Can Khalil Tate bounce back into the 2020 NFL Draft conversation?
The Arizona Wildcats need Khalil Tate to bounce back in a big way. Can he bounce back into the 2020 NFL Draft conversation as well?
The Arizona Wildcats need Khalil Tate to bounce back in a big way in the 2019 season.
The star quarterback was borderline unstoppable in the 2017 season as a sophomore, throwing for 1,591 yards and 14 touchdowns while running for 1,411 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Although his accuracy dipped in 2018, he progressed as a passer with 26 touchdowns, but an ankle injury limited him to just 224 yards rushing and two scores.
Could he put it all together in a healthy 2019 season? Could he put himself on the 2020 NFL Draft map?
If Tate is going full speed, he’s going to be hard to stop this season, especially if he continues progressing as a pocket passer.
That role proved to be a bit tougher to transition to than he might have thought.
He completed just over 56 percent of his passes last year despite the 26 touchdowns. With that said, Tate proved himself remarkably capable in one category very important in the transition from college to the NFL.
Khalil Tate was a master when it came to handling pressure last season. pic.twitter.com/XmRpDoPtw1
— PFF College (@PFF_College) June 29, 2019
No returning QB in the Pac 12 had a better passer rating against pressure last year, which means not only did Tate improve in the pocket, he improved in the pocket with defensive players bearing down on him.
This is a guy who, at one point in his sophomore season, had four straight games with a run of 70-plus yards. Those don’t come cheap, no matter who you’re playing against or what position you are.
Imagine if this guy could put everything together for a year.
That’s what Arizona fans are excited about for 2019, and that’s what NFL scouts and fans are excited about for the coming season.
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If Tate can put things together this season he could be one of the biggest risers for the 2020 NFL Draft.