Daniel Jeremiah's tale of college football's greatest talents continues his introduction to quarterback Trey Lance, one of the best players in the FCS division, whose teams rarely receive much attention from neutral fans.
Southern California, Oklahoma, and North Dakota State come to mind when it comes to NFL quarterback training programs. Yes, you heard right! It is North Dakota State. The Bison have dominated the FCS for the past ten years, and their two previous starting quarterbacks were drafted by NFL clubs. The first of these is Carson Wentz, selected by Philadelphia in 2016 under the overall number two. His successor with North Dakota, Easton Stick was selected by the Chargers in the fifth round of the 2019 draft. I think Trey Lance is superior to both of them in terms of talent.
Height and weight. 191 cm, 102 kg
Statistics for the 2019 season. 2,786 yards (192 out of 287, 66.9% accuracy), 28 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 1,100 yards on the stem (169 attempts, 6.5 yards average), 14 touchdowns on the stem
Watched matches. Delaware (14 Sep), UK Davis (21 Sep), Nicholls (7 Dec)
Southern California, Oklahoma, and North Dakota State come to mind when it comes to NFL quarterback training programs. Yes, you heard right! It is North Dakota State. The Bison have dominated the FCS for the past ten years, and their two previous starting quarterbacks were drafted by NFL clubs. The first of these is Carson Wentz, selected by Philadelphia in 2016 under the overall number two. His successor with North Dakota, Easton Stick was selected by the Chargers in the fifth round of the 2019 draft. I think Trey Lance is superior to both of them in terms of talent.
Height and weight. 191 cm, 102 kg
Statistics for the 2019 season. 2,786 yards (192 out of 287, 66.9% accuracy), 28 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 1,100 yards on the stem (169 attempts, 6.5 yards average), 14 touchdowns on the stem
Watched matches. Delaware (14 Sep), UK Davis (21 Sep), Nicholls (7 Dec)
Read Also : Scouting with Jeremiah : Travis Etienne
What we liked. When evaluating quarterbacks, I look at five key areas: composure and poise, accuracy, decision making, playmaking skills, endurance, and toughness. Based on the results of the matches I watched, I am ready to say that Lance is excellent in all these parameters. Let's look at it point by point:
1-Self-control. In my opinion, this is the most important trait for a quarterback. How does he act under pressure or at key moments in the game? Can he remain calm in a tense environment? Trey at such moments does not look shocked, he calmly maneuvers in and out of the envelope, choosing a target for transmission. He is good at third downs and in red zones, making the right decisions consistently.
What we liked. When evaluating quarterbacks, I look at five key areas: composure and poise, accuracy, decision making, playmaking skills, endurance, and toughness. Based on the results of the matches I watched, I am ready to say that Lance is excellent in all these parameters. Let's look at it point by point:
1-Self-control. In my opinion, this is the most important trait for a quarterback. How does he act under pressure or at key moments in the game? Can he remain calm in a tense environment? Trey at such moments does not look shocked, he calmly maneuvers in and out of the envelope, choosing a target for transmission. He is good at third downs and in red zones, making the right decisions consistently.
Read Also : Trevor Lawrence |Scouting With Jeremiah
2-Accuracy. I often say that you do not need to get stuck on one number that characterizes the percentage of completed transfers. For Lance, this figure is almost 67%, which in itself is not bad, but watching the matches makes it clear that he actually shoots even better. The ball moves perfectly after his throws, he has a good eye and the ability to determine the point to which a pass must be sent so that the receiver does not waste time on reception. Trey is equally good at medium passes between linebackers and safety, as well as long high throws when the ball is parabolic into depth of field.
3-Making decisions. This is my first time evaluating a quarterback who has 28 touchdowns in a season without a single interception. After seeing the statistics, I decided that the video would be an overly cautious quarterback. In fact, everything turned out to be wrong - Lance is moderately aggressive. If he sees an opportunity to create a big play, then he will throw the ball into the narrowest window. At the same time, he does not hesitate to throw checkdowns if the receivers are closed in the depths of the field. Trey has a great view of the field and quickly reads the game, if necessary, finding a third or fourth option for a pass.
2-Accuracy. I often say that you do not need to get stuck on one number that characterizes the percentage of completed transfers. For Lance, this figure is almost 67%, which in itself is not bad, but watching the matches makes it clear that he actually shoots even better. The ball moves perfectly after his throws, he has a good eye and the ability to determine the point to which a pass must be sent so that the receiver does not waste time on reception. Trey is equally good at medium passes between linebackers and safety, as well as long high throws when the ball is parabolic into depth of field.
3-Making decisions. This is my first time evaluating a quarterback who has 28 touchdowns in a season without a single interception. After seeing the statistics, I decided that the video would be an overly cautious quarterback. In fact, everything turned out to be wrong - Lance is moderately aggressive. If he sees an opportunity to create a big play, then he will throw the ball into the narrowest window. At the same time, he does not hesitate to throw checkdowns if the receivers are closed in the depths of the field. Trey has a great view of the field and quickly reads the game, if necessary, finding a third or fourth option for a pass.
Read Also : Devonta Smith | Scouting With Jeremiah
4-Playmaker skills. In assessing this aspect of the game, I ask two questions. First, is there anything the quarterback can do if the draw is not going according to plan? Second, can he use his legs to gain yards if defense gives him the opportunity? In Lance's case, both answers are yes. He feels well the moments when it is necessary to leave the envelope in order to prolong the rally and give the pass, and also acts very confidently in the optimal combinations. In such cases, Trey helps out his athleticism.
5-Toughness and endurance. These qualities are manifested when Lance clears the ball himself. He is physically strong, not afraid of contact with an opponent. Carson Wentz played in a similar manner during his student career.
What needs to be added? First of all, he needs to play as many snaps as possible, since last year was his first as a starter. It would be interesting to see how he plays against Oregon's solid defense, but for obvious reasons, this match has been deleted from the calendar. The lack of serious opposition may alert the scouts, but for me what I have seen is enough to be sure of it. Of the purely technical nuances, one can note his throws to the left. When they are done, he starts moving his body early and the transmission is easy to read.
The main conclusion. I am generally pleasantly surprised by the maturity of Lance's playing. It is not often among students that one can see such competent control of the course of the match, the movement of the ball. Trey does his job perfectly and looks almost perfect for this stage of his career.
With whom can you compare? Andrew Luck. Yes, he was bigger, but they are united by the maturity with which they operate on the field. Luck could run away from a defender and played excellently at key moments in almost every match. Now I see the same thing in Lance's game. Confidence also distinguishes them. Andrew in the past and Trey are now acting without fear, but not recklessly. This balance is difficult to find. Luck was not very lucky in the NFL, and a year ago he retired from a career that should have landed him the Hall of Fame. If Lance continues his development, he will achieve more.
4-Playmaker skills. In assessing this aspect of the game, I ask two questions. First, is there anything the quarterback can do if the draw is not going according to plan? Second, can he use his legs to gain yards if defense gives him the opportunity? In Lance's case, both answers are yes. He feels well the moments when it is necessary to leave the envelope in order to prolong the rally and give the pass, and also acts very confidently in the optimal combinations. In such cases, Trey helps out his athleticism.
5-Toughness and endurance. These qualities are manifested when Lance clears the ball himself. He is physically strong, not afraid of contact with an opponent. Carson Wentz played in a similar manner during his student career.
What needs to be added? First of all, he needs to play as many snaps as possible, since last year was his first as a starter. It would be interesting to see how he plays against Oregon's solid defense, but for obvious reasons, this match has been deleted from the calendar. The lack of serious opposition may alert the scouts, but for me what I have seen is enough to be sure of it. Of the purely technical nuances, one can note his throws to the left. When they are done, he starts moving his body early and the transmission is easy to read.
The main conclusion. I am generally pleasantly surprised by the maturity of Lance's playing. It is not often among students that one can see such competent control of the course of the match, the movement of the ball. Trey does his job perfectly and looks almost perfect for this stage of his career.
With whom can you compare? Andrew Luck. Yes, he was bigger, but they are united by the maturity with which they operate on the field. Luck could run away from a defender and played excellently at key moments in almost every match. Now I see the same thing in Lance's game. Confidence also distinguishes them. Andrew in the past and Trey are now acting without fear, but not recklessly. This balance is difficult to find. Luck was not very lucky in the NFL, and a year ago he retired from a career that should have landed him the Hall of Fame. If Lance continues his development, he will achieve more.
