QB Evaluation: Ryan Mallett

RYAN MALLETT

6’ 6”  WT: 238LBS

40 TIME: 5.12

ARM STRENGTH:  MALLETT HAS ONE OF THE STRONGEST ARMS IN THIS DRAFT, THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT HIS ARM STRENGTH IS DIMINISHED BY HIS LONG, SLOW RELEASE.  OUT OF ALL THE QUARTERBACKS IN THE DRAFT, MALLETT THROWS THE BEST DEEP BALL.

GRADE: 19 OUT OF 20

ACCURACY & THROWING MECHANICS:  ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO SHORTEN HIS DELIVERY. AT NEARLY 6’ 7” HE SHOULDN’T NEED SUCH A LONG DELIVERY TO GENERATE THE TORQUE NECESSARY TO THROW THE BALL WITH VELOCITY. OVERALL, HIS PASS EFFICIENCY RANKED AMONG THE HIGHEST IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL, AND HIS DEEP BALL ACCURACY IS BY FAR THE MOST IMPRESSIVE OF ANY OF THE QB’S IN THIS DRAFT.

GRADE: 18 OUT OF 20

FOOTWORK & MOBILITY:  MALLETT IS NOT AS IMMOBILE AS MANY OF THE SCOUTS MAKE HIM OUT TO BE. HIS 40 TIME IS SLOWER THAN MOST LINEMEN SO HE IS NEVER GOING TO BE A THREAT TO RUN, BUT DOES A SOLID JOB OF THROWING ON THE RUN, MOVES AROUND THE POCKET WELL, AND DOES A GREAT JOB OF GETTING HIS FEET UNDER HIM BEFORE MAKING THE THROW.

GRADE: 14 OUT OF 20

STATISTICAL PRODUCTION:  MALLETT HAS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PURE PASSING NUMBERS OF ANYONE IN THIS DRAFT. THIS PAST YEAR RYAN THREW FOR 3869 YARDS AND 32 TD’S TO ONLY 12 INTS, AND 3624 YARDS AND 30 TD’S IN 2009. THIS IS SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED BY THE FACT THAT HE WAS PLAYING AGAINST SOME OF THE MOST ELITE DEFENSES IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT.

GRADE: 18 OUT OF 20

INTANGIBLES:  ON THE SURFACE, IT APPEARS THAT RYAN MALLETT SAYS AND DOES ALL THE RIGHT THINGS, BUT I CAN’T HELP BUT WONDER WHAT LIES BENEATH. HERE IS A QUOTE FROM MALLETT FOLLOWING HIS DECISION TO LEAVE ARKANSAS FOR THE NFL: “AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, I HAVE DECIDED TO DECLARE FOR THE 2011 NFL DRAFT. EVER SINCE I WAS A KID, MY DREAM HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO PLAY FOR THE RAZORBACKS AND I AM THANKFUL I HAD THE OPPURTUNITY TO DO SO.” DID MALLETT THINK THAT EVERYONE FORGOT THE FACT THAT HE COMMITTED, ENROLLED, AND PLAYED FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN EVEN THOUGH HE HAD BEEN ONE OF THE TOP RECRUITS OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL? DESPITE THIS, THERE IS NO DENYING MALLET’S CREDIBILITY ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD. MALLETT CONSISTANTLY ROSE TO THE OCCASION THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, THE BIGGER THE GAME, THE BETTER THE PERFORMANCE. PLAYING IN THE TOUGHEST CONFERENCE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL, MALLETT THREW FOR 1968 YDS AND 14 TDS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS THIS PAST YEAR. ALSO WORKING IN HIS FAVOR IS THE FACT THAT HE PLAYED IN TWO PRO-STYLE SYSTEMS AT BOTH ARKANSAS AND MICHIGAN. IF HE IS DRAFTED BY A TEAM THAT CAN PROVIDE HIM ENOUGH PROTECTION, HE CAN FLOURISH. (SPECULATION & ALLEGATIONS OF ALLEGED DRUG ISSUES WOULD SEVERELY DIMINISH HIS RATING IN THIS CATEGORY IF THERE IS ANY TRUTH TO THEM)

GRADE: 16 OUT OF 20

OVERALL GRADE:  85

POTENTIAL PLAYER COMPARISON:  DREW BLEDSOE

 Looking to gain some insight from my readers. Post your comments and let me know your opinion after reviewing the analysis and film