Zac Dysert 2013 NFL Draft scouting report

2012 Stats: 62.9 completion percentage, 3,483 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 12 interceptionsA complete breakdown of the Miami Ohio quarterback.

It’s easy to forget about Zac Dysert. He played at Miami Ohio, didn’t put up amazing statistics or win a ton of games, and was surrounded by mediocre talent throughout his career. Add to that the fact that he changed offenses between his junior and senior seasons, and there were plenty of obstacles standing in his way.

Still, Dysert has emerged as one of the top quarterback prospects available in the 2013 NFL Draft and should come off the board in the first two nights of the draft. Standing at 6-feet-4-inches tall and possessing a strong arm, Dysert has the look of a potential franchise quarterback. Add to that his ability to read the field and maneuver around the pocket, and he becomes an intriguing developmental option for a team in need of a young quarterback.

Pros:

As mentioned above, Dysert is a big, strong armed passer. Physically, he passes the eye test in terms of what teams will be looking for in a quarterback. He stands tall in the pocket and has a nice, compact delivery to get the ball out of his hand quickly. Dysert has the arm strength to make all of the throws at the next level.

When moving around, Dysert seems to be at his best. He manages to find his way through a messy pocket comfortably while keeping his eyes down field looking for the big play. He’s also able to make strong and accurate throws while he is one the move and outside of the pocket. Dysert is a solid athlete with the ability to escape pressure and slip through sacks. While he’s not by any means a running quarterback, he does have the ability to scramble and take what the defense gives him on a certain play.

Reading defenses doesn’t seem to be much of an issue for Dysert. Due to his comfort level and feel for the pocket, Dysert is able to scan his progressions confidently and find receivers open down the field. He throws receivers open often enough, showing the anticipation skills quarterbacks need to have. With his ability to read the defense and go through his progressions, Dysert is also able to manipulate the secondary with his eyes and create chances in the passing game.

He also puts excellent touch on his deep passes and has the ability to make throws from different arm angles and body positions. He doesn’t need to have a clean pocket or even be able to step into his throws to deliver the ball in the intermediate passing game.

Cons:

During his senior season, Dysert did show some questionable decision making at times. He was often asked to get the ball out of his hand quickly due to his questionable offensive line play, and those quick decisions led to some mistakes for Dysert. He wasn’t helped out by his receivers much, however, as he suffered from a ton of dropped passes and some shaky route running at times. Still, Dysert needs to do a better job of seeing what the defense is doing pre-snap so he can make quick reads in the short passing game and find the open receivers.

Dysert’s footwork also seemed to suffer as a senior when he started to take more snaps out of the shotgun, again to take some pressure off the offensive line. He may be more comfortable when dropping back. Still, the variety of experience Dysert received during his time in college should be seen as a positive, and any kinks in his footwork should be correctable in the NFL.

The Senior Bowl wasn’t Dysert best showing. He was sailing some passes due to his inconsistent footwork, and the poor decision making reared it’s ugly head a bit as well. Some speculated that Dysert may have been nervous, which would be a bit concerning, but he’s only going to get more comfortable in those situations.

Conclusion:

In a quarterback class where rankings vary quite a bit at the top, Dysert has a chance to come off the board earlier than people expect. In addition to the physical tools he displays, his ability to read defenses and his feel for the pocket are two increasingly important traits in today’s NFL.

Some may shudder at the comparison of Dysert to Tony Romo, but the two do a lot of the same things well. Both seem to almost be more comfortable when the pocket is messy and things break down. They are also athletic guys who can extend plays with their legs and also deliver the ball accurately on the run, and arm strength isn’t an issue for either of them. Where Dysert will hope to be better than Romo is in his decision making.

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