Trevor Knight isn't next Tom Brady, but he could be next Julian Edelman
Former Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight did some good things and some bad things this past week at the Scouting Combine.
Of the 15 QBs in Indianapolis for the event, Knight recorded the best 40-yard dash (4.54 seconds), vertical jump (35.5 inches), broad jump (10’5″) and 60-yard shuttle run (11.28 seconds). He proved to be quite the athlete.
Unfortunately, he struggled when it was time to do the most important thing a signal caller does at the next level: throw the football. His arm strength was questionable. His accuracy was spotty. His footwork was less than polished. Simply speaking — like a lot of the passers on hand — he didn’t look like a pro.
When it was his time at answer questions from reporters at the podium, he was asked about possibly playing safety.
“I’m always open to things, but I’m not even thinking about that right now,” Knight said. “I believe I’m a quarterback, and I believe I’m a quarterback who can play in this league. That thought really hasn’t even crossed my mind.”
Knight should indeed be open to switching it up at the next level, although safety doesn’t make a lot of sense. He’s too dangerous with the ball in his hands, so moving to receiver is something he needs to consider.
From a physical perspective, Knight is a sturdy 6-foot-1 and 219 pounds. He didn’t compete in the bench press at the combine — almost none of the quarterbacks ever do — but he’s a workout hound and much more muscular than the typical QB. There’s reason to believe he can take the punishment expected working out of the slot.
Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
His chances of being the next Tom Brady are a million to one at best. However, the next Julian Edelman? A one-time college field general? Better odds.
While Edelman (5-10, 195) wasn’t invited to the combine, the measurables from his Pro Day at Kent State in 2009 were similar to Knight’s. His 40 (4.52) was almost identical. So were his vertical jump (36.5) and broad jump (10’3″).
Now an eight-year NFL veteran, Edelman is one of Brady’s most reliable targets with the New England Patriots. Last season, he caught 98 balls for a career-high 1,106 yards and 3 TDs — not to mention 5 receptions for 87 yards in winning Super Bowl LI. He’s thought of as one of the league’s peskiest slot specialists.
Experts don’t see Knight as a passer in the pros. Check out his combine profile from NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein:
STRENGTHS: Looks the part with a muscular, athletic build. Has the ability to hurt teams with his legs or extend plays outside of the pocket before striking downfield. May possess packaged play potential with zone-read capabilities on short yardage. Able to generate velocity on intermediate throws. Kept a clean sheet on his short passing attempts with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions.
WEAKNESSES: One of the least accurate starting quarterbacks in college last season. Operates in the pocket with an excessively wide base as a passer. Has an elongated pitcher’s windup and his arm slot drops down slightly below a three-quarter release. Location of his throws is a coin-flipper from snap to snap. Struggles mightily to attack outside the hashes. Lacks anticipation as a passer and allows defensive backs to close out throwing windows.
BOTTOM LINE: Knight is a tough guy and a very capable runner, but he’s never thrown with any functional accuracy and he doesn’t have the anticipation and delivery quickness necessary. Knight is a longshot to make an NFL roster.
This past season, Knight earned universal praise from his new teammates and coaches alike when he joined the Aggies as a graduate transfer from Oklahoma. He brought some much-needed leadership at the game’s most important position.
A&M ran out to a 6-0 start and was then awarded the No. 4 spot in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, with Knight’s dual-threat abilities a big reason why. But as the Ags tend to do for coach Kevin Sumlin, they struggled down the stretch — Knight’s shoulder injury didn’t help — and lost five of their last seven.
Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Even when leading an offense that averaged 40.2 points per game during that undefeated run, Knight’s arm was up and down at best.
He had a lot of success exploiting one-on-one matchups outside the numbers, as one of America’s premier pass-catching groups made a lot of plays for him on 50-50 balls. However, routine throws over the middle were often ill-timed and off the mark.
As a runner, he was quite effective on read-option plays — the occasional old-fashioned scramble, too — with his blend of speed, vision and quickness. Provided he can demonstrate the ability to catch the ball, there’s reason to believe his legs can learn how to run routes like a receiver and get open consistently.
Just getting to Indy was a dream come true for Knight. Making the combine doesn’t mean you made the league, though.
“I dreamed about it, so when you write your dreams down, you always think that one day it’s going to happen,” Knight said. “This is great for me. It’s surreal. It seems like just yesterday I was lacing it up for the Rattlers down at Ronald Reagan High. But, man, what a career my college career was. A lot of ups, a lot of downs, a lot of great moments, some bad moments as well. But it led me to this moment right here, so I’m taking it in and enjoying it and having fun with it and trying to make the most of it.”
However, “this moment right here” will be brief if he displays any Tim Tebow-like pride. It’s time to wake up from that dream and get real.
It’s silly to suggest he can be Brady one day. Edelman, though, is a reasonable comparison. All Knight has to do now is accept the fact that any future he might have in the NFL involves catching passes, not throwing them.
John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South, a member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy. Send him an e-mail, like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.
