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New York Giants QB Drew Lock: The Good, the Great, and the Ugly
Coach Gene Clemons breaks down Giants quarterback Drew Lock's game film.
Former New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor spent two years as the team's primary backup signal caller. This past off-season, he moved across town to the New York Jets to serve as the backup for Aaron Rodgers.
Meanwhile, the Giants filled their backup quarterback role with Drew Lock, most recently from Seattle and previously with Denver, the latter where there was hope he'd develop into the Broncos' long-term franchise quarterback.
That didn't happen for Lock, who also lost the starting quarterback competition in Seattle to Geno Smith. But there is much to like in the 27-year-old's game. He has been a starter and functioned as a backup, so he could fill in for Giants' incumbent Daniel Jones if he is not ready to go at the beginning of the season.
Overall, Lock has starter traits but also exhibits issues that can lose games. Regardless, he could be a valuable backup for the Giants.
Let’s look at the good, the great, and the ugly of the former Missouri quarterback.
The Good: Ability to Escape
Lock has a lot more athletic traits than he gets credit for. During the combine, his 7.03-second 3-cone drill and his 4.12-second 20-yard shuttle showed his ability to change direction quickly. That is great when he needs to escape the pocket--and he can escape the pocket whenever he is pressured.
He is much more effective when scrambling to his right and decently effective when escaping up the middle. What you like about his scrambling is that it is rarely done to run but rather to buy time and find an open receiver.
In the clips shown above, you see him scramble to his right when defenders commit on an inside rush. Most times, he can get the ball away.
The Great: Arm Strength and Accuracy
There is no denying that Lock throws a very nice football. Two things that you notice often from him are when he is confident in where the ball is supposed to go. The first is that the ball gets to its destination quickly, and the second is that it's delivered to an area that keeps the receiver safe or gives them a chance to move after the catch.
When he's on, short passes and screens look like long handoffs. Longer intermediate throws do not hang in the air. He can easily drive the ball and place them all in an advantageous position for the receiver. The throws he makes are why so many GMs have wanted him over the years.
This set of plays illustrates just how accurate he can be when he is in rhythm.
The Ugly: Big Play Decision-Making
There's so much to like about Lock. The athleticism and arm talent are a couple of major reasons to like him, but the turnoff for most when they evaluate quarterbacks is usually related to turnovers. Lock can get in trouble when he only relies on his pre-snap reads, which usually results in taking a shot down the field.
On those big plays, he almost trusts his arm and his receivers too much and unnecessarily puts the ball in jeopardy. Turnovers like that tend to be morale killers and sucks all of the oxygen out of the offense.
For some quarterbacks, this is simply who they are at their core. They are risk-takers, and although they may be able to suppress them for some time, their true nature will inevitably emerge. Sometimes, it is to the offense's advantage, but often, it ends poorly.
Coach’s Counsel
Lock must be prepared as if he will be the Week 1 starter, as right now, it's still 50-50 if Daniel Jones will be ready for the beginning of the season. Even if the Giants draft a quarterback, that prospect will probably sit for the first year.
You need to sell Lock that this year could be the difference between becoming a career back-up or receiving one more shot to run the show. That appears to be what the Giants did, as Lock admitted during his introductory video conference call, and this is how they will be able to pull the best from Lock.
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