2015 NFL Draft: Bryce Petty Clawing Back Into 1st Round?

Nov 8, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Bryce Petty (14) and running back Shock Linwood (32) celebrate a touchdown during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

A month or so ago, scout were all but convinced Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty was an afterthought as a 1st round quarterback in the 2015 NFL draft.  What about now?

Oklahoma win showed his growth

Beating a traditional power like Oklahoma at home is never easy.  Art Briles should know.  He has yet to beat a ranked team on the road in his tenure as head coach at Baylor.  Thankfully that record finally ended against the Sooners, and it was his quarterback who helped lead the way.  While Petty wasn’t the star of the game, his control of the offense proved a huge difference-maker.

What stood out wasn’t his physical skill but in fact his efficiency.  In throwing for 387 yards, Petty connected on 32-of-42 passes, good for a 76% completion rate.  He consistently fed the ground attack, which accounted for 52 carries and 148 yards.  It wasn’t a lot, but that determination led to five touchdowns rushing on the afternoon and also helped control time of possession.  This led to the Bears defense have a huge game as well, holding Oklahoma to 14 points and just 4-of-13 conversions on third down.

The other key part that showed Petty understood the situation was he recognized the hot hand early and didn’t hesitate to feed it.  That hand belonged to wide receiver Corey Coleman, who ripped through the Sooners secondary for 224 yards on 15 catches and a touchdown.  Best of all, Petty didn’t get rattled when the team fell behind early 14-3 and never put the ball in harms way.

He still has work to do in order to get scouts back on his side for the 2015 NFL draft.  Still, if Bryce Petty can finish the season playing like this, his stock could reach 1st round status again.