Raiders 2019 Draft Prospect: QB Will Grier

2019 Raiders Draft Prospect Profile

Name: Will Grier

School: West Virginia University

Position: QB

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 220 pounds

Stats

Pocket Presence

During his career in Morgantown, Grier operated primarily out of the shotgun. As a result, the pocket naturally formed, giving him time.However, when the play broke down and rushers advanced, Grier never panicked.He slid away from pressure. More importantly, his first look remains downfield.If no one breaks open, Grier shows no fear in taking the ball himself, running into daylight.

Reading Defenses

After the snap, Grier shows comfort and ease, feeling the blitz. When defenses threatens the blitz Grier audibles, recognizing the hot read and throwing the vacancy. In addition, he presents the ability quickly discerns man versus zone and adjusts accordingly. For the same reason, Grier will pick on the weak corner or linebacker in coverage, looking them off, allowing the receiver to gain separation.

Release

Granted, Grier is not the prototypical quarterback, sizewise. Now, do not let anyone tell you he is small. While taller than Drew Brees and probably Baker Mayfield, Grier uses a quick, snapping motion to get rid of the ball. Yet, he does not shortarm throws and generates above average shoulder rotation on each throw.

Arm Strength

If you seek the cannon-armed brute, Grier is not for you.However, he does show the skill to make every throw. Meanwhile, the only technical adjustment he requires is stepping into the deep throw. When he does generate lower body torque, he gains distance and velocity. On the other hand, Grier exhibits excellent touch on underneath routes. As a result, his throws allow for YAC.

Mobility

As mentioned, when defenses lock down the wideouts, Grier will tuck and run. In the open field, Grier can pick up chunk yardage. Now, no one wants their quarterback to run excessively. Yet, Grier takes what gaps the defense gives on the ground. Furthermore, his nimbleness gives him the change to operate the bootleg with confidence.

Accuracy

Despite taking vertical shots, Grier’s completion percentage still ranked high. Under those circumstances, he fits the ball into smaller windows. Correspondingly, Grier throws to the spots, allowing the receivers to turn upfield. In addition, Grier will not throw a hospital ball. That is to say, Grier will not place his receivers in dangerous situations.

Raiders Fit

Granted, Derek Carr remains the starter. The Raiders invested 125 million dollars in him. With that said, Carr still has four years left on the contract. With trade rumors circling, no guarantee exists that he will be a Raider. Moreover, you cannot assume that any roster spot is locked up. With teams looking for a starter to put them over the top, Carr does possess trade value. If he does stay with the Raiders, Grier could slide in as a backup for now. Given the fact that Grier exudes that Rich Gannon, Jeff Garcia, and Jake Plummer vibe that Gruden loves, it may not be that far-fetched. On the field, Grier’s accuracy underneath, and ability on bootlegs should attract the Raiders. If he falls into the second or third, the Raiders need to seriously consider him.