2016 NFL Draft: Who Should The Los Angeles Rams Take With the First Overall Pick?

Carson Wentz

Coming out of North Dakota State, there weren’t a lot of people that knew who Carson Wentz was until the Bison won the FCS National Championship. Then when he went on to play well at the Senior Bowl and perform well at the combine, people started to see that this guy was the real deal.

Strengths:

•  Played in a pro-­style attack with plenty of snaps under center.
• Asked to make NFL throws and showed he could do it.
• Stands tall in the pocket.
•  Naturally accurate passer. Has deep ball accuracy and touch.
• Calm in pocket and has no problems sitting in and taking a hit to complete a pass.
• Excelled in structured passing attack that required him to read the entire field.
• Has athleticism to escape pressure and hurt defenses with his legs.
• Proficient in play-­action game at selling fakes

Weaknesses

• Locks onto reads and stares down targets which leads defenders where he is going.
• Needs to improve his anticipation
• Downfield accuracy is inconsistent
• Broke a bone in his throwing wrist(injuries will happen, but never a good thing)
• Lacks ideal starting experience for the position(only 22 starts)
• Played against lower competition, only FBS opponent Iowa State(204 yards, 0 TD’s)

There are some things to like about Wentz. His size and the fact that he played in a pro style offense that forced him to make reads and call protections is a huge plus. He has NFL athleticism that will help him succeed at the next level.

His experience of only 22 starts and the fact that he locks on to targets do raise some level of concern. However, another FCS quarterback that had a problem with locking on to targets was Joe Flacco and that turned out well.

Measurables

Height: 6’5

Weight: 237

Hands: 10”

Ball Velocity: 57(good)

Wentz has the prototypical size of an NFL quarterback. He’s tall and he’s not lanky by any means. Quarterbacks who have hands smaller than 9.125 inches have historically not panned out in the NFL, and Wentz more than breaks that mark.

What They’re Saying

"“Wentz really blew us away at the combine when we met with him. Talent is a big component, but these guys have to have intangibles if they are going to lead franchises and he’s got them. I don’t care where he played, he understands the game and it isn’t too big for him.” — AFC executive” With a body type that is as prototypical as they come and a background in reading the entire field and working through progressions, Wentz will immediately check a couple of boxes that many college quarterbacks won’t be able to check. While his arm strength is OK, he can still make all the throws and he can make them with accuracy. His ability to escape pressure and pick up first downs with his feet will be yet another check mark in his favor. Wentz is still in a developmental phase after just two years at an FCS program, but has the mental and physical building blocks of a future, franchise quarterback. -Lance Zierlein NFL.com Although his internal clock needs maturing, Wentz performs well within structure, but can also improvise when the play breaks down, stretching out his legs to pick up chunk yardage if it’s there (949 career rushing yards). He possesses a NFL-style skill-set with his size, athleticism and arm talent, including the field vision to work through reads and make sound decisions. He has solidified himself as a first-round player, but his performance in pre-draft workouts will go a long way in determining just how high in the first round he will be drafted. Wentz ideally needs a redshirt rookie season in the NFL, but will be the top senior quarterback on several NFL draft boards. -Dane Brugler CBS Sports There’s a lot to like about Wentz, but still so many question marks. The size and big arm stand out, and it’s not just aesthetics – his velocity is an asset at the short and intermediate range at the next level. The concern is whether or not the big arm loses accuracy beyond 20 yards to be effective. He’ll flash some touch on the deep ball, but it’s far too inconsistent at this point. Wentz would fit well into a vertical passing offense that will allow him to zip throws into the 15-25 yard range while moving the ball in chunks. His lack of timing in the passing game is a major concern, but if he can iron it out, the upside is immense. Any team drafting Wentz is banking on huge improvement in a number of areas, but given his relative lack of experience, the gamble may just be worthwhile. -Pro Football Focus"

Film Study

This is a really nice play from Wentz. As you can see he rolls to his right and delivers a bullet to his receiver. He still maintains his accuracy as he throws the strike for a first down in what is a tie game against the Montana State Grizzlies.

This is honestly one of my favorite plays from Wentz, if not my favorite. He fakes the handoff and sells the play-action, stands tall in the pocket, sets his feet, and delivers a bomb to his receiver 45 yards down the field for a touchdown.

This is my last play for Wentz, but it is also one of my favorites. Once again, he stands tall in the pocket. His footwork isn’t great, but he doesn’t panic in the face of pressure. He stands tall and keeps his eyes down field to deliver a pass to his receiver who makes a play with the football.

Looking at the film, you can see why so many people like Wentz, although you can certainly see his weaknesses and he doesn’t seem to scan the field and does lock onto his targets. The footwork is also very raw and will need work.

Comparison’s:

Joe Flacco, Alex Smith, Blake Bortles