brad kaaya scouting report from wfb

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Brad Kaaya Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:
Quality arm strength
Flashes ability to make some perfect throws
Can make all the throws required
Throws a catchable ball
Can throw passes with touch
Can throw the deep ball
Works through progressions in a clean pocket
Good field vision in a clean pocket
Has some experience working under center
Tough; takes big hits





Weaknesses:
Terrible vision; looks down at the pass rush
Crippling lack of mobility in the pocket
Very poor at avoiding sacks
Lacks pocket presence
Lacks awareness
Needs development for a pro-style offense
Should gain weight for the NFL


Summary: In recent years, there have been a few quarterbacks who burst onto the scene as freshman and excited the NFL scouting community for their potential in a few years. Rough sophomore and junior seasons, however, dampened the enthusiasm for those prospects and led to those quarterbacks being overhyped. Christian Hackenberg was that kind of prospect last year, and Brad Kaaya fits in that mold for the 2017 NFL Draft.

Kaaya had a strong debut for Miami in 2014, completing 59 percent of his passes for 3,198 yards with 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The freshamn had a ton of talent around him in the form of stud left tackle Ereck Flowers, wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, running back Duke Johnson, and tight end Clive Walford. Those four players all went in the first three rounds of the 2015 NFL Draft with two of them being first-rounders. Kaaya was more of a game-manager as a freshman, and that was his best season of play.

With those contributors in the NFL, 2015 was a rough year for Miami, and Kaaya had to battle through with a weak supporting cast. He completed 61 percent of his passes for 3,242 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions on the season. Kaaya didn't develop and showed signs of regression.

As a junior, Kaaya had a very mixed 2016 season. He did well against some weak opponents early in the year, but then had a very rough stretch in the middle of the season before playing better in the final games. In 2016, Kaaya completed 62 percent of his passes for 3,532 yards with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He, specifically, put together underwhelming performances in losses to Florida State and North Carolina.

As a passer, Kaaya can be excellent when he has a clean pocket. He has a good arm that can make all the throws in the pro game. When the pocket is clean, he is accurate in tight windows, can throw pretty touch passes, and demonstrates field vision to work through his protections. The problem is Kaaya has to be able to thrive without a perfect pocket to throw from, which puts too much pressure on his offensive line to be flawless. That is an impossible expectation in the NFL, even for the best offensive lines in the league.

There are two crippling issues that Kaaya fails to overcome. The first is whenever he starts feeling the pass rush, he drops his eyes and watches the defensive linemen swarm around him. On top of that, he is a statue in the pocket and rarely do you see him move to avoid rushers. There are lots of plays on which Kaaya looked like a deer in headlights who was just waiting to be tackled. Effective NFL quarterbacks keep their eyes downfield, glide in the pocket to avoid rushers, and deliver accurate passes in the face of a rush. It was a very rare sight to see Kaaya do that. Kaaya's struggles to pass the ball while under pressure are a huge problem that could lead to him not panning out in the NFL.

Multiple teams also expressed that they have concerns about Kaaya lacking leadership and being self-absorbed rather than focused on the team. During the fall, sources said that Kaaya talked about how this would be a good year to come out because it is a weak quarterback class and that could push him into the second or third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Sources would have preferred hearing that Kaaya had a singular focus on beating his next opponent.


This draft analyst's opinion is that Kaaya fits a fourth-round pick for the 2017 NFL Draft. In speaking with sources from teams around the NFL, their grades on Kaaya weren't high. One general manager of a playoff team that is very skilled at quarterback evaluation said they had Kaaya as fifth-round pick. They feel he has no mobility, can't throw well while under pressure, and while his arm is decent, it doesn't blow them away. Two other teams said they graded Kaaya as a late third-, early fourth-rounder.

There are plenty of teams in the NFL that are starved for quarterback talent, so Kaaya could rise in the leadup to the 2017 NFL Draft just because of need and desperation. Kaaya might end up being a second-day pick, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if he slips to Day 3.




Player Comparison: Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert (6-4, 235) is more athletic and a little thicker than Kaaya, but they are the same height with quality arms. Both of them are terrible at passing in the face of a pass rush and have serious problems with their field vision. They take far too many sacks and put too much pressure on the offensive line. Both Gabbert and Kaaya also lack leadership traits that NFL teams want out of their quarterback. In the NFL, I could see Kaaya being a quarterback comparable to Gabbert.

NFL Matches: Cleveland, San Francisco, Chicago, Jacksonville, New Orleans, San Diego, Arizona, Houston, Kansas City and Pittsburgh

There are a lot of quarterback-needy teams in the NFL, and that will help Kaaya's chances of being drafted higher than where he should go. Obviously, the Browns are in dire need of a solution to their quarterback quandary. Cleveland also is loaded with draft picks including two in the first round, two in the second, and one in the third. Kaaya could be a candidate for the Browns on Day 2 or on Day 3.

The 49ers are also desperate for a starting quarterback. Chicago, meanwhile, could move on from Jay Cutler after this season, and Kaaya could be worthy of consideration for the Bears. Chicago showed interest in Kaaya during the fall.

Blake Bortles is looking like he could be a bust for the Jaguars. In the mid-rounds of the 2017 NFL Draft, Jacksonville could consider taking a quarterback to push Bortles and give the organization another option in case Bortles continues to struggle. Houston will also be in the market for another quarterback this offseason given the struggles of Brock Osweiler.

The Saints, Chargers, Cardinals, Chiefs and Steelers all fall into the category of teams that have aging starting quarterbacks. Each one could consider drafting Kaaya in the mid-rounds and developing him with hopes that he could be the heir apparent.

WalterFootball.com: 2017 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Brad Kaaya
 
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why did he come out??? he really must have had some conflict with richt.

on a side note is it possible for him to improve his athleticism? i just wonder how a 21 year old kid who has played sports his entire life can move so poorly. there has got to be a way for him to improve his movement.
 
More and more concern is brought over his draft status and this guy chose to just bail to be a fifth round pick rather than trust the system and see where his potential could lead him. I'll probably smirk when I see this guy throw up the U in preseason but other than thathat I won't be too upset when I hear reports of him playing with tommy Streeter on the practice squad. Bye felicia
 
why did he come out??? he really must have had some conflict with richt.

on a side note is it possible for him to improve his athleticism? i just wonder how a 21 year old kid who has played sports his entire life can move so poorly. there has got to be a way for him to improve his movement.

I've heard from interns in the football offices that he doesn't like Rick, but I always assumed that was false gossip. Reading this makes me think maybe Kaaya really didn't want to stick around any longer in part because of that.
 
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why did he come out??? he really must have had some conflict with richt.

on a side note is it possible for him to improve his athleticism? i just wonder how a 21 year old kid who has played sports his entire life can move so poorly. there has got to be a way for him to improve his movement.

I've heard from interns in the football offices that he doesn't like Rick, but I always assumed that was false gossip. Reading this makes me think maybe Kaaya really didn't want to stick around any longer in part because of that.

I personally think he was getting too much sunshine blown up his ****** from his outside "mentors/gurus" on the West Coast but the Rick dynamic would be an interesting one to hear about if the facts ever do come out (if there are any to come out). Unless Golden and Coley were flat out worshiping the kid I can't see how there'd be that much of a personality conflict with Rick. I also can't see how Rick would even remotely suggest that him leaving this year would be wise either. There's something not adding up here beyond it being a weak QB class- and even that may end up being problematic as it seems like everyone declared that could've thus throwing our guy in a big pack of available QBs with possible question marks.
 
Seems like him and his personal QB trainer have one idea for him and they don't want to listen to the head coach. So he is a poor mans Blaine Gabbert who needs some coaching but won't listen to an established high level head coach. He wanted things tailored to him here and so will want the same thing in the NFL but prospects a lot more gifted than him have not gotten the NFL to change their offenses.
 
why did he come out??? he really must have had some conflict with richt.

on a side note is it possible for him to improve his athleticism? i just wonder how a 21 year old kid who has played sports his entire life can move so poorly. there has got to be a way for him to improve his movement.

I've heard from interns in the football offices that he doesn't like Rick, but I always assumed that was false gossip. Reading this makes me think maybe Kaaya really didn't want to stick around any longer in part because of that.

I've also heard the rumors that him and Richt didn't exactly see eye to eye due mostly to the fact that Richt's preferred offense doesn't suit Kaaya's skill set very well. All I know is somewhere along the way, after one of the 10,000 hits he took the last few seasons, he got shaken. It's tough to ask a kid to stand in the pocket and keep his eyes down field when you know he's going to get smashed almost every time he drops back.
 
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Seems like a nice kid and represented the U well. That aside, the above scouting report perfectly defines Brad Kaaya - played well against middling teams when not under duress. He just wasn't a difference maker when needed most against tougher competition. Today's college and pro QB has to be able to make plays when protection implodes and all **** is breaking lose. Kaaya doesn't have the feet, athleticism or confidence to ad lib or create something out of nothing (too often he looked petrified). He didn't have it the day he arrived in Coral Gables, last year, this year - and it wasn't going to miraculously materialize if he were to have returned next year. He was bound to be a 3rd or 4th round pick whether he came out this year or next, so it only makes sense to get paid for the shots he's going to take.
Hope naysayers are wrong and he has a lengthy career as an NFL starter. Just don't see it.
 
Don't care. He's not playing college anymore. I wish him well and pray he is not on my favorite NFL team.
 
IOWs, everything has to be perfect for this kid to have even the slightest hint of success. Glad He's gone, I never got vibes from em' anyway. Au Revoir Felicia.
 
My wife made similar observations during the past couple of seasons. But she was nice about it. Said he held the ball too long and didn't move well. Plus he was inconsistent with his throws. I think it is clear after reading this evaluation that Kaaya and his personal QB coach were probably not on the same page with Richt and son. Good Luck to Brad in the future. Once a cane always a cane.
 
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Brad Kaaya Scouting Report
Strengths:
Quality arm strength
Flashes ability to make some perfect throws
Can make all the throws required
Throws a catchable ball
Can throw passes with touch
Can throw the deep ball
Works through progressions in a clean pocket
Good field vision in a clean pocket
Has some experience working under center
Tough; takes big hits


Weaknesses:
Terrible vision; looks down at the pass rush
Crippling lack of mobility in the pocket
Very poor at avoiding sacks
Lacks pocket presence
Lacks awareness


Player Comparison: Ryan Tannehill

Fixed. I swear that could be the exact scouting report for Tannehill too.
 
Multiple teams also expressed that they have concerns about Kaaya lacking leadership and being self-absorbed rather than focused on the team. During the fall, sources said that Kaaya talked about how this would be a good year to come out because it is a weak quarterback class and that could push him into the second or third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Sources would have preferred hearing that Kaaya had a singular focus on beating his next opponent.

This was extremely disappointing to read
 
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Brad Kaaya Scouting Report
Strengths:
Quality arm strength
Flashes ability to make some perfect throws
Can make all the throws required
Throws a catchable ball
Can throw passes with touch
Can throw the deep ball
Works through progressions in a clean pocket
Good field vision in a clean pocket
Has some experience working under center
Tough; takes big hits


Weaknesses:
Terrible vision; looks down at the pass rush
Crippling lack of mobility in the pocket
Very poor at avoiding sacks
Lacks pocket presence
Lacks awareness


Player Comparison: Ryan Tannehill

Fixed. I swear that could be the exact scouting report for Tannehill too.

If Kaaya runs a 4.65 40 I'll ban myself.
 
I agree on the outsiders blowing sunshine up his ***. I think Carpenter probably sold him on the best place to learn to be an NFL QB is the NFL. I wish the kid good luck, but he should have stuck around.

Go Canes!
 
This scout was 100% correct...

Kaaya is foolish for leaving early, but I'm certainly not upset that he's going.

A lot of us would constantly blame sacks on the OL & a lot of them were on the line, but if you really watched games, you could see dozens of times where Kaaya would have more than enough time to get rid of the ball & he just wouldn't throw it.

If you go back & watch a lot of our games this year, you can count game by game how many times he would miss open reads by simply not looking, or would just flat out overthrow WR's by 60yds.

He still needs a ton of work, he's a very slow read in the pocket & average decision maker... The speed of the NFL Defenses could eat him alive.

He's not a quick-twitch athlete, so it takes him a long time to process & react accordingly to the situation, in the NFL you just don't have enough time, you have to speed up the decision making process tenfold as a QB & Kaaya will struggle immensely with that at the next level.

If he was playing behind the Cowboys OL then he would be great, but he'll most likely get drafted by a bad team with a bad line, so that's already a huge uphill battle for him.

Overall, I wish him the best of luck, hopefully the light turns on for him & he excels... Him doing good in the NFL helps us in recruiting.
 
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