Overview
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6’3’’
Weight: 216 pounds
School: Tennessee Volunteers
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.64 seconds (second among quarterbacks)
Vertical jump: 33 inches (tied for third among quarterbacks)
Broad jump: 10 feet, 2 inches (third among quarterbacks)
Three-cone drill: 6.75 seconds (best among quarterbacks)
20-yard shuttle: 4.31 seconds
Josh Dobbs 2017 NFL Draft Profile
Josh Dobbs was a four-star recruit out of Alpharetta High School in Georgia. After throwing for over 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns in his senior year, Dobbs chose to continue his career at Tennessee. Dobbs saw time as a true freshman, starting four games but finding little success (two touchdowns with six interceptions). Dobbs would lose the starting job to start his sophomore season, but would take over the role due to injury. In six games, Dobbs threw for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns, while rushing for an additional eight touchdowns. He would finish off his successful sophomore campaign by winning the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl MVP.
Dobbs followed up his junior year by starting all 13 games and throwing for over 2,000 yards. He further established himself as a dangerous dual-threat quarterback by throwing for 15 touchdowns and rushing for 11. Expectations were high for Dobbs entering his senior year. Although he did not compete for the Heisman Trophy, Dobbs did continue to grow. Nearly 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns through the air with an additional 12 scores on the ground made Dobbs a formidable threat in the SEC. However, he threw a career high 12 interceptions in his senior season.
Dobbs enters the NFL Draft as a dual-threat quarterback with tons of upside. Although not flashy or overpowering, Dobbs could make a significant impact on an NFL roster if he adapts to the pro game and learns to use his running abilities wisely. As an aerospace engineer major, the question is not his mental capacity. The biggest question is whether or not he is ready skills-wise to compete for a roster spot in the NFL. Here is our scouting report.
Strengths
- ability to go through progressions efficiently;
- possesses solid throw velocity;
- accurate with deep balls;
- mental capacity and toughness;
- effective runner, avoiding pressure and gaining yardage
Weaknesses
- footwork can get sloppy;
- underweight to run without major injury in NFL;
- difficulty with sideline routes;
- decision-making needs to improve;
- dealt with interception issues.
NFL Comparison: Teddy Bridgewater
Teams With Need at position: Cleveland Browns, San Fransisco 49ers, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, New York Giants
Projection: Late fifth to early sixth round
Bottom Line
Although not at the top of anyone’s quarterback draft lists, Dobbs could be a dark horse pick. He’s efficient in the pocket and can use his legs to get him out of trouble. With his brains, he should have no issues learning an NFL offense. Dobbs’ arm strengh is certainly at the level it needs to be in order to succeed in the NFL. Most importantly, the work ethic is certainly present to work behind an established quarterback and develop.
The reason for Dobbs’ low rankings is his decision-making and injury risk. He needs to add weight to help prevent injury, especially as a dual-threat quarterback. Possessions are more crucial in the NFL, and Dobbs will need to learn to take care of the ball more. Dobbs will also need to learn to protect himself like an NFL quarterback to survive.
All in all, Josh Dobbs is a quarterback with sneaky upside and will be overlooked by most teams. Although he runs the risk of injury, Dobbs could be a very successful investment for a team looking to use a late round pick on a quarterback they can develop.
