Clayton Tune NFL Draft Overview
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6’2.5”
Weight: 220 lbs.
School: Houston
2023 NFL Draft: Clayton Tune Scouting Report
Clayton Tune is a quarterback one NFL team will enjoy working with after selecting him in the late rounds. Tune is likely a practice squad player who will need to put in significant work to make himself relevant for an NFL roster. However, with his aptitude for understanding the game, and his three-year tenure as the Houston captain, there is a definitive quarterback underneath the surface.
Tune started for four of his five years at Houston, with three years serving as a captain. In his last two seasons, he won the Birmingham Bowl (winning MVP) and then the Independence Bowl (earning offensive MVP), earning first-team All-American Athletic Conference in the last season. The 2022 season saw a stat line of 334 completions on 496 attempts (67.3%), 4074 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. That performance put him in the top-ten of all passing categories in the FBS. His productivity is a factor that should pique the interest of NFL teams for a quarterback who otherwise has questionable mechanics.
Strengths
- Productive career at Houston, leading team to bowl victories;
- Three seasons as captain, took snaps in all five seasons;
- Student of the game, understands defensive flows;
- Keeps his eyes upfield;
- Willing to take risky throws, confident in pocket and outside-the-pocket stance.
Weaknesses
- Holds ball low, slower release, lacks proper zip into windows;
- Needs mechanical refinement at next level;
- Play speed should increase at NFL level;
- Can run the ball, but limited in break-away mobility;
- System-defined and receiver-break reliant quarterback.
NFL Comparison: Charlie Batch
Teams With Need at Position: Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens
Projection: Seventh Round – Undrafted free agent
Bottom Line on Clayton Tune
Clayton Tune is a relic of a quarterback from the early 2000s, with enough leadership and intangibles to earn a backup or ‘fill-in’ spot for a team with a rookie on the bench. Tune has the potential to serve that role in a league that saw Chad Henne and Ryan Fitzpatrick maintain long careers as a backup. However, he needs to put in ample work to overcome some mechanical issues and limited mobility. In an NFL which has come to treasure dual-threat quarterbacks and mechanical refinement, Tune is likely to fall out of the draft entirely.
An honest assessment of Tune’s current projection is a tight quarterback who will bounce around teams, potentially search for a spot in an alternative league, and then become a university-level coach. There is no shame in any of that, especially with Tune having a storied career at Houston.
Although his outlook is limited, fans of whichever team selects or signs Tune should be excited for what he might mean as an insurance policy as the number two quarterback. Last season saw several quarterbacks either injured or with significant drops in performances. As teams re-consider whether they should roster two or three quarterbacks, Tune will eventually have a spot in the NFL and deserves a chance to improve his work. With someone as refined in understanding the game and intangibles as Tune is, there is no risk in selecting him. After all, simply holding the ball higher with a tighter and higher release could result in lower interceptions and NFL-quality play.
Main Image: Vasha Hunt – USA TODAY Sports
