receiver coming out of high school, Peoples-Jones failed to find the success and production expected over his three seasons at Michigan. His route tempo is sluggish, but he has some savvy and shortcuts footwork for out-breaking routes to the boundary. He doesn't run well enough to play outside in the pros but has decent tape as a big slot. His pro limitations go beyond Michigan's spotty offense and he may not reach any higher than being an average backup.
Strengths
- Big receiver with imposing frame
- Stair-steps cornerbacks for leverage into routes
- Clever footwork adds quickness getting in and out of breaks
- Able to track and bring in throw over his shoulder
- Hands have been reliable during his career
- Grabbed a touchdown once every six catches over last two years
- Smooth body adjustments laying out to grab fades
- Able to break tackles and find yards after catch
- Size to help spring runs as slot blocker
Weaknesses
- Release lacks twitch and suddenness
- Press jams find him all game long
- Play speed is very gradual and non-threatening
- Will have NFL cornerbacks parked in his pocket
- Unable to shake tight man to open extended windows
- Slowed by redirection from shallow zone defenders
- Focus drops popped up against Ohio State
- Never posted a 100-yard game at Michigan
Sean McKeon
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/sean-mckeon?id=32194d43-4b34-7771-1f47-b2b98c9a4c48
Prospect Grade: 5.61 - Chance to make end of roster or practice squad
Overview
Experienced handling wham blocks, combo blocks and kick-outs, McKeon improved as a blocker as the 2019 season wore on, but he lacks the core power to match up with rugged NFL edge-setters right now. His routes don't feature much burst to separate against dedicated coverage. However, he plays with good catch focus when working the soft spots of zones. McKeon might find a roster spot or a practice squad as a late-round, developmental "Y" tight end.
Strengths
- Experience blocking in-line and in space
- Tape shows technical improvement as season progresses
- Initial contact accurate and centered in first phase of the block
- Uses inside hands and rolls hips under base blocks
- Short-area foot control and agility into breaks
- Good catch focus downfield and into the middle
- Works to uncover in scramble situations
Weaknesses
- Needs to fill out his frame to play in-line as a pro
- Inconsistent reaction time off snap
- Loses blocks in sustain mode
- Approach to second level lacks control and tempo
- Runs himself upright during route
- Dull burst out of breaks to uncover
- Route drift exacerbates contested catch total
February 28th, 2020 at 11:44 PM ^
Seems pretty accurate and thorough to me. No 100 yard receiving games for DPJ makes me sad ?
February 28th, 2020 at 11:48 PM ^
I thought the same. Pretty fair assessment of all the players. Jumping to the NFL is definitely big-boy football - tough business.
February 28th, 2020 at 11:53 PM ^
Sad that our skill players apparently lack....skill for the NFL.
February 28th, 2020 at 11:57 PM ^
Those appear to be the brutal facts. Unfortunately, it shows on the field where Michigan has struggled with explosive plays against similar competition for quite some time.
February 29th, 2020 at 12:00 AM ^
Here is their grading scale:
8.0 - The perfect prospect
7.3-7.5 - Perennial All-Pro
7.0-7.1 - Pro Bowl talent
6.7-6.8 - Year 1 quality starter
6.5 - Boom or bust prospect
6.3-6.4 - Will be starter within first two seasons
6.1-6.2 - Good backup who could become starter
6.0 - Developmental traits-based prospect
5.8-5.9 - Backup/special-teamer
5.5-5.6 - Chance to make end of roster or practice squad
5.4 - Priority free agent
5.0-5.1 - Chance to be in an NFL training camp
NO GRADE - Likely needs time in developmental league
February 29th, 2020 at 12:01 PM ^
I'm curious who created a scale that ranges from 5 to 8. Why not make it 0-3 or 1-4?
February 29th, 2020 at 1:22 AM ^
I think this overrated Shea and underrated DPJ but I’m just a random internet dude ??♂️
I’m not saying he’ll be Jerry Rice but DPJ’s body control is other worldly. I’ll leave it to others to analyze his routes but if he can learn to get clean releases he’s going to do some work. His lack of counting stats have more to do with Shea’s inconsistencies, the overall offense and Nico blowing up
February 29th, 2020 at 2:34 AM ^
Maybe Shea would've been more consistent if his 5 star receiver could run a route to get open more often. Combine experts just flat out said DPJ got jammed too often and ran lazy routes. Not helping your qb much doing that. Oh wait, this entire board thought our "big 3" wrs would've been superstar if not for pep/Harbaugh/shea/gattis
February 29th, 2020 at 7:27 AM ^
This ^^^ !!!
Critics kept repeating, “3 NFL WR’s” ad naseum. For DPJ it’s NFL WR’s in body, but little else it appears, unfortunately. I was a big critic of Shea and find it interesting that his grade includes positives about quick progression processing. Maybe looked to be hesitating because his targets were slow out of their breaks or getting jammed too much and the timing was disrupted.
Piecing together these grades, comments from Gattis about players out spring, and comments from knowledgeable posters, it’s not really surprising that the offense struggled early, found a groove, but then had too many missed opportunities and two elite teams.
I think DPJ has made a mistake and will suffer the consequences of that mistake with a short career if one other than being a practice squad player. I don’t blame him for wanting to go to the NFL, but I think another year of diligent work in those weakened areas would have made a difference for him. Guess we’ll never know really.
Players gotta make plays, and to make plays as a WR you have to run great routes and have some suddenness out of your breaks, and great hands. Oh well, who’s up next?!
February 29th, 2020 at 10:33 AM ^
I was a big critic of Shea and find it interesting that his grade includes positives about quick progression processing.
I guess when you habitually make one read, then take off if that primary receiver is covered, that qualifies as "quick progression."
I wish the kid well, but if he makes it on a practice squad for a couple of years, he's fortunate. Save your money, Shea.
February 29th, 2020 at 7:50 AM ^
OTOH, a QB with no poise/composure and no guts who cannot find the open receiver and throws a wobbly, inaccurate ball...has to be most deflating and discouraging for even the best talent and character. The question here is "Who's coaching these kids?".
Oh wait, you're from Toledo. Are you "his" grandma? There is plenty to criticize here...from a player side, on offense, it begins with the QB. And when the QB isn't making plays the offense is in trouble-and here the trickle-down effect was very ugly at times.
I believe there was adequate talent on this team to challenge the elite teams very strongly. The onus of responsibility for the failure to do so was/is on the coaches-and the buck goes directly to the top. I like Jim Harbaugh as the CEO but he needs some stronger personalities around him to make things actually happen. Gattis has shown some flashes here...we will see...next year had better be different (offensively).
February 29th, 2020 at 11:58 AM ^
I'm a 40 year old male, so no. And I'd hazard a guess that Jim Harbaugh's grandma has probably passed away. Really poor form to speak ill of someone who's deceased.
February 29th, 2020 at 4:30 PM ^
Seriously man you always have been and always will be the worst.
February 29th, 2020 at 7:57 AM ^
Or maybe MAYBE neither of them were that great.
February 29th, 2020 at 9:05 AM ^
Shea - “Prospect Grade: 5.60 - Chance to make end of roster or practice squad”
....hmmm, sounds like what happened with TB12
February 29th, 2020 at 10:39 AM ^
??? Are you seriously comparing Shea to Tom Brady?
Dude. Shea won’t sniff a clipboard in the NFL. If he was 6’4” with about 30% more arm strength he would get a chance but nobody wants to see a guy who’s ball wobbles and floats throwing into an NFL secondary. I actually give Shea a ton of credit for knowing the throws he could not make. Hence his low INT count at M. But in the league that lack of velocity would put damn near every pass he throws in danger of being picked. I don’t understand for the life of me how he was a 5* out of HS?
February 29th, 2020 at 12:24 PM ^
TB10's intangibles were off the charts. Voracious appetite for preparation, great decision-maker, natural leader, smart. Physical skills, not so much at the combine. But subsequently, he put in the work to make them adequate.
I remember Jaworski reviewing his first NFL performance after Bledsoe got hurt. He couldn't believe the decision-making he saw. Called it Top 5 QB decision-making in game 1.
February 29th, 2020 at 3:27 PM ^
Tom Brady also really blew up the last half of his senior season, and Shea didn’t.
I mean, sure, it’s possible that Shea will improve and become a legitimate NFL starter. I think it’s more likely that he kicks around on the practice squad for a few years. Or ends up in the XFL, if that’s still around.
February 29th, 2020 at 5:54 AM ^
DPJ....what could have been....I wonder if all the leg muscle pulls/strains we heard about (e.g. holding him out of spring ball last season) have sapped his explosiveness as a route-runner and athlete?
February 29th, 2020 at 7:47 AM ^
His 40 time, broad jump and vertical suggest otherwise.
February 29th, 2020 at 8:27 AM ^
His 40 is about .15 slower than his laser timed 40 at the opening, so the guy might be on to something.
February 29th, 2020 at 2:57 PM ^
I would buy this. How many times did we see DPJ running wide open after beating his man in 2017 only to have a QB throw an inaccurate ball in his direction? Seemed like every game after Black got hurt. When Patterson arrived, I thought we would see this constantly, but the only time I can remember was the TD against Staee.
February 29th, 2020 at 7:47 AM ^
Sounds about right mostly. I hope you do this for the rest of the guys when they come out! Much appreciated.
Wish DPJ would have stayed but these guys are replaceable. Looking at this and the OL post, its really just Ruiz that's the big blow. The OL was good but Michigan has a lot of bodies there.
February 29th, 2020 at 7:59 AM ^
NFL combine grades are brutally honest, as this is their product.
It was obvious to any observers that DPJ struggled with separation, his evaluation confirms some issues.
Got slammed for mentioning he does..not...get ...open
Was told positional coaches are the cause. Cmon, 3 yr college wideout either have NFL investment or not, the pro evaluation is a firm not.
-Route take-off/twitch lacking
-Press coverage finds him all day
-Gradual, non threatening play speed
- Will have NFL corners in his pocket
- Unable to shake tight man to open passing windows
-Slowed by zone coverage redirects
Overall, back-up/practice squad evaluation. Amazing, with his natural skills.
Brutal big money straight forward talk.
February 29th, 2020 at 8:07 AM ^
Shea could start for McGloin in the XFL—dude has sucked and gone nuts.
February 29th, 2020 at 11:03 PM ^
I was just thinking today Shea would be a great qb for the xfl. Most of the qbs are nfl washouts who haven’t played in a competitive game for about 3 years. The xfl should draft a guy right out of college and they will win some games. Most of those qbs look super rusty.
February 29th, 2020 at 9:07 AM ^
I am shocked to see that they think Shea is good with progressions. If he did not throw to the first read, quickly and in rhythm, the play was usually broken, leading to hope and improvisation. Am I wrong here?
February 29th, 2020 at 10:26 AM ^
That’s my read, but one would expect that nfl scouts would know more about football than a college professor.
February 29th, 2020 at 10:44 AM ^
"Patterson doesn't have the arm or accuracy to consistently beat NFL coverages," AGREE
"but he can get through progressions quickly and is willing to sit in and deliver to targets in the face of pressure." WHAT?
If the second statement is indeed true then he sandbagged most of last season.
These comments are mostly spot on and mirror most of my thoughts as I watched them play at Michigan. Looks like you can't fool the NFL talent evaluators.
February 29th, 2020 at 11:53 AM ^
DPJ surely doesn't sound like a 5-star. Sounds more like an over ranked recruit rather than an underachiever or some lack of coaching and development.
February 29th, 2020 at 12:49 PM ^
Combine Reports? About as much bullshit as recruiting rankings.
Tom GOAT Brady’s NFL Combine Report from 2000:
Here's the list Brady shared himself:
--Poor build
--Skinny
--Lacks great physical stature and strength
--Lacks mobility and ability to avoid the rush
--Lacks a really strong arm
--Can’t drive the ball downfield
--Does not throw a really tight spiral
--System-type player who can get exposed if forced to ad lib
--Gets knocked down easily
Take the report on Patterson with a large grain of salt. These guys rarely predict QB results in the pros.
Remember the great combine reports of all those Detroit Lions busts? I sure do.
February 29th, 2020 at 3:12 PM ^
Patterson doesn't have the arm or accuracy to consistently beat NFL coverages, but he can get through progressions quickly
Unless I'm crazy, I never remember Shea going through progressions well. It was check if #1 target is open, if not, bug out to the right and try to improvize
I feel like DPJ on the other hand will surprise. He could be a good #2-3 I think on a team. Shea OTOH will be out of football in 2-3 years. The arm and accuracy comments are dead on. He doesn't have the accuracy or zip to be good in the XFL, much less the NFL
February 29th, 2020 at 6:20 PM ^
Says right there, dpj couldnt get open