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Scouting Report
Sanchez has a very athletic build, thick and durable, with a strong arm. As the season went on, I saw his reads improve, his ability to break the pocket and throw improved, his short and intermediate throws got better, and his leadership and productivity kept getting better and better. One thing that stands out to me in the positive about Sanchez is his poise. Very calm cool and collected both in the huddle and during the play. A quarterback that doesn't panic is a nice luxury. On the flip side, Sanchez only has one year of starter experience and you have to wonder if he's ready to make that next step. Also, his timing is bad. He completes a high percentage of his passes, but he leads his wide outs, throwing late after the break and letting them run to it. He is going to have to get quicker in his reads and make quicker decisions. He's got a quick release, so it's got to be a matter of confidence and/or timing.
Draft Status
Sanchez is pretty much locked in as the no.2 quarterback off the board, and that almost assures him a pick in the top half of the first round. Like Stafford, Sanchez declared early, due to a down QB class and it was a smart move. I think his ceiling is a bit limited at the next level and I think Sanchez knows that. He showed a ton of development in his first year as a starter, but I can't see that improvement continuing in the NFL.
Final analysis
Coming soon...
Reminds me of: Matt Leinart
Original right? I know. But it's true. He played in the same system, and looks very similar in style of play in college. Makes the same throws all that. Leinart has yet to make any sort of a mark in the NFL, due in large part to Kurt Warner's career resurgence. Sanchez is probably going to get tossed to the wolves and I hope he's ready. Physically I have little doubts, and his poise is impressive. But he's got to speed himself up to fit the game, and show he learned enough in a year of college to prepare him to be an NFL quarterback.
Red Flags: Experience
Scouting Report written by Curtis Popejoy |
