Player Spotlight; Joe Flacco

Player Spotlight; Joe Flacco

Football.com Draft Analyst D J Boyer weighs in with his take on Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco who may not be from big program but could make a big impact at the NFL level with his rocket arm.

 *Joe Flacco Quarterback Delaware*
Senior 6-6 230

*Strengths:* Arm strength
*Weaknesses*: Footwork

*Statline:* 4,253 yards as a senior with 23 TD’s to only 5 INT’s.

*Technique:* has the technique with a crisp delivery and strong arm. Has nice touch on the short to intermediate throws.

*Known Injuries:* No injuries to speak of, was healthy in his two years at Delaware.

*Combine / Workout Assessment:* 4.87 in the 40, 29 inch vertical jump and 6.83 3-cone drill time.

*DJ Boyer's Analysis:* Why is this small school quarterback getting so much attention. Not hard to figure out when you watch Joe Flacco throw the deep ball. Flacco has a cannon arm and his arm strength and zip on the ball make him the top prospect in this draft based on arm strength alone. Flacco was recruited by Pitt and played there briefly in 2004 so don’t let the small school tag fool you, he had plenty of interest from larger schools, (not that Delaware can’t crank out an NFL quarterback…just ask Rich Gannon). Factor in that Flacco gives you a great build at 6-6 and over 230 pounds and you now see what the attraction for many teams is. Flacco has scored nine rushing touchdowns over thelast two seasons and can run downfield and avoid the rush but I am worried that his footwork is still too sloppy for the NFL level. Flacco struggled with speed rushers at The Senior Bowl and his quickness to react to blitzes was a cause for concern. These are coachable flaws that Flacco should adjust too once the speed of the NFl game is there for him. Very accurate passer who has improved while throwing on the run but his accuracy could be a little better while moving. Decision making improved greatly between his junior and senior season and to me is a big reason why he is mentioned as a 2^nd round pick with an outside shot of going in round one. Flacco is more pro ready then many believe but he is
not going to come in and light the NFL on fire but he has all the intangibles needed for a long and prosperous career.

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