BYU QB Jaren Hall didn’t go nearly as high in the 2023 NFL Draft as his predecessor Zach Wilson went several cycles ago. But Hall does have an opportunity to be a part of the Minnesota Vikings’ future after being selected by the NFC North franchise in Round 5. What does Hall bring to his new team?
Jaren Hall NFL Draft Profile
- Position: Quarterback
- School: BYU
- Current Year: Redshirt Senior
- Height/Weight: 6’0″, 207 pounds
- Length: 29 3/4″
- Hand: 9 1/2″
Interestingly, Hall is one and a half years older than Wilson, who is a third-year NFL pro this season.
Hall was born in March of 1998 and is a 25 year old rookie from the 2023 NFL Draft class. Age does work against the Cougars product, as did his size for more cerebral QB evaluators. But one thing working in Hall’s favor was the relative lack of depth in the 2023 NFL Draft QB class.
C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis all went in the early rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, and Hendon Hooker was taken in Round 3. But after that group was gone, the scarcity of the 2023 QB class began to show. Hall was part of the next tier off the board, going in Round 5 to the Vikings.
Hall may be older, but he’s experienced, talented, and productive. Those qualities may bode well for him, especially after a career-best 2022 campaign that saw him complete 66% of his passes for 3,171 yards, 31 touchdowns, and six interceptions while adding 346 yards and three scores on the ground.
Hall didn’t end up being the early-round pick that he was at times projected to be, but he still has a profile strong enough to fuel potential spot-starter appeal. And with Kirk Cousins’ long-term future under question, Hall adds another dynamic to the situation.
Jaren Hall Scouting Report
Though he was selected on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft, Hall might have the upside necessary to eventually earn starting reps at the QB position. Here’s a look at Hall’s traits as a prospect and whether he can ascend up the depth chart ladder.
Positives
The raw talent is, at the very least, intriguing with Hall. The BYU QB generates velocity with little strain, and his passes travel quickly in the short and intermediate ranges.
He’s a very natural thrower who knows how to channel through his body to get maximum velocity. Hall has the arm strength to push the ball outside the numbers in the intermediate range, and his release is effortless on short throws.
Hall has not only the requisite arm strength but also the requisite arm elasticity. The BYU QB is comfortable throwing from different arm angles and can generate velocity with ease off-platform. He has a visibly elastic arm, a crisp release, and an effective sidearm release. He’s shown he can actively manipulate arm angles to elongate throwing windows.
Expanding on his talent, Hall is a high-energy athlete who can quickly generate momentum out of his stance and jolt away from tackle attempts. He has great mobility in space, with the speed to outrun defenders and extend plays to the sideline.
He can also use his speed to stretch space in the open field. Moreover, Hall brings good lateral agility, which he can use in corrective bursts to escape free rushers and find space.
As a processor, Hall has shown he can anticipate windows downfield based on coverage and route alignment. The BYU QB flashes the ability to work high to low after play fakes and land on his checkdowns. He’s also shown he can anticipate route breaks in the short range and deliver timely passes.
Perhaps most notably, Hall has displayed the use of eye manipulation to draw single-high safeties off-course and free up deep routes. While greater consistency is still desired, Hall has a decent floor as a processor.
Mechanically, Hall’s flexible hips allow him to generate good torque even when rolling to the left. He actively loads his hips, consistently gets proper rotation, and keeps his left arm tight to his body to help maximize that rotation.
Hall has shown he can manipulate his shoulder alignment to put heightened degrees of loft on his throws, and he can also keep his shoulders level on the move.
Even with hyperactive feet, Hall can keep his base uniform and stay in phase when adjusting his alignment. When in phase, he can keep his shoulders level to reduce the spread of his throws.
Moreover, the BYU QB can quickly snap into place with level shoulders and a steady base on timing throws. When his mechanics are sound, he can place the ball in stride for yards after the catch in the short range.
Particularly in 2022, Hall’s situational ball placement and precision noticeably improved and stood out as a strength on his tape. Especially in back-shoulder situations toward the sideline, Hall proved he could fire the ball into tight windows with a mix of velocity and touch and throw the receiver open while minimizing contact risk from coverage defenders.
In the pocket, Hall has shown he can rotate away from pressure and manage spacing to keep himself clean. He’s able to step up into the pocket and stand tall in congested areas, keeping his eyes downfield. He has the patience to let blocks reform after play fakes and weave through traffic.
As a decision-maker, Hall shows a degree of discretion at times when working high to low. He can pass up dangerous throws for safer checkdowns, and he’s also proven to have the wherewithal to throw the ball away when he’s forced toward the sideline with no options.
When Hall can stay in the pocket, however, he’s able to see through passes while encountering contact, and his poise is consistently impressive.
Areas for Improvement
At 6’0″, 207 pounds, while Hall has decent frame density, he’s below-average size overall for a QB. Beyond his size, Hall doesn’t have elite arm strength. Some deep passes are underthrown even with good mechanics and force receivers to decelerate. Hall also lacks elite instincts as a creator, as he sometimes freezes when faced with quick pressure.
While Hall has decent processing ability, his field vision is questionable at times. He can stare down routes and experience indecision, allowing defenders to close in.
He can better keep his eyes forward on his dropback and has room to anticipate with greater consistency. Moreover, Hall sometimes clutches on breaks, which can delay his trigger. His hesitation occasionally uses up time, closes windows, and exhausts opportunities.
Hall’s internal clock runs a bit too slow at times. He overlooks receivers over the middle of the field and can linger in the pocket too long. He can be slow to sense pressure and sometimes leaves himself vulnerable to dangerous blindside hits. At times, he can be a bit too skittish with his footwork as well, and pressure can elicit off-balance throws in those instances.
Mechanically, while Hall is a natural thrower, he has room for added refinement, even after 2022. The BYU QB can still better drive his hips through passes. His footwork can also be too hyperactive and uncontrolled at times. His unsteady base can tug his front shoulder up on passes, pushing throws high. His release point also varies at times, which can impact the precision of his passes.
Expanding on his mechanics, Hall has occasional scissor feet on the dropback, and he can be lackadaisical with his mechanics on quick passes. He doesn’t always get his front foot all the way around when correcting toward throws over the middle of the field. Predictably, Hall’s mechanical issues can precipitate into issues with accuracy as well, though he did improve in 2022.
Hall sometimes inexplicably misses his target by pushing the ball too far past them. He can still manage his velocity and touch more efficiently.
While he improved his back-shoulder precision in 2022, he can still be an area thrower at times. His consistency with accuracy wanes in the intermediate and deep ranges. He’s shown he can be on-target, but he can be hot and cold.
Among other things, Hall can struggle with accuracy on the run. The BYU QB sometimes misses high or behind his receiver when he isn’t able to fully torque his hips. He’ll also lock in on one-on-one opportunities, trying to force passes against tight coverage.
Jaren Hall’s 2023 NFL Outlook
Hall graded out as a mid-Day 3 prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft on my board. He was one of several signal-callers vying for Day 3 capital, and he ultimately commanded a selection in Round 5 from the Vikings.
Hall is a team leader who has a baseline level of natural talent, and that’s what helped secure his status as a draftable player. He’s athletic, mobile, and proficient as a creator.
His arm is strong enough and elastic enough to test coverages and throw receivers open. He’s also relatively poised in the pocket, is willing to stand in and deliver amidst pressure, and brings exceptional situational precision.
Even as a 25-year-old rookie with two years as a starter under his belt, however, Hall isn’t an elite processor, and with his age and non-elite tools, the margin for error is a bit smaller for him overall. He can still further refine his mechanics, and his internal clock in the pocket remains inconsistent at times.
To Hall’s credit, he improved in 2022, but he still needs more work than you’d prefer for a 25-year-old rookie, and his development may be nearing stagnation. Nevertheless, in his current form, he’s still a solid Day 3 pick who holds value as a quality backup or spot-starter, and he can have a long career in the league as a safety blanket.
Hall’s initial 2023 outlook seemed a bit bleak when the season began. Finding playing time behind Kirk Cousins would be challenging enough, let alone Hall beating out veteran Nick Mullens as well. Cousins suffered a torn Achilles in Week 8, opening the door for Hall.
The Vikings want to see more from Hall as they evaluate how to proceed next offseason. Hall has been named the starting QB for the Vikings’ immediate future. While it remains to be seen as to whether he’s up to the challenge or not, this is a reflection of a good process from the franchise.
Cousins is slated to be a free agent in 2024 and no extension is in place. His injury further complicates his outlook, but Minnesota seemed to have already moved onto its future plans for the positions regardless of the injury.
The best case for Hall is that his strong traits allow him to win the starting job for 2024. Minnesota would surely love to see this considering his low cost and the fact he’s in house already.
However, it’d still be a win for the Vikings and Hall if he proves to be a worthy backup. The NFL is in dire need of backup QBs, and Hall brings a skill set that could allow him to win games as a backup.