With the season back on for Ohio State and its Big Ten football colleagues, I went back to watch some film on Justin Fields in 2019 to see what he needs to work on for 2020. Keep in mind I am trying to look at this like an NFL scout would preparing for the draft and not a fan of the Buckeyes. I know, tough task.
First, let’s go over some of the positives for Fields as there are way more of those than things what he needs to develop. What we won’t cover is the adjustment from college to pros. There is a huge talent difference between the college and NFL ranks. Mostly because the worst guys in the NFL are better than most college players. Just the way it is.
TOUCHDOWN OHIO STATE! 🔴⚪️
Justin Fields jumps back in the game and delivers a STRIKE for another buckeye TD! This game is getting ugly. #Michigan #OhioState
— Sideline CFB (@SidelineCFB) November 30, 2019
Next … Where Justin Fields excels
The strengths of Justin Fields
The first thing that you see with Fields is the arm talent. Fields has a very quick snap on his throws and places the ball very well. Over the middle throws, timing throws, and hitting wide receivers in stride are all things that flash well for Fields. Ohio State doesn’t run a lot of slow-developing plays, but when the offense dials one up, Fields looks to be able to make every throw in the book.
On the move is where Fields is in another stratosphere than any other QB in college. When he rolls out, he gets a good base to throw and his baseball background is obvious. He gets his feet set correctly, shifts his weight well, and is able to get velocity, accuracy, and touch on throws. Most quarterbacks would lose at least one of those traits with all the mechanics that need to stay tight when throwing on the run.
As far as getting downfield with his legs, Fields may not be as electric as Kyler Murray or Lamar Jackson, but he is more than successful as a ball carrier. He isn’t the guy who is going to juke a defensive player out, but he will be a tough tackle for any defensive back trying to arm tackle him. This ability to run, throw on the run, and his quick decision making all make him perfect for an offense that runs a lot of RPO and motion.
Athletes in space + the read-option = headaches for the opposition@ReggieBush breaks down @justnfields' rushing TD against Wisconsin in his Run of the Week ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/WX1NXSd4o5
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 31, 2019
Fields goes through his progressions well and is good at reading defenses pre-snap. His ability to diagnose and make decisions goes back to his ability to make quick throws, run the RPO extremely well, and see holes in the defense. With his arm talent, he finds holes, usually in the middle of the field and up seams, and makes quick decisive throws.
Next … What Fields needs to work on
Where Justin Fields needs development
While Fields has all the potential to be a franchise quarterback at the next level, there are some parts of his game that he needs to work on this season. No quarterback is perfect, however, Fields has a huge head-start over most quarterbacks in 2020. Outside of Trevor Lawrence, there are few quarterbacks in this class who can say they are this developed.
Fields does have two things that I noticed while watching his game film. First, sometimes he pulls the ball down a little too soon if he feels some pressure. This usually happens when he is trying to make a lot happen and the defense is getting more push than he is used to. It doesn’t happen too often, but it is something that happened in both the Clemson and Wisconsin games.
Excellent piece here. @MarkSchofield breaks down a piece of Justin Fields’ game that I agree needs improvement. There is so much to like about Fields as a prospect. However, processing speed when bullets are flying is something he needs to improve on. https://t.co/nUsYJlbyef
— JWack (@JaredWackerlyFF) August 15, 2020
The other part of Fields game that he needs to work on this season is some small mechanics and getting ready for the next level. On his throws over the middle sometimes his touch on the ball is off. Every once in a while he will zip a ball in that needed more touch or have too much finesse on a ball that needs to have velocity. It is small, but at the next level he will need to be a little more consistent on that aspect. It causes some balls to be a little underthrown or behind a receiver, and sometimes the ball gets there a touch too soon. Not serious of an issue, just more consistency will help him.
There is no doubt Fields is one of the top prospects in this draft and one of the top two quarterbacks, although some people love Trey Lance. Fields has all the traits of a franchise quarterback and this season should help him cement his case to be picked very, very early in the draft. He should be able to work on some of the small parts of his game, but there is very little doubt he can.
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