Four NFL Team Employees Break Down Brian Hoyer and His Draft Status

Long time readers of SpartanNation.com know that each year as the NFL draft approaches I have several friends who work for various NFL teams and they have let

Long time readers of SpartanNation.com know that each year as the NFL draft approaches I have several friends who work for various NFL teams and they have let us in on their draft analysis. I have asked four of them to break down the MSU athletes who are part of the combine.

 

The four men are from the NFC and the AFC (two and two) and I won’t go any farther into where they come from as to protect their identity. Today they break down Brian Hoyer’s performance. I asked all four various questions.

 

What round will he get picked in:

 

Scout #1:Â 6th

Scout #2: 5th

Scout #3: 5th

Scout #4:Â Free Agent

AVG: late 5th or 6th

 

Rate his in season film and your thoughts PRIOR to the combine:

 

Scout #4: We looked back at what he did with a NFL receiver in Thomas. We had some concerns with his tendency to lock on a receiver. He seems to like one guy and lock on. He certainly got no help this year with his receivers. They struggled catching passes, so his completion percentage didn’t bother us too much. Very good and accurate as a short and intermediate range thrower, but have questions on his arm strength down the field.

 

Scout #3: We like Brian. The first red flag would be down the field accuracy. Granted how many passes go long in our scheme so it isn’t as big of an issue for us, but you still have to at least keep the defense honest. Secondly, you would notice completion percentage, but if you turn on the film of this past season it doesn’t take long to see how many dropped passes he had to endure. He doesn’t play loose with the ball. There were a couple passes that we really felt he played loose with the ball, but over hundreds of throws that is well within the realm of acceptability. He interviewed really well and we see him in the Jake Delhomme type mold.

 

Scout #1: We think he is certainly going to get a look. He locks on his receivers, but if you saw how many passes get dropped you can at least justify it. Very good kid and is teachable. We like his positive attitude and depending on how the draft falls out I can see him being taken in the 6th.

 

Scout #2: We really liked Brian. He isn’t “a go win you a game” type guy, but he won’t cost you a game either. He is smart and doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He can make the entire short and medium throws with consistency. He is a great play action guy and although the draft isn’t an exact science, we would look at him in the 5th depending on how things go.

 

 

Rate his combine:

 

Scout #3: We came into the combine with down field accuracy questions and we still have them. On some downfield routes his receivers had to slow down for the reception. The purpose of the drill is to put the ball on the outside shoulder and make the receiver go get it. That was the only drill we had questions about. His 40 had him sub 5 so that was good. I certainly don’t think Brian did anything to hurt himself with us.

 

Scout #4: We had issues going into the draft with his locking on receivers and down field long-range arm strength and accuracy.  He threw relatively accurate, but we walked away with real questions about his arm strength. He was supposed to throw the ball to the wide-outs outside shoulder and guys had to slow down and they weren’t over the shoulder. I wouldn’t say he hurt himself with us, but maybe confirmed that he isn’t a guy for us. I feel certain he’ll get a shot, but just not with our scheme and us. A good kid just not a good fit for us.

 

Scout #1: I go by the adage that you are what you are and Brian is that. He is a smart QB that isn’t going to make a lot of mistakes. He has better mobility than we saw on his MSU film. They didn’t have a lot of depth at QB so I am sure the reason we didn’t see a lot of mobility was for that reason. He is a very good QB up to medium range. Down field there are questions, but we think he could grow into that and fix it. He is a guy that we think is a lot like Trent Dilfer who played a long time in the league and didn’t hurt his team.

 

Scout #2: We will address questions with him at his Pro Day as far as locking on guys, but I would say we certainly didn’t see anything at the combine that changed our mind about him. Good kid, great attitude and has the arm for the type of offense we run. I think he has the arm to go down the field like we do and we feel confident we can coach that up. At the combine you have to look at a guy and ask yourself did he hurt his chances or status and I don’t think he did at all. He didn’t set the world on fire, but he didn’t screw up either.Â