Pat Devlin NFL Draft Scouting Report

Pat Devlin

6’4, 227 pounds | Quarterback | Delaware

Accuracy: Devlin does a good job delivering a catchable football. In the short passing game, he gets the ball out in front of his target which allows them to pick up extra yardage after the catch. The Delaware offense featured a game plan that provided the opportunity for Devlin to become comfortable with the underneath passing game. In the intermediate passing attack, Devlin struggled with ball placement as several balls sailed out of bounds. He was able to connect on a few out and hitch patterns but was mainly inconsistent. Devlin didn’t appear comfortable pushing the ball down the field. The majority of his throws were underneath and I only witnessed a few balls thrown deep which were routinely under-thrown. Devlin is a decent athlete that regularly sets his feet and body towards his target while on the move. His on the move technique allows him to deliver an accurate football

Arm strength: The football comes cleanly out of Devlin’s hand with adequate zip. He gets the ball quickly to his targets running skinny posts and bubble screens. However, he struggles to generate enough zip on the ball when asked to work the intermediate passing game. On sideline patterns the ball doesn’t arrive on a line and often floats over the targets head. As I mentioned, Devlin didn’t take enough shots down the field for me to feel comfortable about his long arm strength. At best, Devlin has an average arm with concerns about his ability consistently complete sideline throws.

Decision making: The best way to describe Devlin’s decision making is that he protects the football. He rarely forces the ball into coverage and knows when to check it down. However, this isn’t necessarily a positive because he has a tendency to check it down to often. Devlin could quickly be slapped with the game manager tag which typically results in short stints as an NFL starter. I know there have been several successful “game managers” but those quarterbacks are normally replaced my someone with higher upside.
Field vision: Prior to the snap, Devlin is able to recognize potential blitzers and quickly identifies his hot reads. He shows the ability to quickly diagnosis post snap information while going across the field with his progressions. He is patient and comfortable when asked to find his secondary targets. He also possesses good quarterback savvy which allows him to manipulate the defense. I have mentioned it earlier but the lack of down the field throws made it difficult to fully evaluate his field vision. But I feel comfortable stating that he is capable of consistently making sound decisions with the football.
Mechanics: The offensive system at Delaware rarely asked Devlin to take a snap from under-center. He is going to need time to learn how to take a snap and remain balanced while scanning the field. However, the film shows that Devlin is a fluid athlete which will help with this transition. While in the pocket, Devlin avoids wasted motions when delivering the football. He holds the ball above his breast plate and close to his body. Devlin has good hip fluidity which allows him to quickly set and reset his feet towards his target. He has a short and quick release that permits him to get the ball out of his hand quickly. Aside from the adjustment to taking snaps under-center, Devlin has sound and consistent technique.
Pocket awareness: Devlin doesn’t allow pressure to rattle him into making mistakes. When faced with pressure, he keeps his eyes down the field searching for an open target. He possesses good awareness and feel for the rush and is able to step up into the pocket to avoid the sack. While Devlin isn’t going to outrun the defensive angles he has enough athletic ability to hurt a defense with this feet.

Games Viewed: Georgia Southern, East Washington, East/West Shrine Game
Final word: Devlin possesses some good skills but the fact that he didn’t dominate in division II brings some concerns. He also struggled at the East/West shrine game which has negatively impacted his draft stock. The biggest concern is his arm strength and whether or not he will be able to make the necessary throws in the NFL. I didn’t see anything that makes me believe that he can make those throws. However, he has some potential as a game manager type quarterback. Look for Devlin to be in the 4th or 5th round discussion.