Jordan Travis spent his first collegiate season at Louisville in the post-Lamar Jackson landscape, but he completed just four of 14 passes in 2018 for 71 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a passer rating of 42.3. A transfer to Florida State allowed him to be far more prolific. Over five seasons with the Seminoles, Travis developed as a quarterback and as an athlete, and his school records prove the point.
Travis holds holds FSU career records for touchdown responsibility, total offense, quarterback rushing yards and quarterback rushing touchdowns. He is the only player in FSU history with more than 50 passing touchdowns and at least 12 rushing touchdowns, the only player in program history with three different streaks of at least 120 passes without an interception, the only player ranked Top 10 on FSU’s career passing touchdowns and rushing touchdowns lists, and he accounted for school-record 97 total touchdowns and 10,554 yards of total offense.
Last season, Travis completed 207 of 325 passes for 2,755 yards, 20 touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 108.4. He also rushed 46 times for 279 yards and seven touchdowns.
Had he not suffered a leg fracture against North Alabama on November 18, Travis might be heading into this draft class with a different conversation regarding the top players at his position. NFL teams will have to weigh the injury against Travis’ productivity and potential, and I think he’ll come out on the right side of that equation.
PLUSES
— Compact, consistent delivery which allows him to get the ball out quickly once he sees it downfield.
— Has the pace and touch to succeed as a downfield thrower, and though anticipation is not really his game, Travis has a knack for getting the ball deep where his guy can get it.
— Height (6′ 1⅛”) isn’t an issue; Travis completed 134 of 198 passes over the middle and left/right middle last season for 1,785 yards, 617 air yards, 10 touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 112.6.
— Forced 23 missed tackles and scored seven touchdowns in 46 rushing attempts last season; has some definite potential at the next level.
— Has no issue throwing to either side on the move, which will help him force open lanes outside the pocket.
MINUSES
— Needs to see his target come open before he’ll turn it loose. Can be vulnerable to opportunistic defenders as a result, and this will increase in the NFL.
— Has periods of inaccuracy when he gets cute with his upper body.
— Gets a bit wild and unstructured as a scrambler at times when he should just take a profit and move on.
I’m of the belief that if Travis hadn’t suffered a brutal leg fracture in mid-November, and if he had played through the 2023 season as he did pre-injury, the 2024 quarterback conversation would be a bit different. Not that he’s ready to compete with Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, but in that second QB tier, he had enough going for him to climb into the boat.
Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State
PLUSES
— Compact, consistent delivery which allows him to get the ball out quickly once he sees it downfield.
— Has the pace and touch to succeed as a downfield thrower, and though anticipation is not really his game, Travis has a knack for… pic.twitter.com/0QFRRukm74
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) April 8, 2024