Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt entered the 2023 season as one of the top-rated signal-callers ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
He’s since fallen some spots in the national rankings — in some outlets more than others — after he was sidelined for the biggest game of the season both on the Tulane schedule and for his own draft stock.
That contest was the eventual 37-20 loss to Ole Miss in what some believed would have been a winnable game if Pratt had been able to play and he was also ruled out of the game against Southern Miss, though head coach Willie Fritz did indicate that he was close to being able to play.
The reasoning behind Pratt’s absence was a knee injury he sustained in garbage time in the fourth quarter when Tulane has already built an extensive lead in the 37-17 victory over South Alabama in Week 1.
Since Pratt has come back, he’s had some uncharacteristic misses due to the way lower-body injuries affect a quarterback considering that accuracy starts from the ground up with sound lower-body mechanics.
Looking at the film between when Pratt was at full capacity in 2022 as well as the season opener in 2023 compared to the past two games tells the story of an issue that can only be attributed to the limitation of injury, rather than something more specific within his own control.
Among the misfires that stood out the most was an underthrown pass in the end zone that was intercepted by Nicholls State defender Markeyvrick Eddie in Week 4 after he had nearly thrown an interception to Eddie earlier in the game.
Pratt had multiple passes that sailed outside of the reach of his receivers during the 35-23 win in UAB in Week 5 as he was limited beyond his usual capacity on the ground as well due to the injury, though he did have two strong highlights in a 26-yard rush to move the chains for Tulane and a beautifully thrown 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Lawrence Keys to put the game on ice in the fourth quarter.
.@Mpratt_ ➡️ @LawrenceKeys_ beauty🤌#AmericanFB x @GreenWaveFB pic.twitter.com/i9o7uryRd3
— The American (@American_Conf) September 30, 2023
STEADY EDDIE!
Markeyvrick Eddie with the pick in the end zone! pic.twitter.com/kcdVYmtf1B
— Nicholls Football 🏈 (@Nicholls_FB) September 24, 2023
“Yeah, I think any injury at any position is kind of tough,” Pratt said after the game when asked about how the injury was affecting him. “You just have to kind of take it day by day and do what you can and I think the knee is getting a lot better, so I’m excited about that.”
The transition from the 2021 season to the 2022 season in which Pratt led the most remarkable turnaround in college football history was the perfect showcase of just who he is as a player when he can remain healthy.
With a better supporting cast both that season and in the midst of this one, he’s going to need to continue to make preserving his health top priority to remain a prospect who can be in the mid or late-round conversation in the upcoming draft or the one after that.
Pratt has an additional couple of weeks to get healthy as he and the Green Wave have an open date in the upcoming week with what is set to be their toughest in-conference matchup against the Memphis Tigers on Friday, Oct. 13.