Gardner Minshew QB Washington State

STRENGTHS
Gardner has the potential to be an excellent WCO quarterback. He has good accuracy and throws the ball with good velocity to complete those short and intermediate passes that make the WCO so difficult to defend against. Gardner is a rhythm passer and when he is in rhythm he can rip a defense apart with lasers like throws that come out so quickly it makes the defense struggle to adjust and make the necessary tackles to limit the yards after the catch. Gardner shows excellent leadership skills and his game management skills are excellent using all the tools around him to “matriculate” the ball down the field. He does a good job protecting the ball and this along with his ability to be a coach on the field gives me reason to believe that in the right system Gardner can become a starting quarterback for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
Like most rhythm passers Gardner will struggle to get back into rhythm if constantly harassed in the pocket. He handles pressure well but doesn’t have the arm velocity when out of rhythm, to make throws down the field needed to back linebackers and safeties off from applying that pressure. The system he plays in and the play caller will be very important to Gardner’s success or lack of success.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.01
Gardner’s talents are intriguing but as far as I can tell he is a system quarterback and that system should be the WCO. This is not an insult; Andrew Luck is a systems quarterback and until he found the right system this year, he struggled to be consistent. I’m not suggesting that Gardner has the talent that Andrew has I’m just saying that most quarterbacks to be successful fit a system and only a few franchise quarterbacks can run any style of offensive system. Gardner reminds me of Jimmy Garoppolo, he doesn’t have the same arm strength but he has the same type of style in his play. He is accurate and has really good mechanics and comes over the top like Garoppolo. Gardner can throw from different releases points with accuracy but once again its mostly to check downs and intermediate throws. It’s possible that Gardner just hasn’t been challenged enough to make throws deep when they will be contested and maybe he just needs to be challenged? Gardner knows he can keep making first downs by being smart with the ball. He is patient and will go through his progressions with surgeon like calmness because he believes in his check downs. I don’t know what round Gardner could be selected in. He could sneak into the last half of the 1st round if some team wants the 5th year option with him. If not, your guess is as good as mine so keep track of Rob’s value board for that information. He has the talent to become a starter and if a team agrees with me than he just might surprise us all what round that he gets selected in. They will challenge him at the Senior Bowl practices for sure and if he impresses them with better arm strength on the deep ball than he shows on film, Gardner will move up on everyone’s board for sure. I got a feeling, he just might do that.