With their first round selection, the Eagles picked up their quarterback of the future.
The Eagles used the second overall pick to select quarterback Carson Wentz from North Dakota State University.
So what do we know about Carson Wentz and what can we expect from him on the field?
We broke down the film earlier this week, but here’s a look at some of the details from his scouting report from the NFL Combine that will make him a player to watch for the Eagles moving forward.
The thing that everyone points out about Wentz is that he comes complete with the intangibles. This is honestly the highest compliment you could pay a rookie entering the NFL.
Basically, his leadership qualities, work ethic, desire to win and overall smarts put him in a position that a lot of quarterbacks are not in when they get drafted. A majority of the time, quarterbacks need to find that leadership and work ethic over time and the football smarts come with experience.
In Wentz’ case, he seems like a natural-born leader, the kind you would want leading your franchise. And if you don’t have to teach him the qualities that go into leading an offense and being the face of a franchise, then it can allow you to focus more on the things that will need work.
Wentz comes with an athletic 6’5”, 237-pound frame that sets him up to be a durable quarterback. The smarts that look so NFL ready come from running pro-style schemes.
When it comes time to perform, Wentz is very polished already, strong in the pocket with an above-average arm that is both accurate and powerful enough to throw the deep ball but can put the added touch on short passes and lead receivers. He has the ability to quickly find the open receiver with good field vision, but has proven to take chances and fire strikes into a small window.
Wentz is also quick on his feet. Already noted for his pocket presence, scouts have raved about his ability to use his feet to avoid sacks and he has the ability to be a mobile quarterback and carry the ball or throw the ball on the run.
This is where some of his weaknesses come in. His footwork needs improvement as it lacked consistency over the season and didn’t particularly look strong with his bootleg rollouts to the left side of the field. He did injure his wrist during his senior season and dealt with arm injuries over his high school years.
The Division I FCS competition is also a concern, though the mental toughness and intelligence of Wentz has put him ahead of the curve in this regard.
Wentz has proven success over the years. In addition to being at North Dakota State for five straight national championship seasons, two of which he was the starter, his numbers as a starter are equivalent to elite quarterbacks in the NFL.
In his two years as a starter, a total of 24 games, Wentz threw for 4,762 yards and a 63.5 percent completion rate with 42 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His overall college career totals are 43 games, 5,115 passing yards, 45 touchdowns and 14 interceptions with a 64 percent completion rate. In his two seasons as a starter, he averaged 8.3 yards per pass and 200 yards per game.
On the ground, Wentz rushed 216 times over his 43 games at North Dakota State, for 1,028 yards and 13 touchdowns. In his two seasons as starter, he had 201 carries for 936 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 4.7 yards per carry and 37.5 yards per game.
Ultimately, Wentz is a hot prospect with a lot of great qualities – all the intangibles, the skill level, the talent, ability in both his arm and legs. That said, this is a kid that came from out of nowhere – North Dakota State isn’t exactly a hot spot for football – but that is all the more reason why Wentz feels he is ready.
Despite that, he has a small sample size, just two years in the FCS, and is a player who practically has represented that level of college football over that time. Being a quarterback makes him all the more desirable, and it’s easy for a team to get caught in the hype.
But this doesn’t feel like just another quarterback. This feels like a winner, a player who finds a way to win with what he has around him and believes in his own abilities and is ready to prove those abilities at the next level.
He claims that his upbringing for a hard work ethic, willingness to learn and strong football smarts has built him into a prospect with great overall leadership, intelligence and character. Those things are hard to find in a rookie.
Wentz will face challenges and the Eagles coaching staff will have to mold this budding star, who made a pretty big name at North Dakota State, into a star in Philadelphia. But if there’s any quarterback as determined as ever to be a success, it’s Carson Wentz.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
