The Eagles have a lot riding on Carson Wentz. Seven picks were surrendered for their potential opportunity to draft the North Dakota State product, but he is by no means a can't-miss prospect. His athleticism and strong arm are tantalizing and it isn't hard to see Doug Pederson sitting in the film room, drooling over Wentz and dreaming about what he can become with some refinement.
With what they gave up for him, you would hope the Eagles have done more homework on Wentz than any of the other 31 NFL franchises. But for the football-viewing public, little is known about the kid from Bismarck, ND. After a look at the tape, here are a few of my thoughts regarding the guy who could be the face of Jeffrey Lurie's franchise.
Throwing
Wentz has a lot of zip on his ball. His arm strength is apparent on almost all of his throws and he is able to throw balls to the sideline from the opposite hashmark with ease, something that will be crucial to his NFL success. He is able to fit the ball into tight windows, especially in short yardage situations. On this play, taken from NDSU's game against Montana, Wentz shows off that impressive arm:
(Video at 0:13)
Despite some shoddy footwork — more on that later — Wentz is able to put the ball on the opposite sideline and give his receiver a chance to make a play and pick up the first down. This type of throw was something Nick Foles was especially good at, and it can be a really effective route late in games when teams are trying to conserve time.
Where Wentz's lack of refinement shows is in his limited touch on deep balls. He often misses open receivers down the field and on a few occasions, under-threw them and ended up being picked off. In Pederson's offense, the deep ball isn't emphasized, but as we saw last year, without the threat of taking the top off a defense, an offense can be handicapped. Like on this play, from the Montana game:
(Video at 1:42)
Wentz has plenty of time following the play action, but overthrows his receiver by about eight yards. It is an impressive feat of strength, but it's a throw you would expect an NFL quarterback to make. He'll need to learn how to harness that strength if he wants to capitalize on big opportunities like that one.
Running
After watching his tape, I was really impressed with Wentz's athleticism and ability to run the football. He's built like a tight end and has a knack of running through contact, but is still very shifty in the open field. Despite people emphasising his physical gifts, I think his running ability has been undersold and could add another dimension to the Eagles offense when he hits the field.
(Video at 2:53)
Wentz runs a basic zone read and uses his frame to run through a tackle and then gathers himself and dives into the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the game. To see someone his size move like he does is certainly impressive and reminds me a lot of Cam Newton's running style.
Despite his athleticism, Wentz really struggles with his footwork in the pocket. When he is unpressured, he is a statue, refusing to move his feet. In college, he was able to elude pass rushers despite sitting back on his heels, something that will need to be eradicated if he expects to elude NFL pass rushers. This is another issue that can be fixed with proper coaching, but for right now, it is his biggest issue.
(Video at 2:12)
Wentz is slow at the top of his drop and is unable to climb the pocket and elude the pass rusher, resulting in a sack and a fumble. On the plus side, it is nice to see him dive on that pile for the ball, I suppose. It shows what a competitor he is.
Intangibles
Wentz looks the part of a franchise QB. He commands respect on the field and never looks to be out of sorts after an interception. But he also had a tendency to stare down receivers and he was often asked to only make one or two reads before he would tuck the ball and run. His ability to work through progressions is where Pederson's tutelage will really make a world of difference. Even Brett Favre has raved about Pederson's knowledge regarding progressions and reading coverages, and this information will make or break Wentz's NFL career.
All in all, Wentz is exactly who everyone thinks he is. He has incredible athleticism, but needs a ton of refinement before he can be a solid, NFL quarterback. His ceiling is incredibly high, but he also has a lot to overcome before he can reach that level. All of this hinges on Doug Pederson, Frank Reich and John DeFilippo's ability to help him through the maturation process and transform him from top prospect to top NFL QB.
Tucker Bagley is a columnist for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @tbagley515.
