Luke Falk, QB, Washington State: 2017 Scouting Report

In an upcoming draft loaded with polished quarterback prospects, will Luke Falk be able to crack the first round?

There are gunslingers, and then there are gunslingers. And one ‘em just so happens to be Washington State quarterback Luke Falk.

The WSU star is coming off of an incredible season, one that saw him throw for over 4,500 yards with a completion percentage of 69.4%.

In head coach Mike Leach’s pass-happy offense, Falk led the country in passing attempts (644) and finished the year with a 38-8 touchdown-interception ratio.

While the numbers he posted are certainly impressive, are they a product of the Cougars’ offensive system, as well as a poor conference, or is Falk ready to make the leap into college football’s elite tier of signal-callers?

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Let’s take a closer look at Falk and the current state of his draft stock.

Vitals

Ht: 6-4

Wt: 214 pounds

Class: Junior (RS)

Hometown: Logan, UT

Strengths

Falk burst onto the scene last season after not doing much of anything during his first few years in college. He stuffed box scores on a consistent basis, which at one point got pretty ridiculous. Over the course of just three games against Oregon, Oregon State, and Arizona, Falk tossed 16 touchdowns and passed for 1,426 yards.

Still, the Washington State product didn’t step onto a football field one day and simply start churning out those type of numbers.

Sep 19, 2015; Pullman, WA, USA; A Washington State Cougars student wave the school flag during a game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Martin Stadium. The Cougars won 31-14. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /

For what Falk somewhat lacks in arm strength, he more than makes up for in his pinpoint accuracy, especially in the short and intermediate ranges. There are few better at throwing a receiver open, and it’s rare that Falk blatantly misses his target.

Physically, he possesses a solid build to exceed at the position. Falk’s not a threat as a runner, but he can really dance around in the pocket in order to elude oncoming defenders.

Weaknesses

To no one’s surprise, the redshirt junior has reaped the rewards of running a pass-heavy offense – and that’s putting it lightly – in a conference that had tissue paper as a defensive standard last season. This has inflated Falk’s stats to a degree, not to mention made things easier on him in his first real stint as a starting quarterback in college.

While that same air-it-out system has greatly assisted in the 21-year-old’s ascension, it also hurts him a bit. The deep-passing game is almost nonexistent in Leach’s offense, making Falk look relatively one-dimensional. Escaping the pocket isn’t necessarily his forte, either, and at times he folds easily under pressure instead of attempting to avoid the sack.

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Verdict

If Falk enjoys a productive 2016 season, he’ll virtually be a lock as a first round pick.

There’s not a whole lot of negatives to his game and Falk should continue to improve in what will be his second year as a starter. The concerns surrounding Washington State’s offensive system are valid, but the efficiency shown by the man under center game-in and game-out speaks for itself.

Should Falk stay the course, there won’t be much stopping him from hearing his name called on day one of the NFL Draft.

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Luke Falk, QB, Washington State: 2017 NFL Draft Scouting Report

By Kyle Sumner McKinnon | Jun 30, 2016