Athleticism in a quarterback has no effect on the quarterback's success in the NFL. It is much more important to look at how they work from the pocket, go through their progressions, read coverages, etc.

I don't even take athleticism into account when looking at a QB, because it is a meaningless attribute.

 

It's a good question but not one that comes with an easy answer. As far as the speed of footwork and execution in the backfield goes, nobody I saw this year had quicker feet on that front than T.J. Yates and Pat Devlin. Maybe Christian Ponder belongs in there.

The most sluggish feet off the snap surprisingly belong to Cam Newton. Followed by Blaine Gabbert, and then Brandon Weeden, and then Ryan Mallett.

But quick and lively setup isn't necessarily what you're asking for. You're asking for the feet to execute a variety of offensive concepts. To me, that means west coast, bootlegs, waggles, and zone hand-offs with stretched exchange points. The feet of guys like Yates and Devlin start out fast, but get less impressive every second that the play progresses. Meanwhile, the feet of guys like Newton and Gabbert start off slower and get more impressive every second the play progresses. This is because the best athletes are without a doubt Newton, Gabbert and Ponder. So, if you're looking for guys to execute those bootlegs, or to be able to sprint out to those stretched exchange points, those are your guys.

Gabbert really improved the speed of his setup in the month running up to the Bowl game. That's the thing about these guys like Newton and Gabbert that kind of start off a little slower and get quicker...the potential to get better. Teach them to be more committed to their footwork and suddenly their feet are lively from beginning to end of the play, and they're better players for it. But Yates and Devlin are never going to be better athletes.

Weeden is just very middle of the road on both fronts, speed of his setup and the athleticism. He's got valid quarterback athleticism, unlike Henne. He was a professional athlete. As a pitcher, you've got to run, you've got to play defense, and in the minors I've no doubt he had to bat and run the bases. It shows when you get him outside the pocket, he can launch the ball on the run pretty well and has surprising athleticism even though he doesn't use it much. The speed of his setup is not bad like Newton's or like Gabbert's was before the bowl game...but there's room for improvement. There's no reason he couldn't get up to the level of Devlin and Yates on that.

Mallett has sluggish feet start to finish. His upside on this front is the most limited of all the names we're discussing.

 

Got a text today , Auburn has prepared to counter big blitz pressure tonight. Not a revelation perhaps , but they feel Oregon will try this to counter Newton , and Auburn feels Newton will make them pay tonight.

FWIW , looking forward to a highly entertaining game tonight.

 

Easy answer Jake Locker