Washington Football Team: Dwayne Haskins and the fallacy of elite college productivity

So, what does this mean?

It may seem odd to tout a quarterback’s professional prospects by talking about how unsuccessful his college team was. And I am by no means saying that great pro QBs can’t come from highly successful college programs. Obviously, they can.

But I am saying that when evaluating a college quarterback’s professional potential, it is wise to consider the talent that surrounded him in college, and then try to evaluate whether the quarterback was a driver of his team’s success, or merely a passenger, who rode on a crest of elite talent to a lofty, and potentially undeserved, draft position.

Or, to put it another way: when Dwayne Haskins was able to stand in a sturdy pocket and target receivers who were more physically gifted than the defenders trying to guard them, his natural arm talent looked awfully appealing.

When he had to do all the other things that a professional must do, he was not nearly as successful.  And that is one of the many challenges in evaluating college prospects.

Next week, I’ll be tackling the whole Phaistos Disc phenomenon.