You either have it, or you don’t
There’s one attribute Erdmann possesses that not even the NFL can develop. At 6 foot 4 and 215 pounds, Erdmann is not only a pro-style quarterback, but he’s the prototypical size for the position. At times he dwarfed the competition in Division III.
This clip depicts Erdmann as an intimidating presence to his opponent. Whether moving around in the pocket, scrambling or stepping into a vertical throw, Division III defenses were often outclassed, outmatched and outsized.
Speaking of presence in the pocket, one thing that stood out on tape is the quarterback’s fluidity and balance. From snap to whistle, Erdmann was consistent in his drop and setup to the point of release. Even when the pocket was unsettling, there was proof of poise as he remained on time.
You can see that Erdmann feels at home playing the position. You get a sense of his composure when watching the tape. Ahead of the NFL draft, scouts will undoubtedly have poise and pocket presence at the top of their list when combing through quarterback prospects.
As I stated earlier, the pocket wasn’t always clean, which is good because the game is that much faster and unsettling in the pros. Nevertheless, Erdmann was equally as calm when his surroundings turned chaotic.
Luckily the St. John’s senior possesses specific attributes critical for being considered an NFL draft prospect. Coaches want quarterbacks who already provide a presence and who maintain poise in all situations. If you’re not consistently doing it at the college level, why would the NFL be any different?
Not exceptional but by no means a weakness
While Erdmann’s technique and comfort at the position aren’t perfect, they’re up there with his prototypical size as his stronger characteristics. Most of his game, however, lies right in this area.
There’s a lot to like about his accuracy, ball placement, throwing on the move, and off-platform passes. But I’m not sure there’s enough evidence to label such traits as more than upside at this point. With that said, let’s take a look at some examples where Erdmann proves he’s capable of making a lot of different throws.
With a clean pocket and enough time for his receivers to get downfield, Erdmann shows off his arm. On this play, the ball travels roughly 50 yards in the air and is virtually on the money for a long score.
More recently, arm strength is becoming less and less vital when scouting quarterbacks. Most offenses function on timing and short to intermediate completions in space. However, there are plenty of instances where having a live arm can considerably benefit a passer.
NFL scouts like arm strength or more importantly, arm talent, for its’ situational benefits. This means good old fashioned accuracy from the man under center (or shotgun).
When everything is going according to plan, quarterbacks depend on receiver timing and separation. But, as we all know, football doesn’t always go according to plan. Oftentimes Erdmann was asked to throw before his receiver was open. He displays touch and anticipation in multiple throws.
By now you’ve heard of throwing a receiver open. On many occasions, Erdmann does this exact thing while consistently putting the ball where only his receiver can make the catch. But much of these types of throws came from a clean pocket.
With that said, Erdmann provides us with occurrences of throwing on the move. While play-action rollouts are designed and practiced, they give us a glimpse into Erdmann’s arm talent outside the comfort of the pocket.
The talent is there. A new season that runs deep into the Division III playoffs will only further prepare Erdmann for the scouting process. That’s of course if his senior year plays out the way it’s expected.