Name: Bryce Petty
Age: 23
Position: QB
College: Baylor
Height: 6’3
Weight: 230
Grade: 4th – 5th round
Comparison: Brady Quinn
Athletic Ability
Petty is a very athletic player who was able to run the read-action with great effectiveness at Baylor. He was also able to make plays with his feet when the pocket broke down or when he saw an opportunity in doing so.
He’s able to keep good balance when breaking tackles to get a few extra yards. I don’t like his footwork or his feet within the pocket. He doesn’t show quick feet or even show that he has the ability to move his feet; he looks like he is in cement while in the pocket. I need to see him use better foot work within the pocket.
Competitiveness/Leadership
A very competitive player who will put his body in a bad position just to get that extra yard. Looked to be very productive at the college level, but when evaluated for the NFL he wasn’t as productive as the stats showed.
He missed a lot of open players by overthrowing and general inaccuracy. He missed at least 14 points every game by not being accurate. The skill positions made Petty look better than he actually was. He seemed to be a player that motivated the offensive side of the ball and had the team behind him, regardless.
Mental Alertness
Bryce Petty played in an offense that didn’t allow their players to think, which means they looked to the sidelines for audibles and anything else they needed, which caused him to lock onto targets without adjustment.
Strength/Explosion
Very good body, has NFL-ready size which will pique the interest of many teams around the league. Durability will be a concern after suffering a back injury in 2014, the same type of injury causing concern for Tony Romo.
Petty has an explosive arm that gives him the “ability” to make every throw, but his footwork and football mental capabilities don’t allow him to show it at this time.
Position Skills
Bryce Petty needs to be rebuilt at the Quarterback position.
He has all the things you can’t teach a QB at that next level such as speed and arm strength, which will intrigue many General Managers and Coaches. Most of his issues are technique and everything within the pocket.
I noticed that he likes to throw off of his back foot and doesn’t like to follow through with his throwing motion in the hips and feet, which leads to some short throws fluttering and the long ball being overthrown, due to his inconsistency transferring the weight in his lower half.
Overall
Bryce Petty is definitely an intriguing prospect because he has everything you don’t find in most prospects:
- NFL-ready body
- Ability to make plays outside the pocket
- Huge arm
The issue is that everything you want a QB to have he doesn’t possess; basically everything within the pocket and his throwing motion in his lower half.
He isn’t the best prospect when people are in his face. He makes bad decisions and he tends to leave the pocket too early to avoid the hit. Dallas is one of the better teams to draft Petty, but only in a value round to allow him to sit and learn the position and become a student of the game.
