2017 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee

The New York Giants have admitted that it is time to start thinking about life after Eli Manning. At 36 years old and with just three more seasons on his current contract, the Giants’ franchise quarterback might be starting to brush up against his football-mortality.

The Giants need to begin the search, in earnest, for their next franchise quarterback. However, with Manning still the present and the Giants knocking on the door of being serious championship contenders right now, they might not be able to afford to draft a quarterback highly this year.

That doesn’t mean they can’t find one later on. The 2017 NFL Draft has several quarterbacks who might not be high-round draft picks, but still have traits that could merit consideration on the third day. One of the biggest names among those is Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs.

Dobbs brings an element of athleticism that Eli could only dream of, but does he have the traits necessary to grow into a franchise quarterback?

Measurables

Pros

• Good athlete. Can run with the ball or escape from defenders and buy time in the pocket.
• Flashes a strong arm and generally throws a catchable ball.
• Flashes the ability to scan the field and read defenses.
• Fearless as a runner. Doesn’t look to get out of bounds, but rather to pick up more yards.
• A very smart player, and young man, Dobbs is majoring in aerospace engineering.

Cons

• Lanky build might not stand up to NFL punishment.
• Played in a spread offense. Faces a learning curve as he transitions to the NFL.
• Didn’t make many “NFL” throws. Many of his completions were bubble screens or screens
• Inconsistent footwork. He will occasionally throw with minimal or no lower-body involvement, which leads to inconsistency as a passer.
• Small-ish hands might concern teams (with regards to ball security and as a passer in poor conditions).

Does He Fit With The Giants?

That might be impossible to know without talking to the young man in person.

In a vacuum, as a developmental quarterback, Dobbs has intriguing traits that might be worth investing in. However, playing in a spread offense makes determining whether or not he has “NFL QB” DNA a chancy proposition. While elements of the college game are bleeding into the NFL game, for most quarterbacks, they are still almost two different sports.

If he is as smart as he is reputed to be, then he has a chance of developing his tools and growing into a good starting quarterback

Prospect Video

Big Board Rankings

Big Blue View - Not in Top 100

CBS Sports - 214th overall

Draft Countdown - 219th overall

Draft Tek - 164th overall

Final Thoughts

The New York Giants very well could select a quarterback at some point in the draft this year with the intention of grooming him as Manning’s back-up and eventual successor.

Could Dobbs be that quarterback? It’s possible. The Giants have shown an interest in athletic quarterbacks since Ben McAdoo has taken over as head coach, and Dobbs is certainly an athlete -- and not just in comparison to Eli Manning. He has his flaws as a passer, and playing in a spread offense will likely slow his acclamation to the NFL. But, in the Giants’ case, Dobbs would have the time to grow into a pro quarterback.