NFL Draft 2019: Missouri’s Drew Lock poised to be first-round lock

Missouri quarterback Drew Lock will enter the 2019 NFL Draft with some expectations. We have high hopes for this talented, big-armed quarterback.

With the NFL Draft just weeks away we wanted to touch on what kind of impact a quarterback like Drew Lock could and will have for whomever drafts him come April 25th. Lock has had an outstanding college football career. With analysts comparing him to Jay Cutler, Sam Darnold and Josh Allen. All three have been successful at the highest level. So what does Lock bring to the table?

He stands tall at 6’4 and weighs 228 pounds. That’s what every NFL team will look for in a prototypical quarterback. Although his 40 yard dash wasn’t anything to get excited about (4.69), his pocket presence makes up for his lack of speed. Lock can make any throw from wherever he wants on the field. Coming from a SEC school, Lock has plenty of experience playing in a pro-style offense.

So let’s go over some of his strengths and weaknesses and figure out what kind of NFL player he might become.

Strengths

Lock just like aged wine has gotten better and better every season during his college football career. His freshman year he started the final eight games and played in a total of 12. Lock threw for 1,332 yards, four touchdowns and eight interceptions. Going for 129 for 263 which came out to a 49.1 completion percentage.

What we like about Lock was his ability to improve each and every season. He could’ve easily come out his junior year. Where he led the FBS with 44 total touchdowns. His Sophomore season his completion percentage rose to 54.6 percent. He led the SEC in passing yards with 3,399. Which came out to 10th overall in the entire FBS. Lock also threw for 23 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions.

His Junior year his touchdown totals as mentioned above skyrocketed to 44. His completion percentage once again rose to 57.8 percent. He threw for more yards with 3,964, but also had more interceptions with 13. Still a very impressive 2017 campaign from the 2018 Second team All-SEC member. His Senior year wasn’t nearly as impressive as his Junior campaign.

Lock threw for 3,498 passing yards and only 28 touchdowns. His completion percentage kept the rising trend and rose to 62.9 percent and he also threw for only 8 interceptions. Tying his career low. It’s safe to say Lock caught on fast and kept the pedal down to build an impressive college football resume for the 2019 NFL Draft.

Weaknesses

Drew Lock still struggles with his decision making from time to time. Which is understandable considering he is still very young and has a lot of room to grow. Although his interceptions were never high enough to complain about, he left a lot of great throws on the field during his college career. Playing at a school like Missiouri doesn’t exactly put you in the best position to play in marquee games year after year.

Lock will have to improve on his speed and finding a better balance in the NFL with his passing yards, touchdowns and interceptions. He will also have to prove that he can play at the highest level on the biggest stage. That will all come with time. So where will Lock land on April 25th? Some analysts have Lock ranked above Dwayne Haskins of Ohio State and Kyler Murray of Oklahoma. Both which have been highly touted quarterbacks in their college careers.

Draft Expectations

Why is Drew Lock such a steal for the first round? He is flying under the radar compared to the two quarterbacks mentioned above. He has All-Pro talent that can be utilized by the right NFL team. More often than not it’s overlooked players like Lock that end up having better and more successful NFL careers. His size and sheer football prowess and talent can take him very far in the NFL.

It’s no secret that bigger, stronger quarterbacks find more success than those who rely too heavily on their legs. Lock is a gunslinger who can shock the NFL world come September if given the right opportunity.

Projection: Mid-to-late first or early second round