With the final pick in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Florida quarterback Kyle Trask.
What if I told you a career backup finally got his chance to start when the starter got injured -- and he never relinquished the job? Such is Trask's story. It's not completely unfamiliar of in the annals of NFL history -- there have been some famously circuitous routes -- but not very common either.
In any event, Trask proved himself to be more than a capable starter once given the chance. He surely benefited from a QB-friendly system at Florida -- not to mention playing alongside an embarrassment of talent, including all-world tight end Kyle Pitts. But his production is difficult to ignore, and he presents a tricky evaluation by the eye test.
Here's all you need to know about the Houston native:
Measurables: 6'5"/240
School: Florida
2020 stats: 12 games, 301 completions on 437 attempts, 68.9% completion rate, 4,283 passing yards, 43 touchdowns, 8 interceptions
Accolades: 2020 Second-Team All-SEC, 2020 AP Second-Team All-American, 2020 Heisman Trophy finalist, 2020 SEC Academic Honor Roll; 2019 SEC Academic Honor Roll
Strengths:
- Good size and athleticism combo
- Plus pocket awareness
- Strong arm and the ability to make most throws
- Nice touch on deep balls
- Accurate -- excellent completion rates
- Two-year starter with above-average production
Weaknesses:
- Backup pedigree until taking over as starter due to injury
- Sometimes throws off back foot or off-balance
- Methodical on drop-backs and going through progressions
- Heavy-footed while sliding around in the pocket
- Played in mostly clean pockets -- is he good enough to produce under duress?
Expert scout analysis:
- "Trask is clearly a skilled passer, but it's hard to find evidence of him being able to play chess at this point against what NFL defenses are likely to show him" -- Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
- Trask possesses "a lot of the little nuances to playing quarterback that matter in the NFL" -- Mark Schofield, USA Today Sports
- "Trask could start early in his career, but he’d be a lower-end starter for teams that lacked strong supporting casts" -- Eric Edholm, Yahoo Sports
Tape:
Player comparison: Brad Johnson
Trask is something of an unknown commodity at this point, given his relative lack of playing experience and exposure to scouts. He certainly looks the part physically, and is a pretty gifted passer considering his lack of reps. He likely needs further developing in the pros, a scenario which would have him backing up early before potentially taking on a starting job. Johnson wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but he was an above-average game manager, won a Super Bowl with the 2003 Bucs' standout defense, and earned two Pro Bowl nods in his career.
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