The Tale of the Tape: Breakdown of NFL Draft Prospect Justin Fields

Feb 7

“We’ll see how the rest of the season goes, but Justin Fields at the moment doesn’t look like a consolation prize for whoever picks 2nd overall: he looks like THE prize.”

I wrote this back in early November in the very first edition of Weekly Risers. Despite not playing a game in week eleven, I could not fail to recognize how great Justin Fields looked to start the season. He dazzled in his first three games, putting on grand displays against Nebraska, #18 Penn State, and Rutgers. A lot has happened since the beginning of the season, with opinions and rankings on Fields rising and falling by the week. With his junior year of college behind him, and the NFL draft ahead, here is what the tape says about Justin Fields.

I went into this season a bit down on Fields. I had Trey Lance ahead of him, and thought that Fields was a tad bit overhyped. The tape says otherwise though, and the tape never lies. After reviewing his film, I believe Fields has the chance to be a special quarterback in the NFL.

Justin Fields has one of the best natural arms in this draft class. The ball just flies out of his hands, losing no steam en route to his target. He has one of the best deep balls you will see, hitting receivers 50+ yards downfield in stride with perfect placement. He has more than enough arm strength to make throws across the field. He uses his arm strength, alongside pinpoint ball placement, to fit balls into the tightest of windows.

In terms of accuracy, Field’s numbers speak for themself. He completed 70% of his passes this past season, and has a career completion percentage of 68.4%. He doesn’t turnover the ball often, with only 9 interceptions in two seasons at Ohio State. The film backs up the statistics. Fields is accurate on all levels of the field. He is extremely efficient on the run, as well as in the redzone.

Fields looks to throw first, but he is one of the best running quarterbacks in this class. He has great speed and elusiveness in the open field. He’s dangerous in the option game and is always a threat to scramble if the play breaks down. What impresses me most is how he uses his mobility in the pocket. He is very good at avoiding pass rushers, dodging tackles, and immediately finding an open receiver. It’s pretty reminiscent of Deshaun Watson, or Russell Wilson. Even more impressive is how he slides and navigates the pocket, giving himself and his receivers extra time. He doesn’t just look to bail from the pocket under the first sign of pressure.

For as good as Fields is, he’s not a perfect prospect. There are times where he will cling on to his first read for a bit too long. He has shown good progress in going through his progressions and reading the field, but he’s not quite great at it yet. He’s very young, not even 22 yet, so he has plenty of time to learn and grow.

Something I noticed about Fields, especially during his two worst games against Indiana and Northwestern this year, is that he will sometimes be unsure of himself. He will question whether he should keep a play alive and throw it, or whether he should just tuck it and run. Sometimes he will do a bit too much. Sometimes he gets caught and it can lead to a bad turnover, such as the one against Indiana where he refuses to just take the sack. I feel this sort of feel for the game will come with time and experience, and to his credit, you saw no panic in the college football semi-final game against Clemson, or even against Alabama in the National Championship.
Overall I feel if Trevor Lawrence was not in this class, we would be talking a lot more about Fields. Justin Fields would be a lot more heralded than he is currently. Months ago I said that he looked like THE prize, and while Trevor Lawrence is still sensational and QB1, Justin Fields still looks like a potential franchise quarterback as well. He does everything you want your modern franchise quarterback to do. He has a great arm, paired alongside some great accuracy and ball placement. He makes tight window throws with ease and can extend plays with his legs. He’s a smart quarterback that has progressed every year in college. He’s a little raw in some areas, such as reading the field and being a tad bit more decisive, but Fields is still young and has plenty of time and room to grow.