Tag: max duggan

Report: Chargers showing interest in TCU QB Max Duggan

The Chargers are one of three teams expressing interest in the Heisman runner-up.

The Chargers are one of three teams expressing interest in TCU quarterback Max Duggan in the 2023 NFL draft, according to NFL Media’s Jane Slater.

Los Angeles recently re-signed Easton Stick to serve as the primary backup to Justin Herbert. However, the team has carried three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster in recent seasons. Therefore, they could be intrigued by Duggan coming in and competing for a spot.

But the Chargers showing interest in Duggan could mean they’re just gathering more information on his former teammates. One that would make sense is projected first-round wide receiver Quentin Johnston, who has been pegged to L.A. during the mock draft cycle.

The runner-up for this year’s Heisman Trophy, Duggan helped lead the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff with an impressive 2022 campaign. He passed for 3,698 yards and 32 touchdowns in his senior season. In addition, Duggan was a Senior Bowl participant.

Duggan projects as a fourth or fifth-round selection.

Breaking down Packers picks in Jordan Reid’s seven-round mock draft

Breaking down all the picks for the Packers in Jordan Reid’s seven-round mock draft at ESPN.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid embraced the madness of March and released a seven-round mock draft on Wednesday. Reed has the Green Bay Packers addressing some major needs in the first four rounds and adding depth pieces in the fifth and seventh rounds. Let’s take a deeper look.

15th overall pick: Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson

Pro Football Focus has compared the Clemson edge rusher to current Green Bay edge rusher Rashan Gary. Murphy is a strong run defender and finished this past season with 34 pressures to go along with 6.5 sacks. Murphy has a nice blend of quickness and strength. 

With his ability to set the edge and get after the quarterback, Murphy would be the ideal selection with the 15th overall pick. Murphy would help shore up Green Bay’s run defense while giving its pass rush a jolt.

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45th overall pick: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

Not sure many Green Bay fans would care about the rest of the 2023 NFL Draft if Brian Gutekunst landed Darnell Washington. The Georgia tight end is a mountain of a man.

At 6-7, 264 pounds and 4.6 speed, Washington is a walking mismatch. With his size, he can overwhelm defenders at the point of attack, but he’s a better blocker on the move. A high school wide receiver, Washington has natural pass-catching abilities. He has sticky hands and was flagged for just two drops this past season.

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78th overall pick: Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State

The Packers need more playmakers and Reed would help fill the void. Reed ran a 4.45 40-yard dash and he has an instant accelerator and the long speed to win vertically. He’s a shifty athlete in space and a dangerous YAC threat. Reed is a three-level threat and an electric playmaker.

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116th overall pick: Jordan Battle, S, Alabama

Battle is a jack of all trades master of none type of prospect. He’s always where he needs to be and he could help fix some of Green Bay’s breakdowns in coverage.

Battle did a little bit of everything in the secondary during his time at Alabama and a lot was asked of him. The Alabama safety has great field awareness and disciplined eyes. He’s a steady, reliable presence, and landing him in the fourth round would be a great value pick. 

149th overall pick: Asim Richards, OL, UNC

A three-year starter at left tackle for the Tar Heels, Richards could kick inside at the next level. This past season Richards gave up three sacks and improved each season as a starter. He has strong, heavy hands that jolt defensive linemen at contact. The Packers have a rich history of developing day-three offensive linemen into reliable starters. 

170th overall pick: Anthony Johnson, CB, Virginia

A transfer from Louisville, Johnson enjoyed a breakout campaign during his lone season at Virginia. Johnson recorded 51 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, and 14 pass deflections. According to PFF, Johnson gave up zero touchdowns in coverage this past season.

Johnson would provide quality depth at cornerback, while also giving the Packers another player with plenty of special teams experience. Johnson logged 300-plus snaps on special teams during his collegiate career. 

232nd overall pick: Justin Shorter, WR, Florida

A five-star recruit out of New Jersey, Shorter never quite put it together at Penn State or Florida. At 6-4, 229 pounds with adequate speed, Shorter has all the tools to potentially earn a spot on a team’s wide receiver depth chart. With his frame, Shorter has a huge catch radius and tracks the ball well. 

235th overall pick: Cory Durden, DL, NC State

A transfer from Florida State, Durden had seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks during his two seasons at NC State. Durden was versatile during his collegiate career, playing all over the defensive line. He’s a stout run defender and he has the power to collapse the pocket. In 2019, Durden recorded 45 pressures for the Seminoles.

242nd overall pick: Evan Hull, RB, Northwestern

Hull is one of the better pass-catching running backs in the 2023 NFL Draft. Over the past two seasons, Hull has recorded 88 receptions for 810 yards and four touchdowns.

As a runner, Hull has good vision and runs with patience to let the blocks develop. The Northwestern back may never be the lead dog, but he has the skills to develop into a dynamic part of a running back room.

256th overall pick: Max Duggan, QB, TCU

The TCU quarterback is tough as nails and put together many highlight-reel-worthy runs during his time at TCU. Duggan gets the ball out with urgency and throws with nice touch.

His dual-threat ability could allow him to make a Taysom Hill-like impact in sub-packages. With his competitive toughness, Duggan could be a solid backup for Jordan Love. 

5 quarterbacks for the Eagles to watch at the 2023 NFL combine

We’re looking at 5 quarterback prospects for the Philadelphia Eagles to watch at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

Indianapolis is the center of the NFL world this week and all eyes will be on the quarterback throwing at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Saturday’s workouts will include four projected top-ten picks with Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, Kentucky quarterback Will Levis and Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson.

Philadelphia is all about developing quarterbacks, and even with Jalen Hurts reaching All-Pro and MVP status, the 49ers proved that you can never have enough quality arms on the roster or practice squad.

We’re looking at five quarterback prospects at the combine who could intrigue the Eagles in the mid to late rounds, or even in undrafted free agency.

Lions draft profile: Max Duggan, QB, TCU

A scouting look at TCU QB Max Duggan and how he might appeal to the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL draft

This prospect offers up a great underdog/redemption story, but can the football skills elevate to working at the next level?

Max Duggan, QB, TCU

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 204 (measured at Senior Bowl)

Duggan turns 22 in March

A starter for most of his four seasons with the Horned Frogs, Duggan surged in his final season with new head coach Sonny Dykes — who was Lions QB Jared Goff’s collegiate coach at Cal. Always known for his toughness, Duggan improved his accuracy and timing in the more pass-happy structure. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, leading TCU to the national championship game.

Pros

  • High-intensity leader and field general with loads of experience for being just 21
  • Strong arm that can hit wide-side throws and downfield routes in stride
  • Good athlete who can move the chains with his legs and is dangerous on boots and designed rollouts. Capably experienced in running read-options and RPOs.
  • Improved his accuracy, both in ball placement and timing on delivery, in his final season. Proved he can drive the ball into tighter windows
  • Good pocket awareness and tight-quarters agility to buy time, and Duggan keeps his eyes alert instead of bailing on a pass play
  • Not afraid to challenge the defense down the field; will put his receivers in position to make plays
  • Quick, consistent release with clean upper-body mechanics through his throwing motion
  • Displayed outstanding toughness, both physically and mentally, during his TCU time

Cons

  • Even though it improved in ’22, accuracy still has inconsistent results; there are a handful of throws in almost every game that are just “off” for no reason
  • Will miss open targets over the middle by holding the ball an extra count than what’s needed
  • Smaller than ideal with short arms for his height; built like the similarly sized Baker Mayfield
  • Not always sharp on his pre-snap reads; more complex defenses (Kansas State, Georgia) fooled him with late changes and divergent pressure looks
  • Lower-body throwing mechanics often go out the window when under pressure. Oddly enough, that only seems to happen in the pocket and not on plays where Duggan extends the pay outside the pocket

Overall

There is a lot to like about Max Duggan as an NFL prospect. His blend of toughness, leadership, arm strength and athletic ability checks a lot of desirable boxes. The very real improvement in his accuracy in a new offense in 2022, despite little change in the relative statistics, portends a higher ceiling after four years at TCU. There isn’t a better leader or field general in this QB class, period.

Alas, there are limitations. He’s not big and doesn’t protect himself from big hits well. There are still bouts of inaccuracy that don’t seem like they’ll ever go away, and Duggan still struggles to process more complex defensive looks.

His familiarity with how Goff was coached in college could be a valuable hidden resource, and also help Goff work with Duggan on how to adapt to the NFL too.

Duggan fits into the Taylor Heinicke mold, or for older fans, Jeff Garcia — a good backup who can take over short-term and provide a spark but isn’t someone you want as your full-time starter. That’s worthy of a fifth/sixth-round pick for a team with an established long-term starter looking to upgrade their insurance policy.

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Stock Up Stock Down from second Senior Bowl American practice

The second day of practice was an intense one for the American team. @MattAnderson_8 breaks it all down

Day two of the Senior Bowl is complete, and Wednesday’s practice for the American team had a different feel than day one. while the wide receivers and cornerbacks still had a competitive day. The story of the day was with the other position groups.

The trenches were a battle throughout practice and gave us some of the best reps of the day with some intense matchups.

Let’s dive into some prospects who helped or hurt their draft stock from Wednesday’s practice.

National Team Practice

4 QB prospects for the Eagles to watch at 2023 Senior Bowl

4 quarterback prospects for the Philadelphia Eagles to watch at 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl

The NFL draft starts in Mobile, and even with the Eagles preparing to face the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, all eyes this week will be on Alabama, for the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Philadelphia is all about developing quarterbacks, and even with Jalen Hurts reaching All-Pro and MVP status, the 49ers proved that you can never have enough quality arms on the roster or practice squad.

We’re looking at four quarterback prospects in Mobile who could intrigue the Eagles in the mid to late rounds, or even in undrafted free agency.

Stock Up Stock Down from first Senior Bowl American practice

The American team had a really explosive practice at the Senior Bowl. @MattAnderson_8 broke down the best and worst on Tuesday

Tuesday was the first day of practice for the Senior Bowl, meaning it was the first chance to see some of the best prospects in the nation take another step in preparation for the NFL Draft in April.

During Tuesday’s practice, there were plenty of players who stood out for good and bad reasons. Let’s take a look at ten American Team players from the senior bowl who either helped or hurt their draft stock.

National Team Practice

Lions 2023 draft: Initial scouting impressions of some Senior Bowl offense prospects

With an eye for how they might fit with the Detroit Lions, here are some early scouting observations on some Senior Bowl offensive prospects

The annual scouting extravaganza that is the Senior Bowl is kicking off this week. Over 120 NFL draft prospects will take to the practice field at the University of South Alabama in Mobile in what amounts to a lengthy job interview in front of NFL GMs, coaches, scouts and media.

Here are a few of the offensive players slated to be in Mobile who I’ve dove into a little in advance of the practices, which kick off on Tuesday. With an eye for how they might fit with the Detroit Lions, here are some early observations and thoughts.

The companion defensive piece can be found here.

Quarterback prospects for Chargers to watch at 2023 Senior Bowl

Profiling the quarterbacks that will be at the 2023 Senior Bowl

The Senior Bowl game kicks off on Saturday, February 4th, after a full week of practice, evaluation, and interviews for nearly 100 of college football’s top senior players. To get prepared, Chargers Wire will preview each position group set to compete in Mobile, Alabama, continuing today with the quarterback group.

Los Angeles, of course, doesn’t need a quarterback. They have Justin Herbert, himself an alum of the 2020 Senior Bowl. But backup options are always in play: Chase Daniel is likely to retire, but even if he doesn’t, he’s a free agent. Easton Stick is a free agent as well. There’s opportunity to reshape the room behind Herbert.

Jaden Rashada visiting TCU this weekend, several new schools in touch

Rashada also has a visit scheduled for TCU this weekend.

Florida officially released Jaden Rashada from his National Letter of Intent last week, freeing the four-star quarterback prospect to open up his recruitment again. The relationship between Rashada and the Gators deteriorated over a reported $13 million NIL deal that was rescinded.

Despite the controversy, Rashada is now once again one of the hottest high school recruits in the country. He still has 32 offers to choose from, including national powerhouses like LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.

According to Keegan Pope at On3, several new programs are in touch with Rashada, as well. That list includes Washington, California, South Carolina, Utah and Nebraska. Rashada also has a visit scheduled for TCU this weekend.

The Horned Frogs’ class of 2023 has 23 signees so far, but none of them are quarterbacks. They’ll also have an opening at the top of the depth chart soon as Max Duggan begins preparing for the NFL draft, starting with the Senior Bowl.

Rashada is ranked No. 7 at his position and No. 80 in the entire class. Landing him would give a nice boost to TCU’s ranking, currently No. 22 in the nation.

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