Paxton Lynch, QB Memphis: 2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report

As we entered the 2015 college football season, very few people had heard of Paxton Lynch. The narrative there is completely flipped. The Memphis quarterback has quickly risen to the top of draft boards and is regarded by some as the top quarterback in the draft. Towering above his opponents at 6’7, Lynch is a menacing sight on the football field. When you look at the three-year starter’s stats, you notice that every single one of them has improved. That’s a great sight for scouts and NFL executives looking for a new face for their franchise.

The Justin Fuente offense is based on a lot of screens and comeback routes. I think Lynch got hung out to dry on a lot of them because he had no other options on those plays. I’ll touch on this later in both his strengths and weaknesses, but the play calling may not have been best suited for his playing style.

Strengths

While he’s best suited to sit in the pocket, but he has enough mobility to move around and gain some extra yards. It’s certainly not blazing speed, but just enough to turn the corner or be an run-option threat. As a passer, his arm strength and accuracy are excellent. The accuracy down field is especially impressive.

Those were just two examples of Lynch dropping the ball exactly where it had to be. You can also see him on some other plays get the ball out of his hand quick. As I mentioned earlier, the offense consists of a lot of screens and comebacks. I saw Lynch have his biggest success hitting receivers down the field on crossing routes in stride, which was great to see. He’s placing the ball right out in front of them and allowing the receiver to make the play.

Lynch also steps up in the pocket when needed and will take off when the situation is right.

Weaknesses

While the arm strength and down field accuracy are certainly there, Lynch does have some things to work on heading towards the Combine this winter. First off is making sure he doesn’t kill his receiver by hanging the ball. He does this a lot, but I’m not sure if it’s because of all the screens or it’s something in his arm motion.

Footwork is also something Lynch needs to focus on improving. It’s not awful, just something that needs to be fine-tuned. I think he also needs a little more time in the film room studying defenses. As I touched on before, I’m not sure if it’s Lynch or the offense that’s leading towards the loss of yardage on screen plays. If the screen is his only option, it’s understandable. If he’s not reading the defenses and making poor decisions and reads, it’s an issue.

One final thing is protecting the ball. While he isn’t necessarily having problems fumbling right now, when he runs he holds the ball out and in one hand. NFL linebackers will pounce all over that. Just tuck it and hold it tight.

Final Verdict

Paxton Lynch is probably going to be one of the first quarterbacks taken in this years draft. He’s better suited to play in a pro-style system when he can sit in the pocket and throw the ball down field, but he can use his legs and be a threat with a read-option or two. A team like Cleveland or Houston will be keeping an eye on Lynch throughout this entire draft process. The kid has the size and arm, he just needs to fine tune a couple of things. He’s a solid prospect who will ultimately be taken within the top 15 of the draft.