2023 NFL Draft: Is Tyler Van Dyke Still Worth a Draft Pick in 2023?
Coming into the 2022 CFB season, Tyler Van Dyke was something of a hot commodity in the NFL scouting world. Analysts from many different publications had him touted as the next big thing, with NFL Draft Countdown ranking him at No. 11 on their rankings and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. having him ranked in the same place on his preseason Big Board.
However, following a slow start to the season, Van Dyke was benched in favor of four-star freshman Jake Garcia in the 45-31 drubbing at the hands of Middle Tennessee. Questions are now being asked of his ability, and rightfully so. Not many QBs get drafted every year, so will the NFL take a chance on a guy that was benched in college?
Is Tyler Van Dyke Still Worth a Draft Pick in 2023?
The Good
Tyler Van Dyke still has some high-level traits that NFL teams look for when drafting their quarterbacks of the future. Firstly, he has an NFL arm, which means that he can make every throw that an NFL team could potentially ask him to make. These throws will include everything from quick slants or a go-balls downfield.
Secondly, he possesses an underrated trait that can make or break NFL QBs, in that he easily sees the middle of the field. While this trait is due mainly to his stature, which is ideal for the position, it will help him with the number of routes that go across the middle of the field (crossing routes, slants, posts, etc.).
Furthermore, he is able to throw well with anticipation, being able to throw to a receiver before they have even finished running their route. His footwork is also of a high standard and will be useful in the NFL. Lastly, he is able to use arm angles to his advantage, as he can change his angle of release to fit the ball around defenders and into tight windows.
The Bad
Despite all the good things I have said about his throwing ability, his accuracy is still not perfect. This doesn’t refer to the fact that he misses throws or fails to hit open receivers, this is mainly referring to his ball placement and the fact that his passes tend to need the intended target to move to catch the ball.
This limits his receivers’ YAC ability and makes it incredibly difficult to make plays after catching the ball. Van Dyke is also one of the slower members of this QB class, and while speed isn’t the main thing you look for in a quarterback, it clearly helps given the plethora of mobile QBs that are currently leading the race for NFL MVP.
He also has two traits that, while solvable, need to be sorted out sooner rather than later if he wants success in the future. Firstly, he tends to stare down his primary receiver as opposed to switching his eyes if his preferred target isn’t open. If he retains this trait, it could lead to some errant QB play in the NFL, which is something defenses will pounce on.
Secondly, he is quite flat-footed in the pocket, which makes evading pressure a lot more challenging in the NFL. This trait is one of the worst that a college QB can have, given the quality of pass rush increases so drastically from college to the NFL.
The Verdict
In spite of all the negative traits that I have listed, I still believe that Tyler van Dyke is a draftable prospect, just not on the first two days of the draft. I think that he is best suited to being a late-round selection that can take the field if there is an injury or in the dying seconds of a game that is incredibly one-sided.
Having said that, we are only in week five of the CFB season and still have a long way to go before draft day, so everything could change either for the better or for the worse.