SI All-American Candidate Jake Garcia Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: QB Jake Garcia
Projected Position: Quarterback
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
School: Loganville (Ga.) Grayson
Committed to: Miami
Frame: Broad, mature build. Muscular but still has room to fill out at the next level, particularly in the lower body.
Athleticism: Quicker than fast but can pick up yardage in chunks when the play breaks down. Comfortable throwing from inside the pocket or out, with snap ability to square up and deliver the football with velocity and accuracy. Slides in the pocket very well, athletic enough to evade the initial rush while maintaining eye discipline.
Instincts: Some gunslinger mentality in his game. Willing to push the football down the field and take risks. Charismatic, confident prospect with the natural leadership skill necessary for the position. Tough inside the pocket, willing to stand in and take punishment to buy targets more time. Strong competitor in any setting.
Polish: Powerful arm with an efficient, classic three-quarter release point. Instant velocity on short to intermediate routes with the football jumping off of his hand. Great touch on intermediate routes, including outside the numbers. Excellent spot accuracy to all three levels but could use more consistency there. Could stand to improve consistency in the pocket, particularly with ball protection as well as getting through progressions faster.
Bottom Line: Garcia has the physical tools to develop into a multi-year starting quarterback at the highest level. He has the right combination of fundamentals, athleticism and toughness to fit the mold of previous USC Trojan quarterbacks but may need a year or two to put it all together from a consistency and progression standpoint.