TOP RATED NFL PROSPECT TEXAS TECH QB TYLER SHOUGH LOOKS INTRIGUING
Scouting Report: QB Tyler Shough 6’5″ 219 (Texas Tech)
Spring 2021 Report Film Exposure: (Oregon 2020) USC, UCLA, Iowa State, Stanford and Washington State
Tall, athletic, polished, strong-armed dual-threat QB prospect with inconsistent accuracy and ball placement. A transfer from Oregon to Texas Tech who looks the part. Operated exclusively out of shotgun formation and clapped to receive the snap. Looked comfortable in the pocket and leading an offense. He showed very good ball-handling skills. He moves remarkably well for a QB his size (66 rushes for 4.1 avg in 2020 espn.com). Viable threat running the option. Sells it very well. Tough runner. Will bang around with the ball. Showed the ability to throw well to all three route levels (short, medium, and deep) and he showed the ability to fire it in there and take some off the ball for shorter screens. There is something to this guy – I felt it from the first moment I watched him on film. He made a couple of bone-headed interceptions, what were you thinking throws over the middle when his receiver was not anywhere near the ball, but the more I watched him, the more he grew on me.
The thing that struck me about him in the pocket was how quick, sudden and decisive his movements looked. Stands tall in the pocket and looked smooth setting up shop. Throws from a nice-looking wide base. Has mobility. He can move around and throw it on target on the move. Showed he can get out of trouble sometimes. Convincing play action and a good pump fake. Good poise. He will face pressure and fire. Has a tendency to take sacks and not throw it away in these situations.
Shough has a legit NFL arm. Showed he can unleash it over the middle. Can cut it into tight coverage. Nice overhanded delivery. Nice trigger. Has a big-league throwing motion. Good looking delivery. He can be a loose cannon sometimes and lacks accuracy and placement. Needs development and work in this area. Does not always throw receiver-friendly ball receivers can grab and go. Sometimes will get reckless with the ball under pressure. Best accuracy is working sidelines left or right intermediate or deep. Can struggle some over the middle in the intermediate range. Threw some beauties deep against Stanford, UCLA, and Washington State.
Shough is a very intriguing QB. He has a good size and he has an arm. On top of that, he is athletic for his size. He has the feel of a gunslinger to him. I am very interested to see how he plays this season at Texas Tech. Shough shows confidence in his game. He could very well emerge as being one of the top QB prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft and this is exactly the type of player whose stock could sky-rocket. This guy has a real chance.
Where is Tyler Shough on my draft board?
Daniel Kelly’s Draft Board: He would be on my board in the 3rd Round. He is the perfect developmental QB who can fill a backup role and fill in where needed. I like the feeling I get watching him. He has ‘it.” This is exactly the type of player who can become a starter down the road. Reminds me of QB Gus Frerotte. Has the tools it takes to play in the NFL for a number of years.
Probability of being a bust: Low
If I were a GM, this is the one question I would need to have answered about Tyler Shough? I would look him in the eyes and ask him why he transferred to Texas Tech from Oregon?
Top 5 concerns about Shough:
- The times he gets reckless with the football.
- Tendency to take sacks instead of throwing the football away.
- Operating exclusively out of the shotgun formation (how he will play under center).
- Inconsistent ball placement.
- Staying healthy the way he runs the ball.
How NFL defenses will beat him: Send constant pressure (blitzes) from outside the tackles and play outside leverage against his receivers.
Daniel Kelly is a former NFL scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated Detroit Lions and he is a contributing evaluator for Draft Diamonds. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @danielkellybook and his Facebook page is WHATEVER IT TAKES NFL TALK.
