Name: Shea Patterson
Position: Quarterback
College: Michigan
Class: Senior
Height: 6’2
Weight: 203
Draft Grade: Late third round
Draft Projection: Third to fourth round
Scout Talk: Michigan Quarterback Shea Patterson
Athletic Ability
Patterson is quick, agile and possesses the breakaway speed that makes him dangerous with the ball in his hand. He can be a goal-line weapon but will need to bulk up some to consistently move the chains.
Competitiveness
Shea was a transfer from Ole Miss. He has proven to be a great leader that elevates everyone around him with his fearless style of play.
Mental Alertness
Patterson needs to work on his awareness to get rid of the ball faster, or simply throw it away. He holds it too long and is a risk for turnovers. He also battles spells of inconsistency and poor decision making. To his credit though, Shea makes an effort to work through his progressions.
Strength/Durability
Shea has a good frame but should probably add more muscle with his style of play. That being said, he’s been fairly durable so far in his career.
Position Skill
Patterson has an unorthodox, side-armed delivery but decent mechanics overall. He has a quick release and the ball explodes out of his hands. Shea has impressive arm strength, he’s great with short timing routes but has poor downfield accuracy. He moves well in the pocket and shows the ability to feel the rush. Has a tendency to force throws when the pocket begins to break down. Ball security is an issue.
Overall
Shea Patterson’s athleticism and arm strength will be enough to earn looks from NFL scouts. His stock only rises when you factor in his four years of starting experience split between the SEC and Big Ten. For me, he grades out as an end of the third round prospect. With this year’s class, it’s possible Patterson can improve his stock during the draft process and be taken early on day two. However, he still has his shortcomings and should realistically be considered in the third or fourth round.
Patterson reminds me a lot of Daniel Jones with his style of play, experience, and production in college. He has a high ceiling based on athletic ability and arm strength, but also a low floor if he can’t improve his downfield accuracy and decision making. The best-case scenario for him would be for him to go to a team that already has an established veteran quarterback on the roster and hold the clipboard for a year while fine-tuning his skill set.
