Change in Layout

With the new User Mock section, the old format didn’t quite work. There was only room for about 8 pages on the toolbar. While I liked the old layout more, this one is a little more practical. It might change over the next few days if I find a better one.
And, after a wait that was far too long, we now have a “User Mock” section. So if you have a mock you would like to send, feel free to do so. Check out the User Mock section for details.

Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

Name: Mark Sanchez
Position: Quarterback
School: Southern Cal
Height: 6030 E
Weight: 225 E
40 Time: 4.70 E

Athleticism: 6.5
Sanchez is a plus athlete for a quarterback, displaying good initial quickness (short-strides limit his max speed though), good balance, and adequate change of direction. Sanchez makes good use of this athleticism rolling out of the pocket (which he does quite a bit) and escaping pressure.
Quickness: 6.5
Balance: 6.5
Fluidity: 6.0

Physical Talents: 7.0
Sanchez is definitely a very talented kid, every bit as talented as Stafford though in different ways. Sanchez has good height for the position, an excellent arm, and very good mobility. While his arm is not quite in the Stafford category, it is very strong and he is capable of making every NFL throw. He has a good frame, but looks a little thin for the quarterback position – however he should have no problems adding the mass needed to absorb NFL punishment.
Body Type: 6.5
Strength: 6.0
Explosion: 6.5

Polish: 6.0
Sanchez shows a good understanding of the playbook (has responsibility as a signal caller) and has a refined drop-back. Sanchez has decent throwing mechanics, with a quick release, excellent balance, good legs, and an involved torso. However, Sanchez has a relatively low release point, which is somewhat mitigated because Sanchez has good instincts and has no problems with deflections at LOS. The big problem, however, is that Sanchez holds the ball low before he throws it – in 4 games, he fumbled the ball three times. I will say it here and later in the report – if that does not change, Sanchez will not justify a 1^st round selection being used on him.
Understands Playbook: 6.5
Proper Technique: 6.0
Instincts: 6.5

Competitiveness: 6.5
Sanchez earns high marks for his competitive spirit, and this is one of the reasons it is hard to give him a low grade. I absolutely love the toughness and effort he shows in taking hits and playing through pain. He is a consistent quarterback who improved as the season went on. I am a little concerned that I never got to see him step up in the clutch, USC was just never in the position, and you have to worry about Sanchez’ ability to overcome adversity.
Toughness: 6.5
Consistency: 6.5
Clutch Play: 6.0
Effort: 6.5

Football Character: 6.5 Hard worker who spent a lot of time studying defenses. Smart kid who should be able to handle all media, playbook, and leadership responsibilities required of a 1^st round pick.
Personal Character: 5.5 A couple red flags. USC Head Coach Pete Carroll was obviously not pleased when Sanchez declared, and that strikes me as a flag. More of a concern is a couple off-field issues, including one for sexual assault and another for allegedly breaking a window at a fraternity party.
Durability: 6.0 Has been nicked up, but has the toughness to play through minor injuries..

Release: 5.5 Release is quick, but a little low even with his good height.
Dropback: 6.5 Sanchez has a very nice dropback, and is quick in his drop which allows him to set up quickly.
Arm Strength: 6.5 Sanchez has an excellent arm and can make every NFL throw with zip.
3rd Down Conversions: 6.0 Sanchez usually ended up throwing third and long, as USC’s running game converted most third and shorts, but Sanchez looks merely decent on 3^rd down.
Short Accuracy in Pocket 6.5 Sanchez is usually very accurate in the pocket, but occasionally throws an off-target short pass.
Long Accuracy in Pocket: 6.5 Sanchez throws a very nice deep ball with good zip. Excellent accuracy.
Accuracy while moving: 7.0 Excellent throwing on the run.
Big Plays: 6.5 Sanchez is generally good at reading the safeties, and has the arm strength to hit WRs deep.
Poise in Pocket: 6.0 Can hold onto the ball too long at times, but makes up for it with his footwork and feel for the rush.
Escapes from Pocket: 6.5 Sanchez is a good athlete who does a good job escaping from the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield.
Leadership: 6.5 Will earn respect from his teammates for his toughness, good leader.
Reading Defenses: 6.5 Sanchez will develop into a good reader of defenses, rarely forces throws in college.
Big Errors: 5.5 Fumbles are a huge issue, as are occasional off-target passes.

Summary: Sanchez really should have stayed in school for another year. Aside from teams possibly being scared off by his limited experience (16 career starts), he also needs a bit of work before he is ready to play at a high level in the NFL. Sanchez is the NFL equivalent to a five-tool prospect who can’t hit curveballs. He does most things very well, but he has one flaw (how he holds the ball) that will doom him from being a good NFL player unless it is fixed. The good news is that it doesn’t seem like something that would be difficult to teach. The bad news is that changing the way he holds the ball can change his entire throwing motion. Whoever drafts Sanchez has to believe they can fix him, because if they fix him they could end up with a very good quarterback with good leadership skills. In the end, I think he is most likely to be a good, but unspectacular, NFL quarterback if put in a situation where he is not forced to start right away.

Also, as much as I don’t like to comment on things like this, Sanchez is a great “face of the franchise”: Good looking, smart, articulate, and will likely draw a large Hispanic following for whatever team he joins. He’s a PR dream, which could help him as teams look not only to draft good football players but to draft guys who will sell jerseys and tickets.

Final Grade: 6.6 CR

Note: It is very possible I will scout more USC games, for that reason I reserve the right to change this grade.

Games Scouted: Notre Dame, UCLA, Penn State, Stanford, Ohio State, Oregon State