A stud at the Senior Bowl, Louisville Cardinals quarterback Tyler Shough has many of the tools required of a franchise QB. But are his age and injury history something to be concerned about?
Tyler Shough’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’5”
- Weight: 225 pounds
- School: Louisville
- Current Year: Redshirt Senior (7 Years)
Shough’s Scouting Report
Shough attended Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona, where he threw for over 3,000 yards and 30 TDs, earning a place on the 6A Premier League First-Team list. He was deemed a four-star recruit, ranking as the No. 1 prospect in Arizona and ranked 96th nationally. Shough committed to Oregon and arrived as an early enrollee.
He backed up now-Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in his first two seasons in Eugene, appearing in eight games and utilizing his redshirt status. Herbert declared for the NFL Draft after the 2019 season, which paved the way for Shough to enter 2020 as the starting quarterback.
There was a lot of hype surrounding the Shough-led Ducks, with many expecting him to pick up exactly where Heisman Trophy candidate Herbert left off. Oregon finished the shortened regular season 3-2, beat USC in the Pac-12 Championship, and earned a spot in the esteemed Fiesta Bowl, which they later lost to Iowa State.
In the conference title game and the Fiesta Bowl, Shough split reps with Boston College transfer quarterback Anthony Brown. Despite Shough still taking the majority of the snaps, the move made it clear that head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead were preparing to move in a different direction in 2021.
Shough transferred to Texas Tech, where he was named the starter following an impressive camp. His season ended after four games, unfortunately, with a broken collarbone, making him eligible for an injury hardship waiver, which granted him an additional year of eligibility.
In the 2022 season opener, Shough suffered an injury on a 17-yard designed run. He attempted to tough it out but was replaced at the end of the first quarter. He later returned to the sideline wearing a sling, protecting the same shoulder that had sidelined him in 2021. The injury was later diagnosed as a collarbone issue, forcing him to miss the next six games.
Shough returned to action later in the season, appearing in two games before starting the final five — winning each of them. His final season at Texas Tech was cut short in a Week 4 loss to West Virginia when he suffered a broken fibula in the first quarter. He was carted off the field in an air cast, marking the end of his time as a Red Raider.
With hopes of playing a full season and improving his draft stock, Shough transferred to Louisville for his seventh year of college football. He started all 12 games, leading the Cardinals to an 8-4 record before opting out of the Sun Bowl against Washington (understandably so). Shough finished the season with over 3,100 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.
Strengths
- Strong arm; the ball pops from his hand, and he throws the deep ball with ease.
- Tight spiral.
- He can layer throws. Can put it on a line, drop it in a bucket, and has the touch to drop the ball anywhere.
- His feet are light and active, and his base is married to his upper body, allowing him to quickly pull the trigger and deliver an accurate ball in an instant.
- Accurate and comfortable from multiple arm angles; Throws like a true gunslinger.
- His release is smooth. The ball shoots from his hand. You can feel the juice.
- His accuracy is good, but the touch he throws with is even more impressive.
- Quick feet and quick hips. He plays fluid and can reset his base quickly to get an accurate ball out.
- Very comfortable throwing on the run. He isn’t limited to rolling to his natural side. He’s comfortable and accurate rolling right or left. No issue with accuracy when throwing across his body.
- Not a run-first guy, but can be and will be dangerous with his feet.
- Has no problem sticking in the face of pressure to deliver a strike with precision.
- Doesn’t play scared despite injury history.
- Mechanically sound, but his arm is strong enough to overcompensate for poor mechanics if he needs to.
- Has experience making checks and calls at the line of scrimmage. Was in full control of Louisville’s offense.
- Takes a pre-snap read and operates comfortably, efficiently, and effectively in rhythm.
- Resilient: Responds well to adversity and stands tall when the team needs a big drive on the heels of a mistake or a scoring drive from the opponent.
- Effectively processes reads and progressions. You can watch him influence defenders and see his eyes work through concepts.
- Mature; Hasn’t played in 40+ games, but he’s seen a lot of college football and learned multiple offensive systems, scheme languages, etc.
Weaknesses
- Currently 25 years old, will be 26 at the start of the 2025 NFL season.
- Extensive and repetitive injury history; Combine medicals could propel or tank his stock.
- Can get antsy in the pocket if his first reads aren’t open, even if there isn’t an immediate threat.
- Sometimes attempts to play hero ball when in trouble, putting the ball in harm’s way.
- He’s most often inaccurate when hips and shoulders are square to the line of scrimmage. Attempts to push a ball into a window often rush the ball out.
- When he misses, he often misses high. This is most often a mechanical issue with either the release point or driving through the front leg. I noticed it most when Shough throws under pressure, and he either gets rid of the ball quickly or is unable to finish driving through the leg.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Shough is arguably the most intriguing prospect in this draft class. If he were 22 years old with a clean bill of health, he would likely be in the conversation alongside Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders at the top of the draft — potentially even making a case as QB1.
However, due to his age and extensive injury history, he currently projects as a Day 2 prospect who could slide into the fourth or fifth round.
Shough is the type of prospect who will generate widely varying evaluations across NFL teams. Some will rank him highly, others will have him lower on their board, and some may remove him from consideration entirely due to concerns over his medical history. This unpredictability is precisely what makes him the most intriguing prospect in the draft class.
Teams will likely struggle to justify investing significant draft capital in Shough at 25 years old, as they won’t have the same runway to develop him or build around him compared to younger quarterbacks in this class.
Players like Jaxson Dart (21), Quinn Ewers (21), Ward (22), Jalen Milroe (22), Will Howard (23), and Sanders (23) are all at least two years younger, making them more attractive long-term investments.
For further perspective, Jalen Hurts (currently 26 years old) has already played five NFL seasons, made two Super Bowl appearances, and won Super Bowl 59. If Shough had followed a traditional trajectory, he’d already be on his second NFL contract. Instead, he waits to find his first opportunity at the next level.
By the time Shough’s rookie contract expires, he’ll be 29 or 30 years old, a factor that will weigh heavily on how teams assess his draft value. However, Shough may not need a lot of time to develop. He feels like a prospect who could step in and immediately conduct an offense. Simply put, he’s an NFL quarterback.
Shough has a prototype build at 6’5”, 225 pounds, a live arm that can make any throw on the field with precision, can operate efficiently in rhythm or extend plays with his legs and make pinpoint throws on the run, and has experience having complete command of an offense, handling pre-snap adjustments, and working through progressions — all of which will aid him at the next level.
Shough is a mature prospect who has spent seven seasons in high-level college football, playing for three major programs. Over his career, he’s started 33 games and appeared in 42. Most notably, he started all 12 meaningful games for Louisville in 2024 and remained healthy throughout the season, opting out of the Sun Bowl against Washington. He should be fully healthy heading into the pre-draft process.
Having faced adversity multiple times, Shough has consistently come out stronger. Adjusting to a new organization and offensive system won’t be anything new for him — it’s just part of his journey.
Shough could be a high second-round pick, and one could argue he deserves to be in the same conversation as Ward and Sanders. However, his talent cannot be evaluated in isolation.
External factors, such as his age and injury history, play a significant role in his draft stock. These factors could impact his financial value and career longevity, both of which are crucial considerations when selecting the leader of your organization.
As a result, Shough’s draft stock will likely fluctuate significantly depending on the team and their comfort level with his age and injury history. Only time will tell.
