Washington Football Team: Five best QB prospects available in the 2021 NFL Draft
Redshirt junior Kyle Trask is the fifth-best non-Lawrence prospect in this draft at his position and would also be the fifth-best option here for Washington.
Trask displayed his ability to throw a quick rope and ability to make quick first reads pre-snap. Throughout his two years as a starter at Florida, his greatest attributes and showings were on display when he got the ball out fast into his playmakers’ hands.
He was a quick decision-maker, an accurate thrower of the football, and as deadly as you can be when facing zero pressure.
Of the 346 dropbacks Trask took when not facing pressure, he torched teams for a completion percentage of 73.3, throwing 34 touchdowns to just five interceptions. The numbers are even better than they look, as his completion percentage translates to an adjusted completion percentage of 79.1 percent and an NFL passer rating of 132.4.
The issues for Trask, begin as soon plays do not go on script.
His completion percentage drops to 52.6 percent when he was facing pressure last season. His athleticism outside of on-script pocket plays is virtually non-existent, as he was given a run grade from PFF of 46.2 when facing pressure.
Trask will likely only have true success at the next level in the West Coast offense. This is due to his ability to work best making quick reads and throws that mostly come from the short and intermediate passing game.
However, Trask is extremely limited when it comes to going through his progressions. He tends to commit to his read pre-snap, while not always being accurate. Pre-snap you want your quarterback to read the defense, but in many cases the hesitation displayed by Trask as well as the in-the-moment decision-making when a play doesn’t go on script leads Trask to make some ugly plays. In those scenarios, he begins to become a bad quarterback.
As a poor decision-maker for any off-script play, Trask is extremely limited in the offenses he can be successful in. There must be strong playmakers around him to be successful. Trask simply doesn’t have the tools as a passer both pre-snap, post-snap, and athletically to be an adequate long-term starter in the NFL.
Trask would be Washingtons’ fifth-best option here because he simply can’t elevate this offense to a level that Alex Smith had it once at.
Considering Smith only ever had the offense “afloat” at best, Trask shouldn’t be in consideration for any pick near the first three rounds of the draft. Kyle Trask isn’t the answer in D.C.