Missouri quarterback Drew Lock let it fly in the Tigers' pro day on Thursday ahead of April's 2019 NFL draft. He is currently my No. 3-ranked QB prospect and No. 18-ranked prospect overall. And he's showing why he deserves to be right there with Dwayne Haskins and Kyler Murray as first-round picks for QB-needy teams.
Here's what we learned from Lock's workout.
What was your biggest takeaway from the day?
This is a three-horse race. Lock isn't that far behind Murray and Haskins as the top quarterback in this class. The 6-foot-3, 228-pound quarterback is almost a combination of the two: He has the big frame of Haskins and the arm to hit all of his throws, but he also has the athleticism and mobility of Murray to create and buy time when he needs to. And Lock's pro day was tailored around that, showcasing his ability to make difficult throws look easy.
Consistency has come up as a strike against him, but you have to consider the full picture there. He didn't have the assets that Murray had at Oklahoma or Haskins had at Ohio State. There weren't any first-rounders lining up on the outside or high-end prospects on the offensive line.
Instead, Lock faced a loaded SEC schedule and navigated three different offensive coordinators over four years at Mizzou. Against SEC teams, he completed just 53.3 percent of passes, but that rose 10 percent when he faced nonconference opponents. When you even the playing field a little bit and look at what this kid can really do, there are three guys atop most teams' draft boards, not two.
What separates Lock?
Of the three top-tier quarterback workouts, Lock's had the most "wow" factor. I think back to Josh Allen's pro day last year. Lock is similar in that he's a big signal-caller with some athleticism, but he shows more functional arm strength than Allen. He's a gunslinger but he can be very accurate. He's also got some more twitch to him. It's an intriguing skill set.
What in particular stood out for you during his workout?
Much like Haskins on Wednesday, Lock demonstrated impressive ball placement in different situations. In the red zone, he knew when to get the ball high so a defender wouldn't have a chance. He got the ball out quick and got it there on time. It was all about the details.
Then I was also struck by how effortlessly he made throws vertically, especially on the move. Lock has spent time working with QB guru Jordan Palmer, who is big on stressing his quarterbacks. By that, I mean he puts them in difficult, off-balance situations to show what they can do. And I was impressed by Lock's ability to adjust and just push the ball downfield with velocity while rolling out of the pocket.
What does he need to continue working on?
Lock missed in the strike zone a few times, at least a few more times than Haskins did in Columbus at his pro day. And he needs to keep ironing out his footwork. Because he can often hit difficult throws with ease, he sometimes falls off or drops his arm angle when he doesn't need to. Lock needs to know when it's time to instead grow a big base and set his feet. But he's working on it, and his athleticism allows him to make things happen. It's part of his allure.
How is interest growing among NFL teams?
With Arizona interested in taking Murray at No. 1, a handful of teams will be interested in trading for Josh Rosen. Then it becomes Haskins versus Lock, and there are teams in the first round that prefer Lock over Haskins right now.
The Missouri QB has met with or has plans to meet with all of the QB-needy franchises, and he has plans to have a second meeting and workout with the Dolphins. With his smaller 9-inch hands, ideally he ends up in a dome or a warmer-weather situation, but I haven't seen any issues with weather on tape.
Lock marries confidence with the ability to relate with his teammates, and teams will like that. Murray has the natural instincts, and Haskins has incredible football intelligence, but teams will feel comfortable with who Lock is and his full résumé. Don't be surprised if you start hearing more top-10 buzz for Lock.