Jamie Newman Should Be on the Vikings’ Radar

Mar 23, 2021
Jan 30, 2021; Mobile, AL, USA; American quarterback Jamie Newman of Wake Forest/Georgia (7) throws long pass in the second half of the 2021 Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Kirk Cousins is more than likely going to be at the helm through the 2022 season, but that doesn’t mean Minnesota can’t begin looking at a young prospect for the future. Would you rather pay Cousins again, or have a young prospect groomed and ready to go?

The last time we saw Jamie Newman play a meaningful football game, he was losing the Pinstripe Bowl to Michigan State in the 2019 season. He transferred to Georgia at season’s end, but then opted out of the 2020 Covid season. A full year has passed since we last saw Newman on the field, and his draft stock has taken a hit as a result. Needless to say, the Senior Bowl is important for him. 

Newman, while raw, has all the traits you’d want to see in a young quarterback prospect. He has a crazy strong arm, and he used it often. In 2019, 19.8% of his throws were for 20+ yards, and PFF graded him second in deep throws behind only Joe Burrow. He can also run, and his size makes that a problem for defenses as he stands at 6’4” and 235 pounds.Need plugin help?We’ve compiled the best WordPress plugins so you don’t have to.Ad by WP Engine See More

Watch this run:

Now watch this throw:

There is no doubt the kid has talent. The biggest question mark going into the draft is his accuracy. Admittedly, it’s a very valid question. He finished the 2019 season with a mere 60.8 completion percentage and threw 11 interceptions over 12 games. 

Even so, many of the struggles came as a result of losing WR Sage Suratt during the eighth game of the season. In the first seven games, Newman completed 67.2% of his passes and threw 20 TDs compared to five INTs. It’s certainly a concern when his level of play drops off so much because of the loss of one target, though. 

Especially now that the Vikings have filled a large number of their roster holes in free agency, they have much more freedom to get creative in the draft. A couple years under the wing of Cousins and in the Vikings system could help Newman blossom into a very good player. It may be more likely that the Vikings more wait until a future draft to find a quarterback, but if Newman falls into the fourth or fifth round, it will be interesting to see if they take a swing.

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