Game breakdowns of QB Joshua Dobbs shows inconsistencies, but tremendous upside

When the Pittsburgh Steelers made their first pick on Day 3 of the 2017 NFL Draft, it was announced they were selecting quarterback Joshua Dobbs from the University of Tennessee.

There was immediate reaction from the fan base, as there is with all draft selections, but many were upset not only with the pick, but taking a quarterback so late. Fans were asking, “Why even take a quarterback if you are going to wait until the 4th round?”

Well, the team wasn’t necessarily looking for the future heir to the Ben Roethlisberger throne, but a young athletic quarterback who could be a reserve and step in if called upon and play a winning brand of football. In other words, someone to compete with Landry Jones as the primary backup quarterback.

Although Dobbs will have to learn the system, and the nuances of playing quarterback at the pro level, he certainly has the intelligence to do just that. The knock on Dobbs isn’t his mental capacity, or even his athletic skill set, but mainly his poor mechanics which lead to inaccuracies in the passing game.

When you look at the game breakdowns of Dobbs, the inconsistencies are evident on more than one occasion, but so is a ridiculous upside. Just look at games like the one he had against Nebraska this past season when he had nearly 400 combined yards from scrimmage, or when he threw for 398 yards against Texas A&M.

Dobbs brings a new dynamic to the football team, with his ability to extend the play and run the football. If he can work hard on his mechanics, the Steelers could actually have something with this young quarterback, but that is one mighty big ‘if’.

Take a look at the film below and judge for yourself:

vs. Nebraska

vs. Texas A&M

vs. South Carolina

vs. Vanderbilt