Arm Strength- Locker has above-average to excellent arm strength. I hate saying someone can "make all the throws" because I believe that is a bit of a misnomer. But I will say that he has the arm strength to drive the ball to any "quadrant" of the field. However you want to phrase it, Jake Locker has plenty of arm strength and NFL offensive coordinators will not have to limit their offensive play calls due to the fact that he can't get the ball to a certain part of the field.
Accuracy- Locker has average to above-average all around accuracy. I say all around because accuracy is actually comprised of several components which need to be evaluated. There are the primary components- short (0-10 yards) to intermediate (10-20 yards) accuracy; Deep ball (20+ yards) accuracy- and there are the secondary components- consistency; touch; timing; spiral tightness and catchability (not to be confused with drinkability)- which go into making a good accurate pass on routes that are run in those ranges.
Short-to-Intermediate Throws- he displays above-average accuracy. He is not to the point where he is automatic on being able to put certain throws in certain spots every time. However, when he is confident about where he is going with the ball, he usually puts it in a good spot where his receiver can quickly catch it and look to gain YAC.... Locker also displays average to above-average touch in making throws in this range. He tends to be good about taking some off his throws when needed in order to float a pass over a linebacker or D-lineman. Sometimes he can misread the depth of an LB and float one- especially under duress- into the hands of a defender. but, overall, he has made significant progress in this area. His best attribute, however, is that he displays, generally, excellent touch on the run. This will make him a valuable commodity for teams with porous offensive lines come draft time.... As well, one of the most impressive improvements in Jake Locker's game has been his timing on short to intermediate throws. He's starting to become very efficient at delivering the ball to his receivers right as they come out of their breaks. This is, in part, due to Sarkisian's ability to coach up Locker- but it is an improvement that will impress scouts in the filmroom.... Jake Locker throws an average spiral, in terms of it's tightness, on throws in this range. It's not a picture perfect spiral like Peyton's or Aaron Rodgers (love his spiral) but it's solid enough to present a catchable ball for the intended receiver.
Deep Ball Accuracy- Locker also displays average-to-above average accuracy on deep throws. Continuing to develop consistency on his deep throws will be key for Locker as he has the ability to make good consistent throws on deep routes... Touch and timing are the more important attributes to have on making accurate deep throws- as long as the quarterback has enough arm to get the ball there. Locker actually has above average touch on deep throws and shows a good ability to throw the ball at the right trajectory. His timing, however, is still a little inconsistent but he does seem to be continually improving and there is no reason to believe he can't become consistent. (side note: the fact that he is also an accomplished college baseball outfielder probably helps to explain the reason why he is above-average at judging the right trajectory to put on a throw as he makes many similar throws from a certain spot in the outfield to home).... His spiral is similarly average in its tightness on deep throws, but again his above-average touch allows him to generally provide a catchable ball for his receiver to make a play in tight coverage.
Mobility- Jake Locker's greatest asset, as I alluded to earlier, is his mobility- which is highlighted by his rumored 4.4 forty yard speed. More importantly, however, he has shown much improved instincts on when to run and when to stand tall in the pocket. This was aided by Sarkisian's decree in spring ball that he had to stay in the pocket. Due to his excellent mobility, teams will be forced to slow up there speed rush in the NFL in order to contain him. Where a player like Bradford may struggle playing for a team that can't protect him, Locker may thrive- similar to how good Ben Roethlisberger is on the run. He's not Mike Vick or Vince Young; but he is dangerous and NFL teams will be very cognizant of the fact that if they get too aggressive, he can really hurt them with his feet.
Decision Making/Intelligence-This is my biggest concern about Locker. While he has apparently made great strides in this area, I have to wonder how much his apparent improvement is manufactured by Sarkisian. If you watch him long enough, you start to realize that he seems to have already decided where he is going to go with the ball before the snap. Yes, this could be because he is becoming good at making presnap reads- but you have to wonder if this is because "Sark" has simplified the offense by predetermining, for Locker, which WR's he will throw to on which plays. This seems evident by the fact that Locker sometimes makes quick throws to wide receivers who are clearly covered. I, personally, want to see him make more throws in which he is scanning the field and throwing to his third and fourth receivers after he has made a quick determination that his first and/or second options have been taken away. I put so much emphasis on a QB's (DM) and intelligence that it's hard not to downgrade Locker, somewhat, even though his resume is otherwise superb.
Mechanics/Release/Footwork- Sarkisian seems to have done a terrific job at cleaning up all the technical errors in Jake Locker's game. Before this year he was raw in these areas. This year, he looks like a true pocket passer, in terms of his throwing mechanics and footwork which has greatly aided the improvement in his completion percentage. At times, he can be seen throwing off his back foot as his momentum is carrying him away from the intended receiver- But he has a strong enough arm that he can still get the ball to the receiver and, often times, he doesn't have the luxury to set his feet with a defender bearing down on him. He displays a very quickly release and a generally repeatable throwing motion. Again, the baseball background surely help to aid him in understanding the importance of a repeatable throwing motion.
Competitiveness/Leadership- Locker seems to be a highly competitive person who doesn't shy away from any situation in a big game. One thing that will be interesting, for NFL scouts to determine, is whether is true love is football or baseball- It is important to note that he is very much a pro prospect in regards to the MLB and the LAA Angels already have drafted him and secured his rights for the next ten years. You would like to think he would chose to pursue the sport which he has the most affinity for. But in reality, he will likely be a top 10 selection which will make it hard to pass up football, for baseball- where you don't start earning a major league paycheck until you actually make it to the big leagues which, for Locker, could take 3-4 years. However, I am not overly concerned about which sport he has more passion for because it is important only in the sense of will he be motivated to continue to improve even after he has signed a large contract.... I think his considerable improvement in college demonstrates that he will.
Conclusion- Jake Locker is clearly a top 10 pro prospect in terms of skill set. Furthermore, he shows the willingness and drive to continue to get better and the competitiveness to take on the responsibility of being an NFL quarterback for what is likely to be an underwhelming team. However, I still rate Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen slightly ahead of him, at this point, because they are much more cerebral quarterbacks- which I value as much as anything. This doesn't mean I think Locker can't get there; but to this point I haven't seen enough of it to truly fall in love with all the other attributes he has which could potentially make him a rare QB prospect. I think it would be in his best interest to go back to school for his senior year, from a development standpoint- but recognize that it is in his best interest to come out from a financial standpoint given the fact that he already has achieved top 10 QB status and this could be the last draft before a rookie salary scale is implemented (which would limit the earning power of top picks on rookie contracts).... So expect Jake Locker to bypass his senior year in order to enter into the 2010 NFL Draft.
