South Alabama QB Carter Bradley rode a late-career rise to the Senior Bowl, and he could carry that momentum all the way to the 2024 NFL Draft. Does Bradley have what it takes to be selected in late April?
Carter Bradley Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 216 pounds
- Position: Quarterback
- School: South Alabama
- Current year: Redshirt senior
Football has always been important for Carter Bradley. His father, Gus, was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013 to 2016 and is now the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts. Gus’ career always kept football close in proximity, but now, Carter is carving his own path.
In 2017, Bradley was a high school senior and a three-star recruit with scholarship offers from schools like Ole Miss, West Virginia, Syracuse, and Wisconsin. However, the Jacksonville product chose Toledo for the chance to potentially play early in his career.
Bradley ultimately redshirted in 2018 and played sparingly in 2019 with erratic results. But in his first start of the 2020 campaign — an early December victory against Northern Illinois — Bradley threw for a MAC season-high 432 yards.
Bradley carried the starting role into the 2021 season, but DeQuan Finn soon usurped him. The emergence of Finn led Bradley to transfer to South Alabama in 2022. It would end up being the best decision he could have made.
Bring your umbrella, Carter Bradley is making it rain out there…
— College Football Network (@CFN365) October 29, 2022
In 2022, Bradley led the Jaguars to a 10-3 record while completing 275 of 425 attempts for 3,335 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. In 2023, he was even more efficient — throwing for 2,660 yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven picks at 67.8% completion and 8.2 yards per attempt.
When he’s able to let loose and command an offense, Bradley has some gunslinger to his game — but can he command a 2024 NFL Draft selection with his tools?
Carter Bradley Scouting Report
Strengths
- Sports a prototypical frame with good height and mass.
- Has great arm strength and solid elasticity, layering throws outside the numbers.
- Has the velocity generation to remain on-schedule in the short and intermediate ranges.
- Able to push deep passes past coverage DBs underneath with high-end drive velocity.
- Elasticity allows him to methodically adjust his release point and lead short-range WRs.
- Can rifle throws up seams with blistering pace and drive throws to high-point windows.
- Can effectively load his base off his back foot and channel torque on his release.
- Has exceptional phase mechanics, maintaining a steady base and synergetic technique.
- Can slide away from slanted pressure looks and climb the pocket along angled paths.
- Has the poise to stand tall in the pocket on money downs and capitalize on chances.
- Disciplined dropback QB who has the toughness to trigger with pass rushers closing in.
- Measured decision maker with great outlet awareness and risk propensity.
- Able to anticipate receivers breaking open on crossers over the middle of the field.
- Can work high-to-low on progressions, land on his checkdown, and lead for RAC yards.
- Has the awareness to use pump fakes to bait defenders and open short windows.
Weaknesses
- Flashes decent short-area burst, but is a below average creator overall.
- Doesn’t bring much value as a rushing threat, and lacks speed and agility in space.
- Sometimes dips his front shoulder too far down on release, causing passes to sink.
- Occasionally front-foot dominant at the top of his drop, which can misalign his release.
- At times widens base too far when driving throws, which can tug shoulders off-balance.
- Situational precision can be erratic on drive throws, forcing 50-50 situations on WRs.
- At times rushes checkdowns, and can be more patient going through progressions.
- Can be a bit quicker to anticipate breaks on out routes and reduce DB reaction time.
- Congestion over the middle of the field can cause him to hesitate ahead of releases.
- Inconsistent middle-of-field anticipation and bouts of hesitation can compound pressure.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Bradley grades out as a late-round QB prospect with priority free agent appeal if he goes undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. The South Alabama quarterback might be one of the best options for teams needing a quality backup candidate in the mid-to-late Day 3 range.
Bradley’s career progression from a backup at Toledo to an impact starter at South Alabama was extremely impressive. Along the way, he honed his skills to become a legitimate 2024 NFL Draft QB prospect.
Though Bradley doesn’t bring much in the way of functional athleticism and creation value, he’s a quality pocket operator with great navigation skills, poise, and discretion as a decision-maker, and he has enough arm elasticity to adjust his release point and attune to throwing windows.
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Compounding Bradley’s appeal as a pocket operator is his arm strength. The South Alabama QB has a great arm and can drive velocity to all levels of the field. He stays on schedule in the short and intermediate ranges, and can heft throws past deep coverage when shot opportunities arise.
Bradley’s lack of creation ability may max out his ceiling as a quality backup or spot starter. But in that role, he has the arm, poise, mechanical savvy, overarching accuracy, baseline processing, and discretion to be a stable presence as a safety blanket.
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