Watching Bryce Young play quarterback is not unlike watching a great fighter work his way through a 12-round bout. It’s rarely the same week after week — sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s not.
But the best always figure it out. And while it’s always going to be easy to find reasons why the 6-foot-0, 194-pounder might have issues at the next level, it’s usually just as easy to find reasons why he might be just fine.
Young’s ability to make adjustments game to game, drive to drive, play to play — sometimes, even multiple times within the same play — is what makes him special. Of all the late-game stuff he pulled out of his hat in Alabama’s 20-19 comeback win over Texas on Saturday, it was his duck-and-scramble with 35 seconds to play that took the cake.
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Scouting Bryce Young: What to know about Alabama’s QB ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
A play that both saved Alabama from a loss and led to its eventual win, Young spotted a Texas corner blitz just as the ball was snapped. Rather than allowing himself to panic, he stood his ground, let the rush come to him, then ducked and popped out into free space like it was his plan all along. Young’s casual stroll down the sideline set up Alabama’s game winner and showed off his greatest trait.
He never sweats.
Not on the final play, nor when every person wearing orange lost their mind on Texas’ go-ahead field goal. Cameras cut to Young’s expressionless face as he prepared to lead the Crimson Tide onto the field for one of his patented two-minute drives. There are physical limitations, but the defending Heisman winner continues to be at his best when his best is required. That’s the greatest trait a QB can have.
Another look at that HUGE play by Bryce Young 👀🔥
cc: @AlabamaFTBL pic.twitter.com/jOqeOd1zUS
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 10, 2022
Young went 27-of-39 for 213 yards and a score through the air. He was patient, as usual, in the pocket — probably to a fault, on occasion. But the thing about Young and his patience: If he’s taking care of the ball (and he usually does), it’s really not a problem. He doesn’t make many bad decisions; the ball usually goes where it needs to. When he freelances, it’s almost never without a plan or at least an idea.
Alabama had 15 penalties and tried to drive the car off the road all afternoon. Young just wouldn’t allow it. He’s the definition of a winner who almost always finds a way.
SEC showdown
Quarterback-needy teams were well represented in The Swamp on Saturday night.
A few other notable evaluators expected to be in Gainesville for tonight’s QB showdown:
Ray Agnew, #Lions Asst. GM
Matt Berry, #Seahawks Dir. of College Scouting
Dan Morgan, #Panthers Asst. GM
Anthony Robinson, #Falcons Dir. of College Scouting https://t.co/n030UypwKE— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 10, 2022
For Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, unfortunately, it was a regrettable day. For Kentucky’s Will Levis, things were better — but not without frustration — in the Wildcats’ 26-16 win. Both players displayed the athleticism that brought all those scouts to Florida on Saturday.
Richardson, on a third-and-10 early in the game, ripped off a beautiful 15-yard rope on an out route to the wide side of the field. Levis displayed his shortstop-like ability to flip his hips and get the ball out from a variety of arm angles, plus landed a beautiful deep shot for a touchdown early in the game.
Levis is further ahead as a prospect, but he still had some decisions he’s going to want back Saturday night in The Swamp. There continue to be times when he needs to trust his protection longer. At other moments, he needs to come off his first read faster — getting locked on a receiver leads him to forced throws and missed openings. When Levis gets more comfortable and starts seeing the entire field, it’s all going to look really good.
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Scouting Will Levis: What to know about Kentucky’s QB ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
Richardson has further to go, which shouldn’t be a surprise as he’s barely played at the college level. Last week’s performance in an upset of Utah got people fired up, and rightly so. But Richardson still has footwork inconsistencies in the pocket, which in turn leads to accuracy issues. He did a great job of leaving mistakes on the field last week — not letting one compound into another. That wasn’t quite the case Saturday night. Much of the poise we saw a week ago turned to frustration in the form of poor decision-making and careless fundamentals as the game got tougher. It wasn’t a good day for the third-year sophomore, who wound up 14-of-35 for 143 yards and two interceptions.
Levis was 13-of-24 for 202 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Kentucky grinded this game out and asked Levis to be better underneath. At times, he was. Just like a week ago, though, there were some iffy decisions from Levis. He’s still growing as a prospect, too, and a sizable chunk of the NFL got to see that up close Saturday night.
Addison explodes
Jordan Addison had two touchdown catches on five receptions, in an otherwise quiet 54-yard day last week against Rice. His first two catches Saturday against Stanford went for a combined 97 yards and two touchdowns.
The 6-foot-0 Pittsburgh transfer is electric off the line of scrimmage, a trait that was on display in a 75-yard post route that went for a touchdown. Addison attacked man coverage and cooked the defender at the top of his route in a blink. He did a terrific job separating and tracking the ball, plus he had the body strength after the catch to spin out and finish the play.
JORDAN ADDISON GOES THE DISTANCE 😱 pic.twitter.com/sh62Bcomdl
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 11, 2022
We all knew the grouping of Addison, QB Caleb Williams and head coach Lincoln Riley at USC was going to be fun. So far, looks like we were right. And for Addison, it could pay huge dividends come draft time — he is going to have many opportunities in this offense with Williams. Early in his LA tenure, his stock is on the rise.
Hartman starts fast
Wake Forest senior QB Sam Hartman missed the first week of the season due to a blood clot in his subclavian vein. He was cleared to return Saturday against Vanderbilt and did not disappoint.
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Wake Forest’s Hartman was medically cleared to return
Hartman went 18-of-27 for 300 yards and four touchdowns — without an interception — as Wake Forest improved to 2-0 on the season. We’ll see what comes next for the redshirt junior, who entered this season with 9,266 yards, 72 touchdowns and 19 interceptions on 1,169 career attempts inside Wake Forest’s slow-mesh heavy scheme.
If his health continues to cooperate, Hartman will have a tune-up game against Liberty next week before his first big-time test of the season: Sept. 24 at Clemson.
Michael Mayer’s work
It’s been a good-news, bad-news situation for Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer (6-4, 265), through two games this season. The good news is that he’s had 13 catches (on 20 targets) in two weeks. The bad: Some of those targets have been a tough ask, even for a giant like Mayer.
His eight grabs for 103 yards and a late score Saturday came in a disappointing loss to Marshall, but Mayer was able to show a couple of things NFL scouts will surely notice. He continues to display great body adjustment to balls that are thrown off-target. If a QB gives Mayer a chance in a reasonable window, the talented tight end is going to get it.
Mayer is being forced to play through a ton of contact and defensive attention because Notre Dame’s offense is in a pretty bad place — Mayer is their first, second and third pass option. But he’s still grinding. You’d like to see better run blocking from him. And the questions about whether he’ll be able to win one-on-one against NFL safeties remain, but being physical and under control remain Mayer’s specialties.
(Photo of Alabama’s Bryce Young: Scott Wachter / USA Today)
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