Probably best to not read too much in offseason workouts, but in Arizona they seem to like what they’re seeing out of Kyler Murray. David Johnson says that to him, the rookie quarterback looks like Russell Wilson.
“People are really underestimating his ability to throw,” Johnson said in an interview on Mad Dog Sports Radio. “Coming into the draft, just hearing about him, a lot of people were talking about his scrambling but no one was really talking about his throwing. He can throw dimes and he can throw the ball down the field, he’s been throwing it deep to Christian [Kirk] and those guys in the OTAs.”
Size, of course, is a concern. At about 205 pounds, he’ll need to be careful not to expose himself to too many big hits. He’ll need to make an effort to scramble like Wilson, stepping out of bounds and getting on the ground before defenders get to him.
But Murray put up some pretty slick passing numbers at Oklahoma. There have been 55 other quarterbacks selected in the first round in this century. None of those guys in their final season of college averaged more yards per pass attempt or more yards per completion.
I will be very interested to see what Murray looks like in the early exhibition games.
| FIRST ROUND QUARTERBACKS (yards per attempt) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Pct | Yards | TD | Int | Per att |
| 2019 | Kyler Murray, Ariz. | 69% | 4,361 | 42 | 7 | 11.57 |
| 2018 | Baker Mayfield, Clev. | 71% | 4,627 | 43 | 6 | 11.45 |
| 2012 | Robert Griffin III, Wash. | 72% | 4,293 | 37 | 6 | 10.57 |
| 2011 | Cam Newton, Car. | 66% | 2,854 | 30 | 7 | 10.19 |
| 2015 | Marcus Mariota, Tenn. | 68% | 4,454 | 42 | 4 | 10.01 |
| 2005 | Jason Campbell, Wash. | 70% | 2,700 | 20 | 7 | 10.00 |
| 2014 | Johnny Manziel, Clev. | 70% | 4,114 | 37 | 13 | 9.59 |
| 2014 | Blake Bortles, Jac. | 68% | 3,581 | 25 | 9 | 9.37 |
| 2006 | Vince Young, Tenn. | 65% | 3,036 | 26 | 10 | 9.34 |
| 2005 | Alex Smith, S.F. | 68% | 2,952 | 32 | 4 | 9.31 |
| 2004 | Philip Rivers, NYG | 72% | 4,491 | 34 | 7 | 9.30 |
| 2014 | Teddy Bridgewater, Minn. | 71% | 3,970 | 31 | 4 | 9.30 |
| 2000 | Chad Pennington, NYJ | 67% | 4,006 | 38 | 12 | 9.25 |
| 2010 | Tim Tebow, Den. | 68% | 2,895 | 21 | 5 | 9.22 |
| 2007 | JaMarcus Russell, Oak. | 68% | 3,129 | 28 | 8 | 9.15 |
| 2019 | Dwayne Haskins, Wash. | 70% | 4,831 | 50 | 8 | 9.06 |
| 2004 | Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | 69% | 4,486 | 37 | 10 | 9.06 |
| 2002 | David Carr, Hou. | 65% | 4,299 | 42 | 7 | 9.03 |
| 2009 | Matthew Stafford, Det. | 61% | 3,459 | 25 | 10 | 9.03 |
| 2016 | Jared Goff, LAR | 64% | 4,719 | 43 | 13 | 8.92 |
| 2006 | Matt Leinart, Ariz. | 66% | 3,815 | 28 | 8 | 8.85 |
| 2013 | EJ Manuel, Buff. | 68% | 3,397 | 23 | 10 | 8.78 |
| 2009 | Mark Sanchez, NYJ | 66% | 3,207 | 34 | 10 | 8.76 |
| 2012 | Andrew Luck, Ind. | 71% | 3,517 | 37 | 10 | 8.71 |
| 2003 | Byron Leftwich, Jac. | 67% | 4,268 | 30 | 10 | 8.69 |
| 2018 | Sam Darnold, NYJ | 63% | 4,143 | 26 | 13 | 8.63 |
| 2017 | Patrick Mahomes, K.C. | 66% | 5,052 | 41 | 10 | 8.55 |
| 2016 | Paxton Lynch, Den. | 67% | 3,776 | 28 | 4 | 8.52 |
| 2018 | Lamar Jackson, Balt. | 59% | 3,660 | 27 | 10 | 8.51 |
| 2017 | Mitchell Trubisky, Chi. | 68% | 3,748 | 30 | 6 | 8.38 |
| 2012 | Brandon Weeden, Clev. | 72% | 4,727 | 37 | 13 | 8.38 |
| 2015 | Jameis Winston, T.B. | 65% | 3,907 | 25 | 18 | 8.37 |
| 2018 | Josh Rosen, Ariz. | 63% | 3,756 | 26 | 10 | 8.31 |
| 2008 | Joe Flacco, Balt. | 64% | 4,263 | 23 | 5 | 8.18 |
| 2004 | Eli Manning, S.D. | 62% | 3,600 | 29 | 10 | 8.16 |
| 2010 | Sam Bradford, St.L. | 57% | 562 | 2 | 0 | 8.14 |
| 2005 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 66% | 2,566 | 24 | 8 | 8.12 |
| 2003 | Carson Palmer, Cin. | 63% | 3,942 | 33 | 10 | 8.06 |
| 2016 | Carson Wentz, Phil. | 63% | 1,651 | 17 | 4 | 7.94 |
| 2017 | Deshaun Watson, Hou. | 67% | 4,593 | 41 | 17 | 7.93 |
| 2009 | Josh Freeman, T.B. | 59% | 2,945 | 20 | 8 | 7.71 |
| 2001 | Michael Vick, Atl. | 54% | 1,234 | 8 | 6 | 7.66 |
| 2002 | Joey Harrington, Det. | 58% | 2,415 | 23 | 5 | 7.50 |
| 2007 | Brady Quinn, Clev. | 62% | 3,426 | 37 | 7 | 7.34 |
| 2004 | J.P. Losman, Buff. | 59% | 3,077 | 33 | 14 | 7.29 |
| 2012 | Ryan Tannehill, Mia. | 62% | 3,744 | 29 | 15 | 7.05 |
| 2008 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 59% | 4,507 | 31 | 19 | 6.89 |
| 2011 | Christian Ponder, Minn. | 62% | 2,044 | 20 | 8 | 6.84 |
| 2011 | Jake Locker, Tenn. | 55% | 2,265 | 17 | 9 | 6.82 |
| 2019 | Daniel Jones, NYG | 60% | 2,674 | 22 | 9 | 6.82 |
| 2003 | Rex Grossman, Chi. | 57% | 3,402 | 22 | 17 | 6.76 |
| 2018 | Josh Allen, Buff. | 56% | 1,812 | 16 | 6 | 6.71 |
| 2011 | Blaine Gabbert, Jac. | 63% | 3,186 | 16 | 9 | 6.71 |
| 2003 | Kyle Boller, Balt. | 53% | 2,815 | 28 | 10 | 6.69 |
| 2006 | Jay Cutler, Den. | 59% | 3,073 | 21 | 9 | 6.65 |
| 2002 | Patrick Ramsey, Wash. | 57% | 2,935 | 22 | 13 | 6.54 |
—Ian Allan