Senior Bowl Director Says BYU QB Kedon Slovis has 'Obvious' NFL Talent
On Friday, Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy gave a glowing review of new BYU quarterback Kedon Slovis. He also revealed that Slovis turned down the Senior Bowl to return to college football and transfer to BYU.
"Kedon Slovis, who surprised us by not only going back for fifth year but also transferring from Pitt to [BYU Football], was one of two returning quarterbacks (along with Oregon’s Box Nix) who received Senior Bowl invites last fall," Nagy said. "People who claim 'stats don’t lie' have no clue because they do in many cases when it comes to projecting college players to [the] NFL. Statistically, Slovis’ numbers on paper have declined in many areas (yards, comp %, TDs) since his breakout true freshman season at USC, but his NFL talent is obvious when you put on tape."
Nagy continued, "[Kedon Slovis] is one of most naturally accurate passers in the 2024 class. When we talk to NFL scouts, they love his ball placement on midrange throws that are so critical in pro game. The NFL is all about fitting ball into tight windows and Slovis has that skill. The other main thing that stood out on last year’s Pitt tape was Slovis’ toughness. He got physically abused last year in some games (see Tennessee) and showed guts handling it. [Kalani Sitake] getting Slovis to replace Vikings’ fifth-rounder & Senior Bowl alum Jaren Hall hasn’t been talked about nearly enough when it comes to best transfer portal acquisitions in college football this offseason."
Nagy spends all year watching tape and identifying players to invite to the Senior Bowl. His opinion matches the opinion of BYU's coaching staff: Slovis has obvious NFL talent. If BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick can help Slovis cut down on turnovers and give him opportunities to showcase his NFL potential, BYU could see its third-straight quarterback selected in the NFL Draft.
Generally speaking, BYU teams of the past have only been as good as the starting quarterback. If history is any indication, the Cougars will exceed expectations if Slovis has a good season. As a true freshman at USC, Slovis threw for 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns to just 9 interceptions. As Nagy mentioned, Slovis' production has declined throughout his collegiate career. He had the worst year of his career at Pitt last season, where he threw for 2,400 yards, 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
BYU's offensive line will protect Slovis better than the Pitt offensive line did against teams like Tennessee. That protection, along with a quarterback friendly system, could be the perfect recipe for a bounce-back year.
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