Originally starting his collegiate career at Florida, Jacoby Brissett transferred to NC State after Will Muschamp decided Jeff Driskel was the man for the quarterback position at Florida. After sitting out a season, Brissett took over the Wolfpack and led them to an 8-5 record.
And while we’d like to talk about the likes of Jared Goff and Paxton Lynch being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, the reality is that a guy like Brissett provides a lot of appeal and it’s for many reasons. For starters, Brissett is a guy that is known for his velocity as well as his athleticism, and when you pair that with his 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame, it’s easy to see why many scouts are going to be really excited for kid’s future. Let’s dive into the tape and see how Brissett projects to the NFL.
Hitting on the point of his athleticism, Brissett shows an excellent ability to move in and around and complete passes with consistency. That’s what we see here when Brissett rolls out and finds his receiver outside the numbers.
The next GIF is a pass where Brissett throws from the pocket. In this throw, Brissett hits his man for a first down in stride, putting the football where only his receiver can haul in the ball.
Because the NFL has evolved offenses are going with a more spread-out philosophy where speed is so important, the ability to throw on the run is just so vital and Brissett truly just excels at it, as is the case again here.
Throughout the film, I see a lot of Brissett’s seasoning with a three-step, five-step, and a seven-step drop-back, and on this throw, we see Brissett’s mechanics get put to good use.
Here’s another example of Brisket’s ability to throw accurate passes when he’s on the run. Take note of how he turns his hips so he gets a more accurate throw on the football.
Throwing the jump ball has become a common NFL trend in today’s game. All too often, quarterbacks throw the football up to and allow their receivers to make huge plays. In this throw, Brissett takes a few steps back and flings a real nice, catchable ball.
Brissett is at his best when he is given the proper time and space to carry out the play and let it develop. His offensive line was horrible on tape and his receivers weren’t that reliable. However, this is a real nice play from Brissett, throwing a pretty ball for a score.
Again, when Brissett gets time, he’s a much different thrower. We see that here with this throw when he throws one of the prettier balls you will see, arching the ball enough to put it in a window where his receiver can haul in the pass and score a touchdown.
There’s a lot to like out of Brissett. For one, he has terrific arm strength, allowing him to get the ball into tight spaces. The problems with Brissett are that he isn’t necessarily coming from a pro-style type of scheme. NC State features a lot of dink-and-dumps in their offensive philosophy.
Because of his athleticism, Brissett will be seen as an athletic quarterback. However, Brissett shows great mechanics, that will allow him to make the transition to playing football on Sunday much more easier. However, because he looks to make plays outside of the pocket instead of showing poise in the pocket, I see a lot of Jake Locker and Tajh Boyd in Brissett’s game.
How does Brissett fit in Dallas? I look at Brissett and I see a real project-like quarterback. Brissett needs a ton of refinement, but if he is put in a situation where he could sit and develop, there’s a chance he could become a middle-to-above average quarterback at the next level. Sitting behind Tony Romo, Brissett makes sense for the Cowboys. However, I think the Cowboys would have to spend a higher-than-expected pick if they were to draft him.
Games watched: Clemson, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Clemson (2014), and Louisville (2014).
Next up on the docket: Dak Prescott
