As a College Recruit
Quick-armed, accurate passer with strong functional movement skills. Has a thinner frame, measuring around 6-foot-3, 180-pounds with a 9-inch hand. Has been considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2023 cycle dating back to early in his high school career. A natural, nuanced passer with a quick release. Shows some aggressive tendencies in throwing downfield. Has touch with the ability to layer his throws. Accurate with good ball placement dating back to his sophomore spring season which was shortened due to COVID-19. Solid arm strength, which could improve with overall strength progression. Adept at running the quick game out of spread looks, flipping the ball out quick to the boundary. Loose and fluid in his movements. Plays with bouncy footwork and lower body twitch. Looks to pass first, but has good burst as a runner with the ability to run zone read or pick up yards when the play breaks down. Plays at a relaxed pace. Will need to continue adding mass lean, streamline frame. Arm strength registers as average relative to other top 2023 quarterbacks. Older for the cycle, turning 19 years old in December of his senior year.
Reminds Us Of
Mariota was not as highly-touted as Malachi Nelson coming out of high school, but we see similarities in the body type, physical skill set and play style. For starters, Nelson’s build at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds is not too far off from Mariota’s (6-foot-3.5, 185) at the same stage. Both are accurate passers who are adept at running up-tempo offenses and excel in playing quarterback with a point guard mentality. Mariota was more of a run threat, while Nelson is a bit more polished as a passer at the same stage.
