Trey Lance is about to give North Dakota State two first-round quarterbacks in six NFL drafts. The Dynamic 2021 QB prospect played only one full season with the Bison in 2019 before playing for the Division I FCS event last season. But after garnering much buzz for his brilliant performance as a redstar freshman, Lance decided to focus on preparing for his professional career.
At 6-4, 227 pounds, with an ideal frame, strong arm, and fine athleticism, Lance checks all the boxes to promise superstars in the modern passing NFL. But with a great contrast, there is limited playing experience and youth. Lance will be only 21 years old after the draft on 9 May.
The unanimous top QB prospect in the 2021 class is Clemson Trevor Lawrence, who is expected to move to No. 1 for the Jaguars. On the board of most teams, Zach Wilson of BYU ranks second. When it comes to seeing who should go next, Lance is, however, a wild card.
Some draft analysts, such as ESPN’s Todd McShay And NFL Network’s Daniel JeremiahLance is third ahead of Justin Fields of Ohio State. Some others, such as Mel Keeper Jr. of ESPN, are overtaking Lance in Mac Jones of Alabama.
However, it went down, it’s hard to ignore Lance’s ability and he would go into a team ready and willing to refine him in the first half of the first round.
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Stats at Trey Lance College NDSU
Lance threw two passes for the Bison in 2018, running for 22 yards. He ran 8 times for 82 yards and one touchdown. Then came the jaw dropping stats through its 16 games in 2019:
- Completion percentage: 66.9 (192 completions on 287 attempts)
- Passing yard: 2,786
- Yards pass per attempt: 9.7
- Passing TDS: 28 (for zero interception)
- College Passer Rating: 180.6
- NFL passer rating: 130.8
- Running Attempts: 169
- Crowd yards: Rs 1,100
- Yards per attempt: 6.5
- Rushing TD: 14
They are in incredible numbers and should not be given too much leeway to play against FCS competition. The ball is very difficult to handle and should be so long without any serious mistakes, even if Lance is playing in the air. Such a season would qualify for the Heiman Trophy at FBS.
Tray lance highlights
Lance did not lighten the stat sheet only once in the same number of games in the NFL regular season in 2019. He was also a great leader, as North Dakota State won its eighth national title by winning 16–0. Lance Carson Wentz (No. 2 for the Eagles in 2016) and Easton Stick (fifth round for the Chargers in 2019) had a strong QB follow.
Unless you were a Bison fan, it makes sense that you would not have seen Lance in action. First, here, in many ways, Lance produced TDs for NDSU in that magical season:
If you’re not good enough to dazzle and dazzle Lance, here’s a new promotional video-like production from the end of last year
Trey Lance Scouting Report
Lance received a “showcase game” last October, which was played to mixed reviews, but overall it did not do much damage to his stock. The performance of pro day should solidify itself as there is still a massive NFL ceiling. Here’s a deep-dive of what kind of pro-QB he can be:
Strength: Lance can line up in any style of offense. He returns his strong hand with excellent intermediate-to-deep accuracy. He can rifle the ball downfield but also uses a good touch if needed. He is tough enough to hang in the pocket and throw all and is often elusive enough to extend plays. Lance’s natural footwork translates into his mobility, which allows him to deliver the ball well as he moves. He has blazing speed and good agility as a runner and can also be powerful in that ability. Lance had built himself to be stronger and stronger, as he was a redshirt freshman.
Weaknesses: Lance has played only one season of college football, so there is a lack of experience. There are a lot of things that he can clean up with his mechanics and pocket presence. He has batted through limited woes on the field as a passer, so there will be a hill to climb in a high level competition to jump. He needs more good offensive coaching to raise his floor before shooting for Sealing.
Ground level: Lance is not a possibility for teams that prefer more polish outside of the first rounder and lack the comfort level to properly put their passing and running skills together. He fits best in a versatile offense that will not prevail in any of his skill sets. Should Lance land on a team that can have a little patience with him and give him a season to develop, that will give him the opportunity to transition to the NFL for his success longer.
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