5 offensive propsects the Commanders should monitor at 2024 Senior Bowl
By Jonathan Eig
Commanders should monitor Michael Pratt
- Quarterback | Tulane Green Wave
- What to look for: Pocket mobility
In a loaded quarterback class, Michael Pratt is a sleeper. He is not in the top group - Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels. Nor is he in the next tier - Michael Penix, Jr., Bo Nix, JJ McCarthy. But some scouts consider his chances for success on a par with many of those rated ahead of him.
That’s primarily because Pratt has played a lot of college football. He has been Tulane’s starting quarterback for the better part of four years, throwing more than 1,000 passes during that time. The prospect has steadily improved each year to the point that he completed about two-thirds of his throws in 2023 for an average of 8.5 yards per attempt, 22 touchdowns, and just five interceptions.
Pratt has good size and enough athleticism to make plays when the pocket breaks down. He can make throws at all three levels.
The knock on Pratt is that he doesn’t do any one thing at an elite level. He is nowhere near the runner that Williams or Daniels is. He doesn’t have the cannon arm of a Penix or the accuracy of Nix. However, he does it all pretty well. Due to his abundance of experience, he processes at a very high level.
If the Washington Commanders have decided that Sam Howell has no real future, there is no reason to take a long look at Pratt. They will go with one of the top prospects in the first round. However, if they believe that the former fifth-rounder can still develop into a top-flight pro, then this might be the perfect pick in a middle round.
He and Howell could eventually compete for the starting job. Sometimes, roster-building is all about increasing your odds. Going into 2024 with both Howell and Pratt - though it may not be as exciting as having Williams - might allow the Commanders to fill other key spots while improving the overall quarterback play.
Pratt cannot run like Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen. but he has shown good pocket awareness. That is just as important in the NFL. I want to see how well he buys time in the pocket against elite pass rushers in the Senior Bowl.