Name: David Cornwell
David Cornwell recruit scouting report: Rocket-armed 2014 quarterback
The Oklahoma product is one of the top pro-style quarterbacks in the country.
School and hometown: Norman (Ok.) North High School
Position: Pro-style quarterback
Height and weight: 6'5 and 230 pounds
Ratings: Cornwell is a five-star prospect in the 247Sports rankings and a consensus four-star overall. Rated as the top player in Oklahoma, Cornwell is the no. 20 player nationally by 247Sports and the no. 2 pro-style quarterback prospect.
Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Indiana, Kansas, Miami, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Tulsa, Virginia Tech, and Washington State have all extended offers.
Twitter: @DavidCornwell5
Highlights:
David Cornwell 2014 QB--JR Highlights (via 247SportsStudio)
Scouting Report:
There are many facets of Cornwell's game that are elite, starting with his size. After the Dallas Elite 11 and NFTC camps, Elite 11 coach and ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer compared Cornwell to Ben Roethlisberger and one major area in which the two are similar are in size. At 6'5 and 230 pounds, the Oklahoma product already has an NFL-type body.
Dilfer said that the one area of improvement for Cornwell physically is in his hips, as they have a tendency to lag at times.
But despite the fact he's considered a pro-style prospect, Cornwell is an above-average athlete for the position, casually showing off his leaping ability with a one-handed catch at Elite 11, prompting another recruiting analyst to comment that Cornwell could have a future at tight end if quarterback doesn't work out.
Quarterback will probably work out for Cornwell, as he has enough mobility that North calls some quarterback runs for him and he's capable of throwing on the run, though he seems to be more comfortable escaping the pocket to his right. He does flash the ability to clear his hips and make throws while moving to his left, however.
Throwing while moving isn't an issue for him in large part because of his remarkable arm strength. Simply put, Cornwell has a cannon attached to his right shoulder. Even throwing into a stiff wind at the Dallas Elite 11 camp, the big prospect didn't have any issues cutting it because his wrist lost and wrist snap are incredible -- the ball jumps out of his hand as it does for the hardest-throwing pitches in baseball, almost always with tight spin.
At times, it appeared as if the fingers of his receivers were in danger because of the pure velocity. In that regard, it's probably a good thing that he appears likely to head to the SEC in college -- those passes could really sting in the cold.
Of course, being a top-flight quarterback is about more than just arm strength, it's about being able to throw catchable passes, as well as loft the ball over linebackers or other defenders in underneath coverage. Cornwell knows when he take something off his throws in the flats and was strong in the section of the two-minute Pressure Cooker drill at the end of the Dallas Elite 11 camp throwing over the simulated linebackers without any issues.
With the rest of his mechanics, his footwork is solid and he doesn't have some of the bad habits that quarterbacks with big arms can develop because they don't have to transfer their weight well and can often throw off their back foot with few repercussions in terms of velocity.
All told, Cornwell has all of the physical potential to eventually become a first-round NFL draft pick and Dilfer is a fan of his mental makeup as well as a strong competitor who can survive the shark tank of college football.
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