Former Utah QB Tyler Huntley getting valuable reps during Baltimore training camp
Tyler Huntley was the ultimate anomaly at the 2020 NFL draft.
On one end, he was one of the best quarterbacks in college football last season, set multiple Utah single-season records as a senior and was considered a star at his unofficial pro day.
NFL agent Yossi Behar tweeted out a video on showcasing Huntley participating at an unofficial pro day on Monday, March 30.
And his numbers were impressive...
Height: 6'1" 3/4
Weight: 207
40-yard dash: 4.56
Shuttle: 4.31
Vertical jump: 43.5"
Broad jump: 10'8.5"
3-cone drill: 6.84
His numbers in the 40, shuttle and 3-cone all would've been the top times posted by a quarterback at the combine, while his jumping numbers showed how explosive and powerful he is as an athlete.
Huntley broke out this past year, throwing for 19 touchdowns to 4 interceptions with school records of a 73% completion percentage and a 177.5 passer rating. He was named a first-team all-Pac-12 over former Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert (taken by the LA Chargers in the first round) and a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Manning Award.
But on the other end, many national pundits believed that Huntley was still very raw in terms on NFL potential. And those records he set at Utah were nothing more than a system quarterback who didn't take many risks and relied on screens and short passes.
So Huntley went undrafted in April — but he quickly signed on with the Baltimore Ravens and the chance to compete to be reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson's backup.
The Draft Network's Joe Marino is a favorite of Huntley's, and believes he's the biggest sleeper at his position in the draft.
"With no Senior Bowl or NFL Scouting Combine invitation, Tyler Huntley, was severely overlooked during the pre-draft process. He was a 33-game starter at Utah and set a single-season record for completion percentage (73.1) as a senior which is extremely impressive considering how frequently he likes to push the football down the field. Huntley blends that deep accuracy with the ability to hit rhythm throws, navigate the pocket while keeping his eyes down the field, keeping the football out of harm's way and showcasing an exciting dual-threat component to win as a runner while extending plays.
Huntley’s modest throwing power, accuracy and frame push him down the board but in many ways, his skill set mirrors the trends of the NFL. Huntley deserves more attention, buzz and to get a real shot to be a developmental quarterback that can make some noise in the league — if he gets that chance," Marino wrote in his article.
And now a few weeks into training camp and Huntley has been given the chance to turn heads, something he's been doing.
According to a report by Sports Illustrated, Ravens coach John Harbaugh says that Jackson has been missing some time at camp to rest his ailing arm while also dealing with "soft tissue" issues.
With Jackson out, Robert Griffin III, Trace McSorley and rookie Tyler Huntley shared the snaps. RG3 is second on the depth chart after serving as the main backup last season while McSorley and Huntley are battling for the third spot.
It may not be the start to his NFL career that Huntley or the Utah fans wanted. But at least it's a start, and something Huntley is capitalizing on.
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