After making a hot start, Kedon Slovis took USC back to competitive levels for the first time in a few years. With hope at a high, it appeared as if he would be in the discussion for the best quarterback for the 2022 NFL Draft. Slovis even topped Todd McShay's first 2022 NFL Mock Draft. His performance last season, however, was a bust. Injuries and poor decisions led to his benching and eventual transfer to Pittsburgh. Time will tell if he and Jordan Addison can put it back together.
Biography
Name: Kedon Slovis
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6'3
Weight: 205
Age: 22
Class: Senior
School: Pittsburgh
For those of you who are new to the 'In a Nutshell' series, this is a summarized scouting report to give you everything you need to know "in a nutshell."
The Good
Slovis is very accurate. Apart from some weird misses, the placement is stellar. He is also quite a solid athlete, allowing the new Panther to create plays with his mobility and open up the playbook. A surprising category is pocket presence which Slovis beat Bryce Young and every other quarterback with a perfect 5/5. He is comfortable and smart in a pocket. That is a huge plus. Timing is also a plus.
The Bad
There have been plenty of injuries so far, unfortunately. Slovis also seems to lack the true QB1 mentality needed to be a franchise quarterback, but time can change that. With the head-scratching throws, decision making certainly takes a hit, too.
The Ugly?
Slovis has the weakest arm in this class. A lot of underthrows or slow balls made for turnover worthy plays. Simply put, that won't go away in the NFL.
Overall
Slovis has solid teachable/learnable traits at the cost of crucial hard-to-learn ones. Hope is far from lost, given the accuracy and pocket presence aspects of his game, but Slovis needs to limit his mental errors to make up for his weak arm. Kenny Pickett became a first-round pick at Pitt, so let's see what a talented star like Slovis can do when given the controls.
Grading Scale: (Average: 5/10)
Arm Strength: 10.5/15
Decision Making/ Progressions: 14/20
Accuracy: 7/10
Ball Placement: 7/10
Athleticism: 7/10
On the Move/ Out of Structure: 6/10
Mechanics: 4.5/5
Timing: 4/5
Pocket Presence: 5/5
Injury: 3/5
Mentality: 3/5
Draft Grade: 71
Draft Projection: 4th Round
Big Board Rank: N/A
Shades of: Bailey Zappe
Top Three Fits: Dolphins, Lions, Buccaneers