10. Nate Stanley, QB, Iowa
Height: 6’4″ Weight: 235
40-Yard Dash: 4.81 seconds
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: 28.5 inches
Broad Jump: 9 feet
3-Cone Drill: 7.26 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.48 seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: Nate Stanley looks every bit the part of an NFL quarterback, with ideal size and a blue-chip pedigree. He spurned offers from Pittsburgh and Wisconsin to enroll at Iowa and was a three-year starter for the Hawkeyes. He protected the football well but failed to crack that magical 60% completion threshold that many evaluators point to as a benchmark for collegiate quarterback play.
Stat to Know: Stanley leaves Iowa with a career completion rate of 58.3%, not the best number we can find in this class.
Strengths: Stanley is every bit the prototypical pocket passer. He has an impressive arm, which is going to move the needle for some NFL teams. If you are looking for the guy who can deliver the deep out route from the pocket, Stanley checks that box:
Not too shabby of a throw… pic.twitter.com/0i7u6HfhBD
— Mark Schofield (@MarkSchofield) February 17, 2020
Stanley is also going to get that pro-style quarterback bump. In every draft class, there is a passer or two who comes from an offense that looks like what we grew up watching: quarterback under center, maybe a fullback in the backfield, and a deep drop into the pocket to throw that downfield out pattern. The problem is that the game is moving in a different direction, and pro-style offenses are no longer the systems we grew up watching Pat Summerall and John Madden describe.
To his credit, Stanley brings more to the table than a wistful thought of yesteryear. He shows a willingness to fight in the pocket and some quick processing on route concepts in the short and intermediate areas of the field. He makes throws on time, in rhythm and with some anticipation to his game. He also is able to attack leveraged defenders in the passing game, something that will serve him well in today’s NFL.
Stanley is not considered the most athletic quarterback, but there are examples of him on film getting what he can with his legs and extending plays outside the pocket. It will not be a huge part of his game, but his film shows a bit more athleticism than he is given credit for. He is also a tough guy in and outside the pocket, unafraid to hang in versus pressure or run through a defender in the open field.
Weaknesses: The completion percentage points to a key area of concern: His ball placement and accuracy. Pro Football Focus charted him with a sub-70% completion rate, and that got worse the deeper downfield he attacked. PFF also put him with just 35.9% of his throws as accurate over 10 yards downfield, and the film largely supports that analysis. Stanley is at his best when he can attack the defense based on his pre-snap read and expectations, but when the secondary rolls things on him and he is forced to adjust, his decision-making and accuracy suffer.
Conclusion: Similar in a sense to Jake Fromm, there will be teams that like what Stanley offers as a throwback pocket passer. But other teams with more spread, up-tempo offenses will look elsewhere on Day 3. Some teams, like the Pittsburgh Steelers or New England Patriots, will covet what he brings to the table, and in either of those situations he could be in a position to develop well.
Comparison: Connor Cook. Similar to the Michigan State product, Stanley is a throwback quarterback who fights in the pocket and has the big arm to make the leap to the next level.