The final player on our scouting reports of NFL Draft eligible Ohio State players for 2021 is of course quarterback Justin Fields. Fields’ stock has been up and down, however, he is a sure-fire first-round pick and will go in the top part of the draft. HE is not a perfect prospect (nobody is), but he has all the tools for teams looking for a starting quality quarterback.
Fields was already considered one of the top players for the 2021 NFL Draft before the 2020 season started. He didn’t really hurt or help himself too much either way. There are some thoughts out there Zach Wilson may have eclipsed him as QB2 for this draft, but I have also seen and heard this is not a belief across all teams.
NEXT … The pros to Justin Fields
The positive to drafting Justin Fields
Highest accurate pass % on 20+ yards throws:
1. Zach Wilson – 73%
2. Justin Fields – 70%
3. Sam Howell – 58%
4. Trevor Lawrence – 56% pic.twitter.com/wQNtug02wp— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) February 26, 2021
One of the most impressive things about Fields is his arm. He has a quick release and is extremely accurate all over the field. He can make every throw asked of him and does it with confidence. He can launch a bomb just as easily as he can a five-yard out and make both look like routine throws. He protects the ball well and doesn’t take a ton of bad chances if a play isn’t there.
When the play breaks down, Fields is a threat defenses will have to account for. He is not Lamar Jackson fast, but he is quick enough to get some solid yards. His leadership is unquestioned and will be the type of leader teams will love to have. His intangibles are on par with his arm talent and teams will look at both making him an easy franchise quarterback choice.
Fields does some of his best work outside the pocket and when he keeps his head up, defenses are at a disadvantage. His quick release and ability to make throws to every part of the field from anywhere behind the line makes him a big-play threat with the right receivers and playcalling around him. He leads his receivers and throws some of the most accurate “dimes” in this class.
NEXT … The cons to Justin Fields
The downside to Justin Fields
“Justin Fields doesn’t look past the first read” pic.twitter.com/oiE9F6KUgX
— Barstool OSU (@BarstoolOSU) March 5, 2021
While Fields has instances where he makes second and third reads, there are times he will stay on his first read a little too long. When things breakdown and he panics, he will not get to the next reads and look down for a lane to run. He has shown the ability to think he can fix this, but it is a knock some teams have for him. When he locks on and decides that is his primary play, he will sometimes force a throw due to his confidence in making the throw. It has worked for the most part in college, but he will need to do a little work in the NFL.
The other small con to Fields has been his footwork. At times he will rely on his arm talent and the footwork can get a touch sloppy. He has been able to push past it to this point, but some work to maintain his base on some throws (especially shorter throws) will be needed. Whichever team drafts him will need to have RPOs in their playbook to get the most out of him. The team will also need to make sure his progressions start in the middle of the field for the first year or two.
Fields is a franchise quarterback in the making provided the team drafting him knows he isn’t a guy to just sit in the pocket and throw. He will need to stay mobile and use his arm talent to create for the offense. Fields should hear his name early in the first round.
