In the two weeks leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft, NESN.com will be taking a closer look at this year’s quarterback class and how each player could fit with the New England Patriots. Next up, Utah’s Tyler Huntley.
Tyler Huntley, Utah
6-foot-1/2, 196 pounds, 9 1/4-inch hands
Projected Round: Day 3 or undrafted
2019 Stats: 73.1 percent, 3,092 yards, 19 touchdowns, four interceptions, 10.3 yards per attempt; 104 carries, 209 yards, five touchdowns
Strengths: Accuracy, athleticism, escapability
Weaknesses: Size, durability concerns, arm strength
Testing numbers: Non-combine invite
Analysis: The Patriots plan to take a quarterback within the first three rounds of this year’s draft, according to a report Wednesday from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. But if they wait until the later rounds, or opt to double up at the position?
We’ve already profiled a few projected Day 3 picks in Iowa’s Nate Stanley, Florida International’s James Morgan and Oregon State’s Jake Luton, all of whom could be considered potential Patriots targets. Huntley is an even less heralded prospect, but his skill set could make him an intriguing late-round flier.
A three-year starter at Utah, Huntley was the most accurate passer in the Football Bowl Subdivision last season, according to Pro Football Focus’s adjusted completion percentage metric (82.6 percent). He took care of the ball (four interceptions in 301 pass attempts), excelled on deep passes despite lacking top-end arm strength (eighth-best PFF grade on throws of 20-plus yards), averaged 10.9 yards per attempt when pressured and displayed some remarkable mobility both inside and outside the pocket.
Huntley was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, but if the numbers from his personal pro day are even the slightest bit accurate, he’s one of the most athletic quarterbacks in this year’s class, if not the most.
Tyler Huntley (@_SNOOP1) QB @Utah_Football… Pro Day #’s: 6’1 3/4, 207 lbs, 40: 4.56, Shuttle: 4.31, 3 Cone: 6.84, Broad: 10’8.5, Vertical: 43.5” https://t.co/yPi36HfGGd
— Yossi Behar (@YosBehar) March 30, 2020
Personal pro day times should be taken with a gigantic grain of salt, but a 43 1/2-inch vertical jump would have been the second-highest of any player in Indianapolis, regardless of position. A 6.84-second three-cone drill would have been the seventh-fastest. Even being in that neighborhood is impressive for a quarterback.
More Patriots: New England Plans For Future In Latest NFL Mock Draft
Huntley isn’t likely to hear his name called until the sixth or seventh round — if he’s drafted at all — but PFF’s Mike Renner and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler both called him one of this year’s most underrated QB prospects in their respective draft guides.
Of course, Huntley also has his drawbacks. He’s supposedly bulked up a bit since his last official weigh-in, which came at the East-West Shrine Bowl (measurements via Brugler’s draft guide), but he’s still significantly undersized for his position and wouldn’t fit the Patriots’ prototype from a height/weight perspective.
New England also typically doesn’t target quarterbacks with legit rushing ability, but think of Huntley as a skinnier, JV version of Jalen Hurts, whom the Patriots reportedly like and could grab on Day 2. Both players could add a new dimension to Josh McDaniels’ offense, even if they aren’t able to land a starting job.
Drafting Huntley would be a gamble, but given his projected draft slot, it would be a low-stakes one.
More potential Patriots quarterbacks: Nate Stanley, Jake Fromm, Jalen Hurts, Jacob Eason, James Morgan, Jordan Love, Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Jake Luton
