Josh Dobbs is going to be successful at whatever he does after college. He is hoping the NFL is his first stop on his adventure.
The aerospace engineering major at Tennessee was once asked if he would be able to handle learning an NFL playbook. His response was priceless. If could tackle the intricacies of learning and space and science and engineering, he feels strongly he could tackle what the NFL throws his way. Of course, I am paraphrasing, but you get the sense Dobbs will be one of those players that can see the game from its purest form and find success even if he is not a high-round draft pick.
There was such hope for the 2016 season for both Dobbs and Tennessee. A possible SEC Title, a Heisman Trophy run. A potential New Year’s Day bowl game. Nothing materialized. Dobbs and the Volunteers fell well below expectations, which may have hurt his draft stock.
Dobbs did perform well at times in his senior year, racking up 2,946 yards and 27 touchdowns through the air and 831 yards with 12 scores on the ground. His 12 interceptions set a career high, however. His versatility will help him in the NFL, but whether he can become a starter early on in his career is still a question left unanswered.
He looks the part – at 6-foot-3 and 219 pounds. He has command of the offense and yes, a playbook. Can he find better success in the NFL than he enjoyed while playing in the SEC and singing Rocky Top?
In this player profile, we will look at the strengths and weaknesses of Josh Dobbs as he moves on to the next level. We also include a few teams that will be interested in adding help to their quarterback unit.
Strengths
Josh Dobbs might be the most intelligent player in this draft. If scouts wanted brains over brawn, he would be a top-five pick. His ability to pick up an offense will help him make an NFL squad.
Dobbs has the ball handling and a quick release to get the ball out early when challenged by sudden pressure. He is able to get through progressions to the check down option. Throws a tight spiral with adequate drive velocity. He also has eye-catching deep pass accuracy (47.7 completion percentage) with 14 touchdowns on throws 21-plus yards. Displayed good mental toughness.
Weaknesses
Development. He also could use more weight on his frame. Dobbs has a below average delivery and balance affects his accuracy and ball placement. Footwork is uneven and causes him to throw from unbalanced platform too often. However, his throwing motion causes him to push some throws. Consequently, he floats the deep out allowing defenders to close out his passing windows
Teams Interested
Pittsburgh, Green Bay, New Orleans, New York Jets, New York Giants, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins