SCOUTING REPORT - qb2 Dwayne haskins, ohio st

Only a redshirt sophomore, Dwayne Haskins exploded onto the national scene in 2018, easily surpassing the production of long-time predecessor JT Barrett en route to Big Ten Player of the Year honors. The Bullis School product and northern New Jersey native was originally a Maryland commit before he found his way to Urban Meyer and the Ohio State sidelines. Long groomed and mentored by several former NFL players, Haskins has had his sights set on a pro football career going back to before his high school days. Despite only 14 career college starts, Haskins demonstrated his potential as an NFL-caliber quarterback and an almost-certain first round prospect in his short time in Columbus.

PROS

Outstanding accuracy and ball placement. Great arm strength, especially when throwing precision routes in the short and intermediate pass game. Sturdy, bulky, nearly 6’4” frame. Ability to make all throws on the field. Natural feel for touch throws and proper ball trajectory. Good instincts as a mover in the pocket: stays protected, rises well and keeps eyes downfield. Repeatedly demonstrated ability to operate in-rhythm and on-schedule in an intermediate passing scheme. Also demonstrated comfort in identifying the defense in both pre and post-snap scenarios, even if he wasn’t often pushed to translate that into high-level multi-progression read plays. Showed across-the-board improvement over his lone year as a college starter.

CONS

Inconsistent release and throw mechanics lead to bouts of inaccuracy and struggles to complete big plays over the top of the defense. Very limited mobility. Accuracy and velocity drops off when not throwing from safe, protected base. Faced little pressure in the pocket behind OSU’s offensive line and was rarely asked to make complex reads or attack the defense deep in high-pressure situations. Along those lines, can struggle with processing speed and decision making when his first read isn’t open. Will need to improve his anticipation throws to keep a high completion percentage as a pro. Strange mid-season, nearly month-long slump in accuracy and effectiveness.

VERDICT

Haskins’ combination of size, arm strength and accuracy makes him a legitimate and frankly obvious candidate for a starting gig in the NFL. But he also comes with some clear weaknesses, limited experience and… he’s from the Big Ten, a conference that hasn’t produced a first round QB since Kerry Collins. Just as history didn’t stop me from placing Baker Mayfield in round 1 last season, the Big Ten’s ludicrous QB slump shouldn’t factor into any decisions on Haskins this time around. Admittedly, he has a lot of room left to grow but he also has the physical tools of an NFL quarterback and a seemingly excellent chance of developing into an effective precision operator in a pro passing scheme.

PROSPECT COMPS

Carson Palmer, (bigger, stronger) Case Keenum

GRADE

Mid/Late First Round

*To see a breakdown of the most significant Haskins plays that led to this assessment, check out his Throw Portfolio which can be found below: