Our rookie scouting reports combine film and analytics to provide the best possible predictions for player performance. With the 2023 NFL Draft around the corner, let’s take a look at the scouting report for Shepherd QB Tyson Bagent.
Tyson Bagent NFL Draft Profile
- Position: Quarterback
- School: Shepherd
- Year: Fifth-Year Senior
Bagent was a zero-star recruit out of Martinsburg High School in Martinsburg, West Virginia. He received a couple of Division I FCS school offers but elected to play college football at Shepherd instead.
Whereas Bagent would’ve been a backup, at best, at a Division I school, he was able to start immediately at Shepherd.
As a freshman, he started 10 games, throwing for 3,029 yards and 29 touchdowns against 13 interceptions.
His sophomore season was even better. Bagent played in just two more games but threw for 4,349 yards and 36 touchdowns. His interception total didn’t change.
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After his junior campaign was canceled due to COVID, Bagent picked up right where he left off the following year. In 15 games in 2021, Bagent threw for 5,000 yards and 53 touchdowns. Once again, his interception total remained the same.
Bagent’s 2021 performance earned him the Harlon Hill Award, which is essentially the Division II version of the Heisman.
Rather than take his chances in the 2022 NFL Draft, Bagent opted to utilize his extra year of eligibility due to COVID and returned to Shepherd for one more season.
Bagent played another 15-game season, throwing for 4,580 yards, 41 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
Overall, Bagent finished his college career with a very nice 69% completion percentage, 17,034 passing yards, 159 touchdowns, and 48 interceptions. He averaged over 300 yards per game in each of his four years starting.
Tony Pauline’s Scouting Report for Tyson Bagent
Strengths: Super-productive, small-school passer with a next-level arm. Patient in the pocket, throws with an over-the-top delivery, and puts speed on passes. Goes through progressions and buys as much time as necessary. Spreads the ball around and uses all his targets. Stands in the pocket and takes a big hit in order to get the ball away and is elusive enough to escape the rush.
Senses the rush and steps up to avoid defenders. Knows where his receivers are on the field. Puts touch on the ball when necessary, sets up screen passes, and makes several difficult throws due to his arm strength. Puts speed on all his throws, drives the deep ball, and displays a sense of timing on passes.
Weaknesses: Must improve his accuracy and pass placement. Can be all over the place with throws. Has receivers adjusting backward to make the reception. Inability to precisely place throws or accurately deliver passes results in missed opportunities.
Overall: Bagent was an incredibly productive quarterback on the small-school level who threw for more than 17,000 yards and added 159 TD passes over the past five years. He has the arm strength and size to play at the next level, yet Bagent must significantly improve his accuracy and pass placement to ever make an impact on an NFL team.
Tyson Bagent Combine Measurements and Results
- Height: 6’2 3/4″
- Weight: 213 pounds
- Arm Length: 29 3/4″
- Hand Size: 9 1/2″
- Bench Press: N/A
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.79
Shepherd QB Tyson Bagent Current Draft Projection
On Tony Pauline’s Big Board, Bagent ranks 267th overall and is projected to be drafted in the seventh round. With a 3.28 grade, he is Pauline’s QB11 in this class.
Bagent is the only non-Division I FBS quarterback projected to be drafted at all. The fact that he’s even in the conversation speaks to his sheer and utter dominance at Shepherd.
For any non-Division I quarterback to have any chance, he needs to pretty much break records. That’s exactly what Bagent did at Shepherd.
College production is the most predictive indicator of NFL success. While Bagent was massively productive at Shepherd, it was, well, at Shepherd. The competition is vastly inferior to that of Division 1 programs, and more specifically, Power Five conference schools.
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Bagent is obviously an extreme longshot to even earn a backup role in the NFL. However, the NFL has a serious QB problem with no solution in sight. There simply aren’t enough starting quarterbacks right now. That could compel NFL teams without a clear answer at the position to think more outside the box and take a shot on a guy like Bagent.
Regardless, it’s always a challenge for Day 3 picks. Bagent may be Pauline’s 11th-ranked quarterback, but that doesn’t mean NFL teams won’t opt for lower-ranked players from a more prominent school over the Division II project.
Bagent is the last signal-caller Pauline projects to be drafted. That puts him at serious risk of not being drafted at all. We’ve seen no more than 10 quarterbacks drafted each of the past two years. But in previous years, there have been as many as 13-15 selected.
Ultimately, Bagent will likely wind up as someone’s QB4 heading into training camp. He will need to perform well at practice to even get into preseason games and have the opportunity to prove he belongs.