After leading the Syracuse Orange to their first bowl game since 2018, QB Garrett Shrader is at the forefront as one of the team’s premier 2024 NFL Draft prospects. Does Shrader have the scouting report to become a factor in a deep, hotly-contested senior QB group? Let’s take a closer look.
Garrett Shrader Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 225 pounds
- Position: Quarterback
- School: Syracuse
- Current Year: Redshirt Senior
Shrader’s college football career spans all the way back to 2019, when he was a four-star true freshman at Mississippi State. This year, Shrader threw for 1,170 yards, eight scores, and five picks, and he ran for almost 600 yards and six additional scores. When the late Mike Leach took over in 2020, he prompted a move from QB to WR for Shrader.
The future Syracuse starter caught just one pass for eight yards, while K.J. Costello and Will Rogers split time as the Bulldogs’ quarterbacks. Then, in 2021, Shrader transferred to Syracuse to resurrect his career as a QB.
SHRADER BOMB 💣
pic.twitter.com/ZsROGQQTvU— College Football Network (@CFN365) October 29, 2022
That year, Shrader relied on his ability as a runner, amassing 781 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. In 2022, though, he displayed noticeable growth as a passer, completing 205 of 317 attempts (64.7%) for 2,640 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven picks.
Garrett Shrader Scouting Report
Strengths
- Can deliver intermediate passes with heft and has decent angle freedom on release.
- Competent running threat with solid speed and toughness to go with his size.
- Shows glimpses of impressive explosiveness when accelerating upfield into space.
- Has the play strength to shed solo sack attempts and stay on his feet.
- Idle, but sturdy pocket presence who can snake through interior lanes.
- Has shown he can keep his shoulders level and lead short targets upfield for RAC.
- Does a good job of staying in phase through reps and keeping hips loaded for torque.
- Has good areal accuracy, consistently giving his receivers a chance to make plays.
- Able to place slot fades and boundary passes to the outside shoulder and away from DBs.
- Has some progression ability and can work from the boundary to the seam.
- Flashes the ability to anticipate windows at the second level and test narrow creases.
- Knows how to use glances to manipulate and tug linebackers out of passing windows.
- Tough competitor who finishes forward as a runner and will sell out for big plays.
Weaknesses
- Arm strength is below average, as passes routinely have sub-standard velocity.
- Lacks great agility and foot speed and is more of a lumbering vertical runner.
- Doesn’t have the quickness or flexibility to support a reliable mechanical failsafe.
- Dropback footwork can be slow and uncoordinated and has scissor feet at times.
- Sometimes widens base too far at the top of his drop, locking hips and tilting shoulders.
- Will plant his back foot too early at times and can better roll his hips through passes.
- His Release is long and winding at times, which can cause variance in launch angles.
- At times, Shrader can be more proactive using micro-movements to open passing windows.
- Internal clock is slow at times, which results in him failing to sense backside pressure.
- Can be late to trigger on routes breaking open over the middle of the field.
- Can show more awareness in throwing passes away and limiting losses.
- Sometimes attempts to force tight passes that he lacks the arm to make later in reps.
- Will be a 24-year-old rookie in 2024.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Presently, Shrader grades as an undrafted free-agent QB prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. His 2022 campaign was a step in the right direction, but he still has more work to do if he wants to lock in priority free-agent interest or late-round appeal.
At 6’4″, 225 pounds, Shrader has solid size-adjusted athleticism and good toughness as a runner. He also has above-average arm elasticity and angle freedom — something he can use to adjust throwing angles in the pocket.
Still, Shrader’s athleticism isn’t quite potent enough to remain a resounding strength in the NFL, and his arm strength is visibly below average as well.
Shrader’s middling physical profile anchors his stock in the 2024 NFL Draft fringe, at best. Nonetheless, he does have redeeming qualities.
His competitive toughness is superb. He has good general accuracy and has shown he can situationally place passes with precision to aid his receivers. He’s also shown legitimate flashes of anticipation and eye manipulation.
MORE: 2024 NFL Draft Top Quarterback Prospects
If Shrader can keep improving his lower-body mechanics, pocket discipline, mobility, and decision-making in pressure situations, he does have enough in his toolbox to field PFA appeal as a QB3 in an NFL rotation.
The path to Shrader’s ceiling is still a relatively long one, but his toughness will endear him to teams and could ensure that he gets a chance.
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