Despite being a fourth-year NFL veteran, Brock Osweiler is still an unknown. The Broncos’ 17-15 victory at Chicago last Sunday was his first regular-season start and only his 16th start in both college and the pros combined.
As Jake Plummer described, he’s essentially a four-year redshirt quarterback.
But Osweiler showed some of what he could do Sunday. He showed that he fits Gary Kubiak’s zone-blocking offense. And he showed that he can, despite little experience, lead an NFL team to victory.
This Sunday, against Tom Brady and the Patriots, Osweiler will be asked to show it again as he starts for the second consecutive game while Peyton Manning continues to recover from foot and rib injuries.
After three-plus years of learning under Manning and honing his skills mostly in the classroom, Osweiler also showed glimmers of just how far he’s come since 2012, when he was a draft prospect with potential but undeveloped skills.
I went back through some of the scouting reports on Osweiler to see what scouts saw in him ahead of the 2012 draft, when the Broncos selected him with the No. 57 pick.
• WalterFootball.com: “Perhaps the most unique trait about Osweiler is his mobility. The former basketball player is quick and athletic. He is able to avoid sacks and can pick up yards on the ground. He also throws the ball well while on the move. Many would think that Osweiler would be a statue in the pocket, but that is definitely not the case. The mobility will be a nice asset for him in the NFL.”
• NFL.com: “His athletic ability allows him to play the position naturally and with ease. He slings the ball naturally, as well, and even though he pats the ball before throwing, his release is so compact and effective he isn’t hindered by this habit in the slightest. His shining asset is his arm strength; he can hit nearly any NFL-caliber throw at this point in his career. … Osweiler had on-the-field judgment issues throughout his career at ASU and isn’t reliable to protect the ball from turnovers. It seems as if he starts to get rolling in a game, and the more confidence he builds, the more of a gun-slinger mentality he adopts.”
• Gil Brandt: “Despite his height, he is very flexible and has a solid throwing platform. … I think Osweiler vaulted himself into the first round on draft day. … His showing Friday was somewhat surprising; I think he exceeded the expectations of everybody in attendance. … Osweiler, an outstanding high-school athlete from Montana, has a lot of upside, and some team with a need at the position will be tempted late in the first round.”
• Michael Lombardi: “I don’t think you could ever, possibly, consider him a first-round talent.”
• National Football Post: “Is a sneaky athlete when asked to create outside the pocket for his size. Even ran some read option earlier in the year. … Can be a threat to find the first down marker with his legs. … Can work his way around the pocket with some goofy athleticism and keep drives alive with his legs…. At 6-8, he’s an overly tall quarterback prospect who has a lot of addition length and moving parts to his game. … Doesn’t have a great feel for the game, struggles pre-snap to recognize defenses.”
It may still be too soon to tell if their reports were accurate. But let us know what you think in the comments below.
CHEW ON THIS
• Osweiler will be the Broncos’ starting quarterback on Sunday against the Patriots.
• Shoring up 3-point defense has become a chore for Nuggets.
WATCH THIS
Here’s a fire tornado in slow-motion. You know you want to watch it.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Oscar “The Big O” Robertson is 77 today.
Nicki Jhabvala: njhabvala@denverpost.com or @NickiJhabvala
