Quarterback Jamie Newman Scouting Report: 2021 NFL Draft analysis

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Jamie Newman, 2021 NFL Draft (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Newman Film Review

Newman and Wake Forest were able to find a fair amount of success in 2019, early in the season at least. A large part of that success can be attributed to head coach Dave Clawson and his utilization of an RPO (run-pass-option)-heavy offense. A staple of Clawson’s offensive strategy since taking over six seasons ago, Wake Forest has been able to find success utilizing zone-read offensive schemes, leading the team to four straight Bowl games.

Clawson’s adherence to an RPO-heavy offense has allowed Wake Forest to punch above their weight and make the most out of a limited offensive roster over the past six seasons. By playing to his roster’s strengths and taking what the opposition defense gives him, Clawson has been able to build a surprisingly effective program in North Carolina. In 2019, the Demon Deacons ranked fifteenth in Total Offense, averaging 464 yards a game, per NCAA.com.

Last season, Newman stepped into the quarterback position full-time and was able to use RPO plays to his advantage. Watching him play on film, Newman had a knack for reading all corners of the defense before choosing to either hand off the ball or bring it back in for the pass. His 6-foot-4 frame allowed him to outmuscle the opposing front seven on plays where he chose to tuck and run with the ball. Since starting for Wake Forest, Newman has 826 career rushing yards, including ten touchdowns, according to Sports Reference.

Using a slow-mesh concept on the RPO, Newman was able to hold onto the ball even longer, serving as another blocker if defensive rushers were able to outmaneuver the offensive line blocking. By threatening to run the ball for a longer period of time, Newman was able to force opposing linebackers and safeties to stay in the box for a longer period of time. This would allow his wide receivers time to gain separation from secondary defenders and minimize defensive zone coverages.

A @Jomboy_ Breakdown: Wake Forest QB Jamie Newman is literally flexing on and running over people. pic.twitter.com/8JGixvCfjd
— Stadium (@Stadium) September 14, 2019

Watching Newman’s film, the young quarterback can be seen moving his head from side to side on each play reading the defensive coverages, while he did the mental arithmetic to decide if he should allow the run or pass. On a plurality of RPO plays, Newman would read the left, right and middle of the field before deciding the call, giving him the chance to make the most out of each play. While most quarterbacks are expected to make one or two reads before throwing a check-down, Newman has plenty of experience making multiple reads before deciding a call.

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While RPO plays helped Newman make the most of what defenses were giving him in 2019, this strategy of holding onto the ball longer than usual also had its drawbacks. For starters, his timing was all over the place when throwing vertically, which forced his blockers to hold out against pressure longer. This allowed opposing defenses to sack him 22-times in 2019, which is not an insignificant number. On top of which, his passing rhythm was affected by this delay in passing, something that disrupted his receivers’ ability to time the throw.

Consistently running RPO-plays also brought opposing defenders into the box more often, putting more pressure on running backs to find lanes in a more crowded area. As more and more teams got a chance to see Newman in action last season, opponents were able to more easily figure out his weaknesses, which might explain why Wake Forest went 1-4 during the last five games of the season.

Even with these shortcomings in the latter half of the 2019 season, there is still a lot to like about Newman’s film on a technical basis. Newman hung tight in a crowded pocket often, stepping into pressure and delivering shots downfield without flinching. He has the arm strength to air the ball deep, however, his accuracy on vertical passes does leave a lot to be desired. If Newman can improve his deep-ball accuracy this season, teams looking for a quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft will find plenty to like about Newman.

https://twitter.com/Stadium/status/1190824669122875398

When running the ball, Newman has the strength and quick thinking to move the chains on his own. He will push himself after contact to get the first down and has the physical strength to bounce off defenders. He isn’t the fastest dual-threat quarterback in the NCAA, but in short-distance situations, he is a threat to take the ball past the chains on his own.

At the end of the day, the 2019 season showed Newman has the ability to keep pace with stronger opponents in scoring and tenacity. His first season as the full-time starter may have been a mixed bag, but he showed enough on film to convince Georgia’s head coach to take a chance on him in 2020. He will face some competition for the starting role at quarterback, as Georgia will have another transfer student on the roster who played 11-games for USC in 2018. But all indications show Newman will be the starter for the Bulldogs in 2020.

Newman has one more season to prove to NFL scouts that he is worth serious consideration in the 2021 NFL Draft.

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