Tanner McKee NFL Draft Overview
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6′-6″
Weight: 230 pounds
School: Stanford
2023 NFL Draft: Tanner McKee Scouting Report
After spending the past three seasons with the Stanford Cardinals, quarterback Tanner McKee has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. The 22-year-old had a decent final season, completing 62% of his passes for 2,947 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
Following a two-year mission trip, Tanner McKee began his collegiate career in 2020. The quarterback hardly saw the field, as he threw just seven passes, completing three of his attempts for 62 yards.
McKee earned the starting job his sophomore year, playing in 10 games while completing 65.2% of his passes for 2,327 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Strengths
- Impressive accuracy in clean pockets – can hit his mark on all three levels of the field;
- Quick mechanics with a fast release;
- Throws a very catchable football – tight spiral with touch;
- Not afraid to throw into tight windows, usually with success;
- Made the most of a terrible situation at Stanford – receivers and the offensive line actively sabotaged him;
- Strong, durable frame that can take hits and keep getting up;
Weaknesses
- Lacks an elite physical trait – adequate, but not great at anything;
- Doesn’t feel pressure well and lacks the mobility to escape it;
- Sometimes panics under pressure and makes bad decisions;
- Can be fooled by post-snap looks, leading to some of the dumbest decisions you’ll ever see;
- Statistically subpar, although a lot of that blame rests on his supporting cast.
NFL Comparison: Kyle Orton
Teams With Need At Position: New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans
Projection: Round 2
Bottom Line on Tanner McKee
Tanner McKee is one of the hardest evaluations of the NFL Draft, as it’s hard to get a true glimpse into how good he can be when everything around him was so, so bad. Based on the few times he wasn’t pressured in college, we can deduce that his arm, while not great, is NFL caliber in both strength and accuracy. His receivers complete inability to separate forced him to become an above-average tight window passer, and his strong build is the only reason he survived behind that offensive line.
McKee’s raw passing numbers aren’t great, and you can see why on film. In addition to the terrible supporting cast, the quarterback doesn’t feel pressure well, and lacks the pocket prowess and mobility to evade it even when he anticipates it. He also goes through periods where he seemingly doesn’t even bother to read the defense, instead choosing to throw it at whoever his first read is, regardless of coverage.
Chances are, these mistakes are reflective of who Tanner McKee will be at the professional level. However, there is a chance that his shortcomings were entirely the fault of the supporting cast. McKee was always under pressure, so how was he supposed to know when his offensive linemen failed earlier than usual? Nobody was getting open anyway, so why bother going through your progressions?
Justin Herbert faced similar criticisms coming out of college, but his time in the NFL proved that all his so-called deficiencies were actually the byproduct of a terrible environment. McKee isn’t nearly as talented as Herbert, but the same concept could apply here.
Main Photo: John Hefti – USA Today Sports
