Justin Fields NFL Draft Profile

Statistics:

• 2018 (12 Games): 27/39, 328 yards, 4 TDs; 42 Att, 266 yards, 4 TDs
• 2019 (14 Games): 238/354, 3273 yards, 41 TDs, 3 INTs; 137 Att, 484 yards, 10 TDs
• 2020 (8 Games): 158/225, 2100 yards, 22 TDs, 6 INTs; 81 Att, 383 yards, 5 TDs

Ohio State has been notorious for sending some pretty underwhelming quarterbacks to the NFL. That said, Justin Fields is not your typical OSU QB. Throughout his two years of starting, Fields has consistently been the Big Ten’s most accurate passer. His incredible 70.2% completion rate in 2020 was easily the tops in the conference. His ability to make plays in man-to-man coverage is lethal. During his career, he threw 17 TDs and 0 INTs when defenses went man-to-man. 

When you couple Fields’ accurate passing with his athletic skills, he becomes a deadly player. In fact, even at Georgia where he wasn’t used very much as a passer, he was brought in multiple times a game for his running ability. He can use his 6’3 228-pound frame to bully smaller defenders through the ground game. 

Not only is his size an issue, but his speed is something rarely seen from the quarterback position. Last week, Fields recorded a 40-yard dash during a workout in preparation for his Pro Day. He ran a 4.41 and said he will be working to get into the 4.3s for the actual Pro Day run. Obviously, this breakaway speed will be difficult to defend, even if defensive lines do a good job of keeping him in the pocket. 

Even with Fields’ tendency to scramble, teams shouldn’t be too concerned about injuries moving forwards. When he takes off, he has a great sense for when to slide and take himself out of harm’s way. The biggest strength of Fields’ speed and elusivity, though, is his ability to create extra time behind the line of scrimmage. 

Of course, many readers must have heard the criticisms by now that have put Zach Wilson ahead of Fields in many mock drafts. The concerns are valid. If his first read isn’t available, that is often when he decides to take off and run rather than looking for another option. If NFL defenses can take away that read, he may be easier to contain. 

While he has a cannon for an arm, deep throws can occasionally be a weakness as well. He has a bad habit of sailing deep throws out of his receivers’ reach. His overall confidence could be a bit better at times as well. He will sometimes hesitate in the pocket leading to sacks. 

Overall, while he certainly has areas to improve as a passer, that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Most QB prospects going into the draft have areas they need to improve, and many do not have Fields’ running ability to compensate for their weaknesses. Trevor Lawrence is the sure number one pick, but Fields could certainly be a franchise QB for anyone willing to take a chance. 

Draft Projection: Top Five

Best Traits: Athleticism, Accuracy, Arm Strength

Worst Traits: Sailing Deep Balls, Hesitation in Pocket