Where Might Gators QB Kyle Trask be Selected in the 2021 NFL Draft?
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that Florida Gators quarterback Kyle Trask improved his prospects of not only being selected in the 2021 NFL Draft but also his placement within the draft itself.
While there are plenty of quarterbacks to choose from this year, Trask's name might be one of the more intriguing of the bunch.
Entering the 2020 season as a redshirt senior, there wasn't much going for Trask. He played extensively for the first time during the previous season, starting due to an injury to Feleipe Franks. Prior to '19, Trask played in just three games since joining the program in 2016.
Simply put, he wasn't expected to amount to much, known by most as a scout-team quarterback, one that may end up in the coaching ranks following graduation or to never be seen again.
Last season has changed all of that. In 2020, Trask took the SEC by storm, completing 301 passes, the second-most in the FBS to Alabama's Mac Jones who played in one extra game. In the end, Trask threw for 4,283 yards, 43 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.
When it comes to the draft, however, NFL teams won't be looking strictly at statistics, however, they'll be looking for a variety of traits, including team fits.
So, with that said, where exactly may Trask's stock be at the moment and where could he land?
Draft Stock
When it comes to evaluating a player's draft stock, one must first take a look at the player, and the quarterback position may be the most difficult one to judge.
For Trask, size is not an issue. At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Trask has plenty of size to hold up as a durable quarterback in the NFL. Over the last two seasons, Trask missed zero snaps due to injury and he has completely covered from previous lower-body injuries.
While his arm strength may be a bit of a deterrent, teams will likely become enamored by his ball placement, making him one of the more desirable quarterbacks in the class. His 68.9% completion percentage ranked No. 11 in the FBS.
According to Pro Football Focus, Trask earned a passing grade of 92.4, the seventh-best in the FBS. Among quarterbacks slated to go high in the 2021 NFL Draft, Jones (95.8), Zach Wilson (95.4), Justin Fields (93.5) are the only ones to have scored higher. Consensus No. 1 overall pick, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence earned a grade of 91.2.
While Trask was incredibly impressive, it doesn't necessarily mean that he will go higher than any of those quarterbacks. Although, it does point to his draft stock being higher than likely anyone would have imagined entering the season.
Trask's weaknesses are clear. He is not a mobile quarterback, rushing for just 50 yards on 64 attempts (sacks are included), he also presents less-than-ideal arm strength, not able to always put the football on a rope and his playing experience leaves a lot to be desired.
He is not a perfect quarterback, but the end of the first round is not out of the question, especially when teams see him throw in Mobile (Ala.) next week at the Senior Bowl.
But, what teams could be an ideal fit for the Florida quarterback?
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts may be the best fit for Trask for multiple reasons. With veteran quarterback Philip Rivers officially announcing his intentions to retire, the need at quarterback for Indianapolis has shot up to the very top. Behind Rivers is Jacoby Brissett and Jacob Eason.
While the Colts at one point believed in Brissett enough to give him a contract extension worth $30M over two years, the experiment has clearly failed, and Brissett is set to become a free agent this March. The Colts' need for a quarterback is just as much as any team in the league.
Currently, Indianapolis owns the No. 21 and 54 picks in the draft, the first and second round, respectively. At pick 21, Trask presents intriguing value. At this point in the draft, a number of quarterbacks, including Lawrence, Fields, Wilson, Trey Lance and possibly Jones will have already been selected. Trask would likely be the best of the rest, and ripe for the taking for the Colts.
As a fit, Trask makes sense for Indianapolis too. Its offense ran by offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni featured a quarterback in Rivers that historically has never been mobile, a pure pocket passer similar to Trask in that way.
With plenty of weapons on offense, including at running back, Trask won't be tasked with being the guy to carry an offense, similar to how he was used at Florida with the weapons that team fielded. Ball control will be the No. 1 reason why Trask could do well in Indy.
The rest of the team is already good, basically, and Trask would simply need to be a game manager, something he is quite good at being.
Pittsburgh Steelers
With the Steelers, Trask could be an option in the first round at pick No. 24, or in the second round at pick No. 55. While quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has yet to retire, at age 38, he likely will be considering that option sooner rather than later.
If Roethlisberger does come back, Traks would do well with sitting behind Big Ben, learning from a quarterback who, while not similar in play style, has plenty of experience and can teach the rookie quarterback how to play within the Pittsburgh offense.
The Steelers recently announced that offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner's contract will not be renewed, allowing for a need at the coaching position. While a new offensive coordinator could take away the likelihood of Trask being selected, depending on the playing style, Trask currently does present an intriguing option as a quarterback-of-the-future.
New Orleans Saints
The last team on the list is the Saints who are likely going to need to test quarterbacks sooner rather than later. On Sunday, shortly prior to the team's matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the divisional round of the playoffs, Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer reported that Saints quarterback Drew Brees was planning to retire.
While Brees has not officially announced his intentions either way, given how the season ended it is quite likely he does call it a career, going down as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.
The Saints, while the need will be there, are not going to be as desperate to select a quarterback as the other two teams will likely be. New Orleans currently has backup quarterback Taysom Hill under contract for one more season after signing him to a two-year $21M deal prior to last season and could see him as the quarterback of the future.
That, however, is not solidified and the team could also still re-sign Jameis Winston who is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Regardless, Trask presents an intriguing option for the Saints at pick No. 28 or 60, depending on how far the quarterback fell. Brees was not a mobile quarterback for much of his career and excelled in short/intermediate passing in head coach Sean Payton's offense. While the team did have plenty of deep threats throughout his career, ball control and sustained drives were plentiful.
Trask would fit directly in with a veteran team such as the Saints, and not have to instantly improve the team simply by being on the team. If the saints were to need a quarterback, after all, Trask would be an attractive option.
