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Mike Leach wonders if NFL scouts did homework on Gardner Minshew

By Sayre Bedinger

SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 28: Gardner Minshew #16 of the Washington State Cougars is awarded a trophy for offensive player of the game after the Valero Alamo Bowl against the Iowa State Cyclones at the Alamodome on December 28, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 28: Gardner Minshew #16 of the Washington State Cougars is awarded a trophy for offensive player of the game after the Valero Alamo Bowl against the Iowa State Cyclones at the Alamodome on December 28, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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Washington State head coach Mike Leach questions the validity of some of the questions he received about QB Gardner Minshew before the 2019 NFL Draft.

Everyone knows Washington State head coach Mike Leach is hilarious if not so subtly passive aggressive at times, and he made some great comments in regards to questions he was asked by NFL scouts about quarterback Gardner Minshew.

Minshew exploded this past season for the Cougars, completing 70.7 percent of his passes with 4,779 yards and 38 touchdowns compared to just nine interceptions.

He had Washington State in the top 10 at one point this past season, along with their top 25 defense and one of the most well-rounded teams Wazzou has fielded under Leach’s watch.

Minshew may have been undrafted seven or eight years ago, but the way the NFL is progressing stylistically on the offensive side of the ball, players with his body type, arm strength, and overall skillset are no longer undraftable players.

No one was more consistently productive in college than Case Keenum, but he was an undrafted free agent in 2012.

As the game has evolved, Keenum has found a role as at least a serviceable starter and more than capable backup.

If that’s Minshew’s floor, that’s definitely worthy of a day three draft choice.

Minshew was taken in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars (178th overall) and will come in and compete for a backup spot behind Nick Foles.

It’s a great situation for a young quarterback like this as the Jaguars brought in John DeFilippo as their offensive coordinator this offseason. DeFilippo obviously did a great work with Foles in their time together with the Philadelphia Eagles, and now he will get the chance to work with another productive college passer in Minshew.

The Jaguars also used a sixth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft on Nebraska quarterback Tanner Lee and swung a trade for a former third-round pick in Cody Kessler. Kessler has done some okay work as a backup, but the Jaguars obviously felt like Minshew could come in and push these guys.

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He will have to prove he can operate the Jaguars’ offense with the same rhythm and anticipation we saw from him at Washington State, where he was so wildly productive.

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