Informative interview with Quincy Avery from QB Academy who worked (and still works) with Deshaun Watson, and now is working with Justin Fields and Trey Lance.
He once worked with Dwayne Haskins and implies maturity and commitment issues weren't Haskins' strong suits.
Let’s talk about one of your 2021 NFL Draft clients: Trey Lance, a projected first-round selection. Fascinating evaluation situation. A breakout season in 2019 at North Dakota State with 28 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. That school also produced Carson Wentz, but that’s still the FCS level and Trey only played one game this season because the program shifted focus to the spring semester with the pandemic. What makes him such an interesting prospect?
Trey Lance is one of the most disciplined, hardworking, meticulous quarterbacks I’ve ever been around and he’s 20 years old. All the things that we say we want out of quarterbacks in terms of doing the little work, being organized, being prepared, doing the things that are necessary, he’s going to do all those things. (Plus), he’s as physically gifted as you would want a quarterback to be on the NFL level.
So the things that they asked him to do at North Dakota State were vast. They asked him to identify protections, flip his protections, call his own routes. They threw a lot at him as a redshirt freshman. When they sent him to the line of scrimmage, they’d give him a protection like 50 or 60 combo. That means he knows whether it’s five-man protection. They’re not telling which way to slide the line to. He has to figure out the slide. … They’ll give them a half-field concept. Like half the field and then say, “Hey, we’re running Stick on the left side.” … So he had to come up with the whole protection. He had to come up with 50 percent of the passing concept based on the leverage that the defense gave them prior to them addressing the line of scrimmage. Then he had the freedom really to get in and out of almost any play. So, he’s been asked to do more than anybody at the college level was asked to do.
I think he ended up playing 16 games that (sophomore) year, so he played more games than almost anybody else. His one year is almost equal to a lot of guys’ two years in college football. He did a lot in terms of the college level. And he’s so, so, so, so gifted. He’s going to make somebody very, very happy if they have the opportunity to draft him earlier this upcoming draft.
You also previously worked with Ohio State’s Justin Fields, another projected high pick in the upcoming draft. That group also includes Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, the expected No. 1 overall selection, and BYU’s Zach Wilson. If a team like Washington selects a QB in the first round, there may be expectations he plays quickly, which was an issue with Haskins. What’s your sense with the players, particularly the guys you know best, in terms of starting immediately if needed.
I think there’s gonna be a learning curve with all of them generally. Even Trevor, I don’t think a lot of things that (Clemson asked) Trevor to do are as similar (to) the NFL as I think a lot of people think that they are. So I think it’s going to be a learning curve there. With Justin, Ohio State runs some NFL concepts, so that’ll be interesting. And then Trey probably has the most NFL-type concepts and (has) the most on his shoulders, but it’s gonna be a learning curve in terms of the level of competition. I think the one who’s gonna have the biggest leap, or the biggest transition from college to NFL, is gonna be Zach Wilson. I think his is going to be the most difficult transition. Not saying that he can’t.
But the thing that all four of these guys have, and I think that’s really critical when you’re a young quarterback, is the ability to use your legs because you just haven’t seen these pictures before. When I say pictures, I mean, like defensive personnel and setups. If you haven’t seen them, they’re going to be a bit confusing. So you’re going to need to be able to do something with your legs to get you out of tough situations. And all these guys have that. So, when things get cloudy, they’ll be able to use their legs. They’ll be able to run around a little bit and create big plays.
I think it behooves most of them to not start initially when they get there, but the way we are on the NFL level, we’re not really giving guys that opportunity. … We’re really an instant-gratification society. If that’s the world we’re gonna live in, then we should be really mindful about how we’re setting these young quarterbacks up to be successful.
About Deshaun Watson.
Deshaun obviously had a great year even after Houston traded wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Based on some advanced numbers, he was arguably the best quarterback in the NFL this year or at least right there with Patrick Mahomes. What made him so successful this year, despite all the changes in Houston?
He’s elite above the neck.
Like all the things in the pre-snap process, post-snap process, he’s as good as (it gets). The ability to see things in protection, see rotation, understanding what defenses are doing. He’s gotten so much better that he’s like leaps and bounds (ahead). He gets hit less because he sees more and he understands more. He understands what defenses are trying to do. He gets the ball out of his hands and creates a situation where he’s able to play so well on schedule, that it makes it really hard for defenses. And now teams can’t blitz him and pressure him like they used to. If you can’t blitz him, then you’re in real trouble. Because he gets to create time in the pocket and then when things aren’t there, then he’s Superman. Then he gets (to) create outside of the pocket, (get) the ball down the field or run and score, touchdown. Like he does everything that you would want a quarterback to do and he’s playing at an elite, elite level above the neck.
Private coach Quincy Avery, who has several top prospects in this year's draft, discusses what makes a great NFL quarterback.
theathletic.com
Trey Lance. He didn't play last year so I got to him last in this QB class.
I think I saved the best for last. Now I see the why he gets so much national hype.
I'd love to see what BB/Josh could conjure up with a pocket QB with real athletic ability.
My order for Pats' QB in the draft
1a. Trey Lance
1b. Mac Jones
Lance will take a trade up for sure. Jones, probably not.
I'd be very happy with either.
theathletic.com
