In the NFL Draft, teams are more likely to take a swing on a draft prospect in a later round, especially if that player has athletic traits or a certain undeniable skills, but need work in other areas. Today’s report covers a player who has those elite athletic traits in Taylen Green from the University of Arkansas.
A 3 star recruit as rated by 247 Sports, Taylen initially committed his talents to Boise State. After redshirting his first year, Taylen would then see action his second year, appearing in 13 games and starting 10.
He would throw for 2,042 yards and 14 touchdowns against 6 interceptions, with a 61.3% completion percentage, while also adding 586 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing as well. His next season was more of the same as a dual threat, throwing for 1,752 yards, 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions while also rushing for 436 yards and 9 touchdowns as well.
After this, he transferred to Arkansas, where through 11 games he has thrown for 2,584 yards, 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions with a completion percentage of 60.9%. He also has added 468 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground this season for the razorbacks, continuing a pattern of dual threat capability.
Does the tape show an elite weapon at the most important position in football, or is Taylen an elite athlete who still has to learn more about playing QB? Let’s dive into the tape and find out.
Player Info
Name: Taylen Green
Jersey: No. 10
Position: Quarterback
School: University of Arkansas
Class: Junior
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 230 lbs.
Taylen Green’s Strengths
If it hasn’t been said enough, Taylen is an elite level athlete. He has been clocked at 23 mph as well as a triple jumper in high school, where he jumped 43 feet, 5 inches. Taylen also has a prototypical NFL Frame for the QB position, at 6 foot 6 and 230 pounds, showing that he has the ability to withstand hits in and out of the pocket.
Taylen also has impressive accuracy on the deep pass and possesses the arm strength to be able to make every throw on the field. He is also a natural runner with decisive cutting ability and power, which allows him to break tackles and generate yards after contact in the open field.
He has also demonstrated steady improvement year over year in terms of his accuracy and decision making, suggesting that his best ball is yet to come. He also shows strong leadership qualities, evidenced by quickly garnering the trust of the Arkansas locker room and leading multiple comebacks while with the razorbacks.
Taylen Green’s Weaknesses
Taylen’s mechanics can break down when he is pressured, leading to erratic ball placement and forcing passes into double and triple coverage, especially when the pressure comes after his primary read is covered. While he has excellent deep accuracy, he could use some work on his accuracy in the short and intermediate passing games, as well as consistency in these areas, as his completion percentages can fluctuate widely from game to game.
He also takes unnecessary hits as a runner, and needs to work on a sliding technique as well as knowing the appropriate times to slide versus fighting for extra yards. Taylen also needs to develop his timing with certain routes, often relying too heavily on pure arm strength, rather than throwing the ball with anticipation and placement.
Draft Projection
Taylen is currently a day 3 selection for me in the nfl draft. While he has a lot of athleticism and arm strength, he is still learning the nuances of being a quarterback and not just a hard thrower of the football.
This analyst believes that Taylen’s best route to success would be to return to school, either at the University of Arkansas or by transferring to a larger program. However, should he declare for the NFL Draft, teams would be enamored with his strong arm and athletic running style, especially these teams:
- Los Angeles Rams (With Matt Stafford getting up there in age, the Rams are likely looking at a successor for him in this draft, but aren’t looking for one early. If a talent like Taylen is allowed to learn and develop under Sean McVay, the league could be in serious trouble.)
- Seattle Seahawks (Similar to the Rams, the Seahawks also have to be looking toward the future at QB, as well as getting a weapon like Taylen to be able to use in short yardage sneaks and RPO situations in concert with their running back room. Taylen checks all of those boxes for the team from the Pacific Northwest.)
- New York Jets (This one is a little bit of a dark horse selection. If Rodgers doesn’t return to New York, either via way of retirement or by moving on, the Jets are in the QB market. That would mean bridging the gap with a cheap vet while Taylen develops. Even if he does return, then this is likely a selection made with the future of the team in mind as well, as you can develop him behind the scenes while ARod plays out the string.)
Any team selecting Taylen has to know that it is likely at least 1-2 years before he can take meaningful snaps from a developmental standpoint. However, the right coaching staff can unlock Taylen’s game, and put him into a position to be a starting signal caller in the NFL, while also furthering his development to be a potential all-star, which this analyst thinks is his ceiling in the NFL.
My comparison to Taylen Green: David Garrard, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
