In player evaluation, there are no perfect players, especially at the quarterback position. Although the strengths might outweigh the flaws, everyone has areas that need to be further scrutinized.
As this year's The Opening and Elite 11 begin, the top 2017 QBs will get a chance to compete with other elite players. In this setting against elite-level players, the game is going to speed up significantly, and throws are going to become much more difficult, which allows for a quality evaluation when projecting to the next level.
Here's one trait that each QB needs to improve or answer questions about.
(Players listed in alphabetical order.)
Myles Brennan | Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, Saint Stanislaus
6-foot-4, 172 pounds
ESPN 300: 170
LSU commit
Compact delivery: It's easy to like the loose and fluid motion, but Brennan can be a bit erratic and let the ball get away from him. This involves some wasted motion, and though he has very good arm quickness, he could be even more compact and add pop by ensuring a tight (but relaxed) carriage and not cocking back or dropping the ball low to wind up.
Sean Clifford | Cincinnati, St. Xavier
6-foot-2, 210 pounds
ESPN 300: 79
Penn State commit
Intermediate outside throws: Clifford has such a great feel for timing and anticipation that he can compensate on difficult throws, despite not having the most elite arm. He was asked to make a lot of different throws with his high school team. Against top perimeter speed, can he muster the power to make intermediate-level throws to the sideline and outside the numbers, especially from the opposite hash?
Tommy Devito | Ramsey, New Jersey, Don Bosco
6-foot-2, 185 pounds
ESPN 300: NR
Syracuse commit
Arm power: Devito possesses a late-bloomer's frame and build, which means he does not have great stature or strength yet. His release is his best trait, and it can be so quick that it gives you the impression his actual arm strength isn't quite as strong as it looks, due to his ability to get rid of the ball. He'll need to show he can drive the ball into tight spots and compensate with his arm.
Sam Ehlinger | Austin, Texas, Westlake
6-foot-2, 215 pounds
ESPN 300: 292
Texas commit
Vertical arm talent: There is so much to like about Ehlinger from an intangible standpoint, and he has been very well-coached and does all the little things well. He has gotten the most out of his arm with timing and knowing where to go with the ball. Now he needs to prove that he has the pure arm power to drive the ball to intermediate and deep levels of the field over and beyond his accurate dink-and-dunk ability.
Jake Fromm | Warner Robins, Georgia, Houston County
6-foot-3, 224 pounds
ESPN 300: 103
Georgia commit
Frame development ceiling: Fromm is so good and polished in so many traits of his game that he is ahead of the curve in some areas. The question is: Can he get any better physically? In other words, what type of upside does he have, from a physical maturation standpoint, to become a different player three years from now or beyond.
Hunter Johnson | Brownsburg, Indiana
6-foot-4, 201 pounds
ESPN 300: 28
Clemson commit
Level of athleticism: Johnson is a good athlete for a pocket-passer and is deceptive, but given the scheme at Clemson, it remains to be seen if he can be as effective in the running game as Clemson became accustomed to with Tahj Boyd and Deshaun Watson. This event, from a 7-on-7 standpoint, won't reveal much, but agility in drills could give more of an indication.
Tate Martell | Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman
5-foot-11, 203 pounds
ESPN 300: 72
Ohio State commit
Mental makeup: Martell can't do much about his measurable, so he compensates with excellent physical tools and a lightning-quick release. The real question is how he handles himself. Is he caught up in the hype and attention of the recruiting process? Besides height, it is difficult to find many glaring physical flaws, especially for a spread QB. He is competitive on the field, but this setting has a lot going on around it.
Dylan McCaffrey | Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Valor Christian
6-foot-5, 196 pounds
ESPN 300: 19
Michigan commit
Arm angle/release: McCaffrey is very polished and poised from his platform, and his height gives him advantages scanning the field. He is very consistent in his methods of delivery, so it will be interesting to see if he can alter release points, depending on the throw, or if his view is obstructed or pressured in a manner that forces him to get rid of the ball in a different way.
Davis Mills | Norcross, Georgia, Greater Atlanta Christian
6-foot-4, 197 pounds
ESPN 300: 226
Stanford commit
Stand-out trait: Is there a defining physical trait about Mill's game? He is a rhythm and timing passer who is very consistent in his methods, and his strengths seem to be knowing where to go with the ball pre- and post-snap. From a tools standpoint, how will his physical gifts stack up against those of his peers?
Chris Robison | Mesquite, Texas, Horn
6-foot-2, 192 pounds
ESPN 300: 264
Oklahoma commit
Hand size: Robison to "cup" the ball with his palm or closed wrist. This can be a result of hand size but not always. Robison has a very compact and quick delivery at about ¾ arc, so evaluating ball control with his hand needs further examination.
Jack Sears | San Clemente, California
6-foot-3, 200 pounds
ESPN 300: 136
Uncommitted
Quickness of delivery: Sears has a high, over-the-top delivery that is smooth and consistent, but can he rip it quickly with a shorter stroke to get the ball out just a bit quicker? He can be a deliberate thrower at times, so the ability to get the ball out in a hurry with a quick strike will be good.
Tua Tagovailoa | Honolulu, Saint Louis
6-foot-1, 215 pounds
ESPN 300: 99
Alabama commit
Release point: Given his height and the fact that he is a lefty, it is important that Tagovailoa be able to release the ball at its highest point. Often, lefties are side-arm slingers or ¾ arc delivery guys, but Tagovailoa is a player who looks like he can maximize his height with a high release point.