Carson Strong’s QB1 case

Carson Strong announced this week that he will forego Nevada’s bowl game and enter the draft. Let’s break down his game against Air Force.

With bowl season kicking off this week, a number of college football players are facing decisions about their future. One such player? Nevada quarterback Carson Strong.

Strong came out this week and announced that he will be passing on Nevada’s bowl game — the Quick Lane Bowl scheduled for December 27th — to focus on the NFL Draft. The next step for Strong might be the Senior Bowl, as he is set to graduate this month from Nevada with a management degree.

Earlier this year, we broke down Strong’s performance against Kansas State. Now, let’s revisit the Nevada passer by diving into his game against Air Force. While the Wolfpack lost in overtime, Strong displayed the arm talent that has some wondering whether he could be a dark horse candidate for QB1 in this draft. He finished the night completing 27 of 44 passes for 351 yards and four touchdowns, along with an interception.

His case for QB1? It begins with the arm:

Now, the concern over Strong stems from a history of knee injuries, which caused him to miss his senior year in high school. He has endured multiple procedures on the knee, and the medical evaluation part of his draft process will be critical. But as you can see on film, there are also a number of boxes that he checks with ease.