2016 NFL Draft: QB Jake Rudock scouting report

2016 NFL Draft: Scouting report for Michigan QB Jake Rudock, who is a transfer from Iowa. Can he become an NFL starting caliber quarterback?

Jake Rudock is one of the more interesting studies in the 2016 NFL Draft. After starting his career at Iowa, he transferred to Michigan for a number of reasons. The move to being coached by Jim Harbaugh helped at least in terms of his prospects for the next level, and Rudock made some strides in 2015 that NFL scouts absolutely needed to see.

At A Glance

Ht: 6-3

Wt: 208

Exp: Senior

Rudock doesn’t have ideal bulk for an NFL starting quarterback, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. He wasn’t invited to the Scouting Combine, so we didn’t get a chance to see what he could do athletically until his pro day, where he ran in the high 4.8s and showed decent enough athleticism in the other drills.

Up Close

Scouting Notes

Rudock is very polished when it comes to mechanics, and that should come as no surprise. He’s an incredibly smart person in general, majoring in kinesiology and graduating from Iowa in three years. He was working on his graduate degree when he played at Michigan. That off-field work ethic is exactly why Rudock is in position to possibly be drafted late or picked up as a priority free agent.
Doesn’t have the strongest arm, but often tries to force balls into spots. He will put a little too much gas on his throws at times when he doesn’t need to, and a little too much touch at times. It doesn’t always look natural, the way he gets the ball to receivers.
Sets a good base with his feet, and excels in the pro-style offense, which he ran both at Michigan and Iowa. Will have a deep understanding of how to read coverages pre-snap and what to do in every situation.
Often will hit his first read without scanning the whole field. This could also be called ‘taking what the defense gives him’ but I think there’s a lot of plays left on the field at times when watching Rudock play.
64 percent completion percentage as a senior is a nice improvement over the 61.7% in his junior year at Iowa. Three-year starter who seemingly got better every year.
Reliable, dependable player. Has the feel of a solid NFL backup and spot starter. All the tools are there for him to be an effective game-manager but he doesn’t ‘take over’ games.
Capable of making plays with his legs, can extend plays and get outside the pocket. Not the fastest, but will be able to scramble away from defenders and pick up yardage that way in the NFL.

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I was down on Rudock going into this season based on what he did at Iowa, but there’s no question he’s one of the smartest players at the QB position in this draft, probably at any position in general. He helped lead Michigan to a win in the Citrus Bowl over Florida, and showed over the course of his final college season that he can improve greatly with great coaching.

Jim Harbaugh and Jedd Fisch know a thing or two about quarterbacks in the NFL, and those were the guys Rudock had been working with on a daily basis. He’s going to be able to come into an NFL camp and know the offense like the back of his hand. Coaches will trust him, despite the fact that he doesn’t have elite physical traits.

I think Rudock will be under-drafted, and he’ll have a productive NFL career as a backup and spot starter. Teams will be able to rely on him to quickly adapt and I think he will do well in whatever role he has.

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