New England Patriots: A look at Lamar Jackson

The New England Patriots are in need of a quarterback to learn behind Tom Brady. Lamar Jackson might be on the board when they first pick

Personally, after watching him often, I believe that Lamar Jackson has all the tools to be successful with the New England Patriots. If Jackson falls down to pick 23, chances are Belichick might pull the trigger on the former Louisville signal caller.

According to CBS Sports and Sporting News, the Pats have growing interest in the former Heisman winner. In some ways, this doesn’t surprise me. Jackson played in a pro system during his time in the NCAA, giving him an edge over some of his fellow prospects.

Jackson has been one of the highest anticipated athletes of the decade, putting up highlights since high school. Let’s dive a little deeper than the flips, jukes, and spin moves. I’ll take you through Lamar Jackson’s pros and cons as a quarterback.

Pros

The first thing to look at is how he performed in the spotlight, and as a whole, Lamar Jackson has always been a star when the game matters the most. He’s always willing to make a play with his arm or his legs. He often finds a way to avoid a sack without having to throw the ball away.

Jackson has solid mechanics in his throwing motion, and he usually throws a tight spiral. He is also pretty good at learning his personnel. Also he is great at putting the ball in a spot where no matter who his target is, it is in their catch radius.

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And the Cons

One thing that I notice as an issue right away with Lamar is that he waits too long to make a decision. It usually gets to the point where the window to throw the ball is closed or the pocket has collapsed in on him. This causes turnovers quite often.

Speaking of turnovers, that’s another place where Lamar Jackson has some issues. Now, a lot of younger QB’s need to learn how to take care of the ball a little more, so this shouldn’t be a big area of concern. Jackson does have an issue with leading receivers. He often just tries to pin it on them, and normally the ball will end up behind the route runner. This has resulted in a ton of interceptions and incomplete passes.

By the Numbers

Stat-wise, Lamar Jackson isn’t the most appealing guy in the draft, but his numbers are solid. Over his three years of College, Jackson completed 619 out of 1,086 passes, threw for 9,043 yards, 69 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions. His overall stat line was pretty good, but his Heisman-winning stat line in 2016 was excellent.

In his 2016 season with Louisville, Lamar Jackson completed 230 out of 409 passes, threw for 3,543 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 9 picks. This stat line was absolutely excellent. The only thing that kept him from the final four that year was the defense. He was truly a one-man show.

Next: Pats fans can breathe a sigh of relief

At the end of the day. Lamar Jackson could potentially do damage on the Patriots squad if he falls down to number 23 in the draft. He has some things to work on, but he would be a great fit for New England. No matter where he goes though, he will be making highlight reel plays for a team in need of him.