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2019 NFL Draft: Kyle Shurmur needs a lot of help to get drafted

By Erik Lambert

NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 24: Quarterback Kyle Shurmur #14 of the Vanderbilt Commodores drops back to throw a pass against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 24: Quarterback Kyle Shurmur #14 of the Vanderbilt Commodores drops back to throw a pass against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /
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Kyle Shurmur has ties to the pro game already, but is the young quarterback worth much attention in the 2019 NFL draft? His scouting report says a lot.

Position: QB

School: Vanderbilt

Year: Senior

Height: 6’4

Weight: 225

STRENGTHS:

  • No issues about his size. Built well in terms of both his height and mass. Would be able to withstand the tough NFL punishment.
  • Son of NFL head coach Pat Shurmur. This is evident in his clear understanding of how to play the position from footwork to selling fakes and other facets.
  • Accuracy on his throws is solid. He manages this despite getting pressured a lot, which is at least encouraging. Ball placement is above average when he has time to throw. 
  • Gritty player. Takes a lot of punishment behind a leaky offensive line and keeps getting up for more. No one will question his toughness.
  • Though he may lack velocity, his touch isn’t in question. Does a good job of varying the arc on his passes depending on the situation. Especially on screens.

WEAKNESSES:

  • Arm strength isn’t going to impress many. Ball lacks velocity coming out and he doesn’t have enough juice to drive it down the field.
  • Bit of a windup delivery on his throws. Given the velocity issues, it won’t suit him well to know he’s also a bit slower getting it out of his hand.
  • Field vision is poor. Takes too long to survey his options, allowing the opposing pass rush that critical extra second to reach him.

This showcases him in a nutshell. Shurmur takes the snap and stands tall in the pocket. He’s slow surveying the field, allowing the pressure to set in. Normally the QB would either throw it away or take off running. He instead just stands there and gets hit for the sack. This despite one of his targets clearly being open on a check-down. All he had to do was unload it over the middle but didn’t see it.

  • Not a runner. Shurmur is a pure pocket passer. He rarely is going to scramble and don’t even bother with trying out designed runs.
  • Game manager type. Keeps almost all of his passes in the short and intermediate range. Rarely willing to take a shot down the field.
  • Has a bad habit of not throwing the ball away or taking the sack. When pressure gets close he’ll often bail out in the middle of the field, leading to dangerous interception chances for a defense.
  • Tends to get happy feet in the pocket. Not a surprise given how often he tends to get hit but this is something teams won’t like seeing.

Pro Comparison: Jim Miller

Miller was a 6th round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers back in the 1990s. After two forgettable seasons there, he went to Chicago where he alternated between starter and backup. He ended up having one standout season in 2001 but that was thanks to having a great defense and strong running game to lean on. He was smart and careful with the football but his lack of arm talent and inability to run or handle frequent pressure made him a forgettable NFL alum.

Projection: Undrafted free agent

Having good size and being the son of an NFL head coach might end up being enough to get Shurmur drafted. However, his overall talent makes it more likely he should be a priority target on the undrafted free agent circuit. He simply doesn’t have a professional arm and struggles to process at college speeds. So imagine what the pro level could do to him. He should be a backup in the league but don’t envision him ever being a starter.

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