Tampa Bay's Arians Says 'Mentally,' Kyle Trask Isn't Far Behind Andrew Luck
Though he may no longer be the Florida Gators' quarterback, Kyle Trask continues to get praise in the news. His newest head ball coach, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians recently made the news in his praise for Trask, comparing him to one of his former disciples in retired quarterback Andrew Luck.
“I’m really impressed,” Arians said of Trask earlier this week. “Mentally, he’s not far behind what Andrew did in the same offense. What Andrew did that year was unbelievable. I’m not saying he’s Andrew Luck, but mentally he’s really, really sharp.”
Arians and the Buccaneers selected Trask with the 64th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the final selection in the second round. Trask would become the fifth quarterback selected behind Trevor Lawrence (1st overall), Zach Wilson (2nd), Trey Lance (3rd) and Justin Fields (11th).
While he wasn't selected in the first round, Trask has the aptitude to compete at a high level in the NFL, and sitting behind a legendary quarterback like Tom Brady isn't a bad way to start a career.
Arians comparing Trask to Luck is perhaps the highest praise a young quarterback could receive, especially from a coach who used to teach him at the highest level. Luck, selected first overall by the Indianapolis Colts in 2012, would play just six seasons in the NFL, but finished with plenty of accolades.
Arians would coach Luck during his time with the Colts as the team's offensive coordinator and interim head coach in 2012.
Known for his mental processing and arm talent, Luck passed for 23,671 yards, 171 touchdowns and 83 interceptions. Had his career been longer, he was thought to perhaps go down as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.
Trask was a quick learner while at Florida. During the season, Gators head coach Dan Mullen also praised Trask's mental ability, saying that he was making 'graduate level' progression.
Last season, Trask broke multiple Florida football records, compiling 4,283 yards, 43 touchdowns and eight interceptions. It would be his first year as the full-time starting quarterback for the Gators. He led the team to an SEC Title game and yet another New Year's Six Bowl game.
Trask would also be named one of the finalists for the Heisman Trophy, given to the best college football player in the country.
While it's not fair to compare a rookie like Trask to perhaps one of the best quarterback prospects of the past decade, the praise given by Arians does hold some merit. Having coached Luck, and now coaching Trask, the former Florida quarterback is in the best hands.
