Name: Sam Ehlinger
Position: Quarterback
College: Texas
Class: Junior
Height: 6’3
Weight: 245 lbs
Draft Grade: Mid third round
Draft Projection: Second to third round
Scout Talk: Texas Quarterback Sam Ehlinger
Athletic Ability
Ehlingher is deceptively athletic for his size. He doesn’t have breakaway speed but he runs the option well and is a threat to gash the defense for a 30-yard run at any moment.
Competitiveness
Sam was an All Big-12 honorable mention 2018. He has had good production from the quarterback position through the air and on the ground; he has even amassed eight catches for 109 yards while at Texas. He’s just an all-around good football player that seems to make everyone else play at a higher level.
Mental Alertness
Ehlinger was a 2018 first-team academic All-Big 12. He has a tendency to trust his athleticism too much and gets too deep on a scramble, resulting in unnecessary negative plays.
Strength/Durability
Ehlinger has a great frame and is a battering ram with the ball in his hands. He’s an excellent goal-line weapon. While he does have the frame to consistently take the hits, he should work on sliding to increase his longevity.
Position Skill
Ehlinger has good arm strength but has a tendency to underthrow the deep balls. He exhibits good accuracy and ball placement on short and intermediate routes. If he’s given a clean pocket, he’s able to make all the throws. When he has to scramble, though, his accuracy will drop off a bit. He is also guilty of forcing some throws when the rush starts to close in. Ehlinger exhibits decent mechanics, but his feet are a little sluggish when he tries to reset after a scramble.
Overall
Sam Ehlinger still has one year of eligibility left. Given the Longhorns disappointing 2019 season, he may elect to come back to make a run at a championship. Outside of that, he doesn’t really have much else to prove in Austin. With this year’s class, he has cemented himself as a tier-two quarterback. Mathematically, he grades out as a mid-third round prospect and I expect him to be taken on day two of the draft. Like many young quarterbacks, Ehlinger would benefit from being a back-up for a season. However, he wouldn’t be a complete liability if he were thrown into the fire early on in his career.
