Why TCU Quarterback Max Duggan Is Worth An NFL Draft Pick In 2023
By John Blair
TCU has earned a spot in the College Football Playoff thanks to their leader at quarterback, Max Duggan. Find out why the Horned Frogs signal-caller is worth an NFL Draft pick in 2023.
Going into the season, TCU’s Max Duggan was competing for the starting quarterback job with Chandler Morris. While it was a close battle, TCU obviously made the wise move in going with Max Duggan, who has gone on to have one of the best seasons in TCU program history. In 2022, he led the Big 12 in almost every passing category, including quarterback rating, passing yards, and touchdowns.
His season got off to a disappointing start this year, seeing limited time against Colorado, and only throwing three passes on the day. However, the following week, Duggan had a stellar performance against Tarleton State by throwing for 390 yards and five touchdowns. He followed that up with two strong performances against ranked teams at the time in Oklahoma and Kansas. In those two contests, Max Duggan threw six touchdowns and passed for a total of 610 yards.
Overall, during the regular season, he beat a total of five top 20 teams, and in those games threw 12 touchdowns and just one interception. He also came up big in the most significant moments this year including the Big 12 Championship. In this game, he showed elite leadership ability and the toughness NFL Draft scouts love to see.
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When looking at how Max Duggan translates to the NFL, his top trait is his perseverance and ‘never give up’ attitude. During his TCU career, Duggan has overcome many obstacles including injuries, losing his starting job, and a coaching change. Even amid all the uncertainty, the senior signal-caller has become one of the top quarterbacks in college football.
This attitude has also shown up on the field, as he consistently takes big hits, yet never lets them rattle him. One quote from Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh shows the type of determination teams see in Duggan: “Yesterday’s (Big 12 Title Game) ballgame, that quarterback was unbelievable in terms of a competitor.”
Another positive trait with Max Duggan is his ability to hurt teams with his athletic ability. While he will never be confused for the next Steve Young, he does have the mobility to hurt teams. In this area, he shows the feet to move around in the pocket and also be a threat in the running game.
One thing that will likely force Duggan to the third day of the 2023 NFL Draft is his ability to be a consistent passer at the next level. In this area, he lacks the accuracy you want to see out of an NFL passer. He has poor ball placement on a high percentage of his passes, which requires his receivers to make the tough catch. While some of these accuracy problems can be improved with better footwork, especially when it comes to throwing with a good base, it is still something that will hurt his NFL Draft stock.
When it comes to where Max Duggan could hear his name called in the 2023 NFL Draft, he will likely be a sixth- or seventh-round draft pick. I think some team will see the value he presents in terms of intangibles and snag him late in the draft hoping they can improve his accuracy.