Two SEC quarterbacks in action at NFL Combine
By Matt Green
The SEC didn’t have the strongest quarterback play in 2016, but two of the best were on display at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Saturday.
Perhaps the biggest news surrounding SEC quarterbacks this week was about who wasn’t there.
The NFL elected not to invite Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly to the combine because of off-field and character issues.
But if you question a guy’s character and not his ability, it seems like that is the exact type of player who should be at the combine. And NFL GMs agree.
Despite missing the final three games of the regular season, Kelly finished fifth in the SEC, throwing for 2,758 yards. He threw 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions and finished second to only Joshua Dobbs in QB rating.
And that brings us to the quarterbacks that were actually invited to Indy.
Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee
Dobbs has proven how good of an athlete he is, rushing for 831 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, but people still question him as a passer.
Dobbs led the SEC with 27 passing touchdowns and a 150.56 QB rating last season, while also finishing third with 2,946 yards and completed 63 percent of his passes.. But when you watched him play, the vast majority of his completions came inside 10 yards and he was also helped by a talented receiving corps.
Dobbs measured at 6-foor-3, 216 pounds and ran the second fastest 40-yard dash among quarterbacks at 4.64 seconds.
Trevor Knight, Texas A&M
Knight was one of the most dynamic players in the SEC in his one year with the Aggies. He was fourth among quarterbacks in the SEC last season with 614 rushing yards and also ran for 10 touchdowns.
But I think many were still surprised about how fast he ran on Saturday. Measuring at 6-foot-1, 219 pounds, Knight ran a 4.56 40-yard dash, the fastest of all the quarterbacks at the combine.
Knight still has something to prove as a passer. He threw 19 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, but ranked 12th in the SEC last season in QB rating, but that athleticism should help his draft stock.
Other Notable Performances
Deshaun Watson, Clemson: Ran a 4.66 40-yard dash.
Mitchell Trubisky, North Carolina: Ran a 4.67 40-yard dash.
