Scouting Broncos quarterback Drew Lock

The Denver Broncos traded up with the Cincinnati Bengals in the second-round of the 2019 NFL Draft to select Missouri quarterback, Drew Lock.

Lock played four seasons at Missouri and was a four-year starter for them during his college career there and he improved each and every season while there. During his four-year career at Missouri, Lock totaled 12,193 yards passing, 99 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. He completed 56.9% of his passes and also rushed for 437 career yards and total 9 career rushing touchdowns. This past season for Missouri, Lock totaled 3,498 yards passing, 28 touchdowns, 8 interceptions and completed 62.9% of his passes. A pretty solid senior season for the potential first-round pick.

Some of the accolades Lock has earned throughout his college career include(Via: Missouri’s player profile on Lock).

• 2018 Team Bob Jeffries Kansas City Metro Player of the Year
• 2018 Team Captain
• 2018 Preseason All-SEC First Team (Media)
• 2018 Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List
• 2018 Davey O’Brien Award Preseason Watch List
• SEC/Mizzou Single-Season Record Holder for Passing TDs (44 in 2017)
• Nation’s Leader in TD Passes (44 in 2017)
• Mizzou Single-Season Passing Efficiency Record Holder (165.67 in 2017)
• 2017 SEC Leader in Passing Efficiency, Passing Yards, Total Offense, Passing Yards per Game, Passing Yards per Completion (led nation), Points Responsible for
• 2017 First-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches)
• 2017 Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week (9/3/17)
• 2017 SEC Offensive Player of the Week (9/5/17; 11/27/17)
• 2017 Team Captain
• 2016 Team Captain

Drew Lock

Quarterback, Senior, Missouri

Height: 6’4” | Weight: 228 lbs | 40 time: 4.69 seconds

Arm Length: 32 1/2” | Hands: 9”

Vertical Jump: 31” | Broad Jump: 112.0 inches | 3-Cone Drill: 7:03 seconds

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.12 seconds

Film Room:

Scouting Report:

Strengths:

• Prototypical size you look for in a quarterback
• Four-year starter at Missouri and improved each year despite having new OC’s each year
• Noted for his intelligence and ability to learn the playbook
• Arm strength is evident he makes it look easy
• Quick release
• Plus athleticism and has a basketball background
• Has all the tools you look for
• Flashes high-end potential
• Good deep ball accuracy
• Gunslinger mentality
• Has good pocket awareness to avoid sacks
• Had a strong second half to his senior season
• Comp % would be better if it weren’t for drops
• An excellent scheme fit for the Broncos

Weaknesses:

• Your classic boom or bust prospect
• Accuracy is lacking, but did improve on it each year in college
• Struggles big time with pressure
• Mechanics are inconsistent
• Needs to learn to throw with touch
• Mechanics, footwork, and mental processing need development
• Played under four different offensive coordinators so he never had a chance to settle into a scheme
• Is a gunslinger for better or for worse

Quotable:

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler via his 2019 NFL Draft guide.

SUMMARY: A four-year starter at Missouri, Lock was a natural fit in the Tigers’ shotgun, RPO-style offense with an emphasis on vertical option routes, spending two years (2016-17) under the tutelage of Josh Heupel and one season (2018) with offensive coordinator Derek Dooley. He finished his career second in SEC history in passing yards (12,193) and third in touchdown passes (99). Very similar to Derek Carr coming out of Fresno State, Lock is a classic arm thrower who stubbornly believes that every throw is there, but is still figuring out how to use his eyes and piece together his timing. He showed expanded vision as a senior and appeared to eliminate things quicker mid-read. Overall, Lock showcases a live arm and the makeup required to be an NFL starter, but he needs to continue developing his accuracy, mechanics and decision-making to live up to his intriguing potential.

How Drew Lock fits with the Denver Broncos going forward:

Lock fits in as the Broncos quarterback of the future behind veteran Joe Flacco who is fully entrenched as the starter. This will allow Lock to develop behind Flacco without the pressure of having to play right away.

Broncos Offensive Coordinator Rich Scangarello will be one tasked with developing Lock. He’s best known for his development of Nick Mullens. Now he’ll have the high-upside cannon armed Drew Lock to develop. Here is what Lock had to say about his pre-draft interactions with Scangarello.

“Yeah, we talked about a lot of stuff in our meeting. Installed a couple plays, talked over some of my film, talked over some of, I guess our film now. We talked over a little bit of the Denver Bronco film. He pointed a little thing here and there. One of the big things that I know I need to work on as well goes with rolling out to the left. All quarterbacks can roll out right and throw. I do a little unorthodox thing sometimes when I go to the left, and we’re going to focus on that and getting it down right. You’ve got to get out of the pocket. You’ve got to make plays out of the pocket, and that was one of the main things we talked about. For him to be able to go ahead and say something to me in that early meeting, allowing me to work on it now before I ended up being a Bronco, I think that was huge. That was one of the reasons why I felt good coming out of the meeting. A lot of these teams, they’ll talk to you about your film and go over a play, and not necessarily critique you and tell you what you need to get better on. You’ve got to ask them for that. That was just the different vibe I got here. Everything was played out, and he had those tips for me, which made me feel like this could be a home in the future. Now, I’m standing here a Denver Bronco.”

With Scangarello developing Lock and likely developing an offensive system that fits his strengths, I think we could see some positive results quickly from him. Lock seems like he wants to be great, has the intelligence to do it, as well as the work ethic needed. I really like this marriage.

Lock is the Broncos quarterback of the future, but he still needs plenty of work. We as fans need to be patient with him and trust Scangarello’s teachings.