The Green Bay Packers must use the 2020 NFL Draft to provide the finishing touches on a team that won 13 regular-season games and got within one game of the Super Bowl during Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach.
Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect fitting the Packers’ roster needs.
Up next is Washington State QB Anthony Gordon:
What he can do
– Shorter, and lean. Weighs only 205. Doesn’t have prototypical quarterback size
– Quick, effortless release. Ball really shoots out of his hand
– Can throw from different platforms from the pocket. Will manipulate arm angle to find the passing lane
– Doesn’t have a laser arm, but it’s functional enough. Can get the ball to any spot on the field
– Not a “see it, throw it” kind of college quarterback. Can anticipate. Will throw guys open. Anticipation skills looked especially well-calibrated in the scoring area. Encouraging sign for his pro potential
– Faced a lot of pressure in the Washington State scheme and didn’t always handle it well. Coaches will like his toughness in the face of pressure. Found ways of getting the ball out against pressure, but the result was sometimes a turnover instead of a sack
– Displays really nice touch on balls up the seam and on deep throws
– Almost always played on time but also looked comfortable playing late in the down. Poised creating off-schedule. Made some magic on extended plays
– Bouncy feet in the pocket. Looks a little unorthodox in his dropback game. Teams will probably want to correct fundamentals at the next level
– Hangs in the pocket and will use feet to buy the one second of time needed to get the ball out
– Isn’t risk-averse. Will throw into crowds trying to make a play happen. Aggressive nature attacking the middle of the field sometimes got him in trouble. Most of his turnover-causing habits look correctable with the right coaching tools
– Will extend plays inside the pocket but isn’t a running threat and didn’t get much done outside the pocket in the scheme or on off-schedule plays
– Led late, dramatic (and eventually unsuccessful) comeback against Oregon with big-time throws and plays
– Really struggled on the road at Utah and Washington
– Set new Pac-12 single-season record for passing touchdowns (48). Threw nine touchdown passes against UCLA
– Completion percentage was inflated by a high number of screen passes, but accuracy was generally good
– Started only 13 games
How he fits
As the Packers’ next developmental quarterback. It won’t take a high pick to acquire Gordon, but in Green Bay he’d have time to iron out the many wrinkles in his game behind Aaron Rodgers and develop his game in a pro scheme. Gordon doesn’t have a big arm but he has a talented one, with touch downfield, accuracy to intermediate areas and the ability to get the ball out quick and from different angles. It’s an appealing skillset in the right system, and with the right development he could be a strong No. 2 option. At the very least, Gordon is talented enough as a thrower to come in and battle Tim Boyle and Manny Wilkins for a roster spot right away. He projects as a future backup who could keep an offense competitive (and potentially exciting) in spot situations and eventually compete to start if his development is maximized.
NFL comp
Possibly Andy Dalton? Gordon doesn’t have elite physical skills and won’t wow anyone with a big, strong arm or athleticism, but he can distribute the football at a high level. He’ll need to refine his mechanics and clean up some of the wildness to his game to reach his full potential.
Where Packers could get him
Likely sometime on Day 3. Unless one of the top quarterbacks falls unexpected, the Packers should probably look to the middle rounds to fill the need for a developmental quarterback behind Rodgers. Gordon, who looks like a fifth- or sixth-round pick, could be the answer.
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