N.C. State quarterback Mike Glennon set to climb draft boards

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1. Arm talent. Glennon is one of the most impressive throwers in college football. He has rare arm strength, and his ability to make all of the throws to every area of the field with zip and velocity makes him an ideal fit for most traditional pro-style systems. While watching him work against the Tar Heels, I was blown away by the pace of his balls. Glennon unleashes laser-like tosses on out-breaking routes; he will not have any issues throwing the deep comeback to the far side of the field from the pocket. When given the opportunity to attack down the field on vertical routes, Glennon displayed excellent accuracy and touch. He routinely dropped the ball in over the receiver's proper shoulder, and he rarely forced his receivers to alter their stride. This will certainly catch the attention of scouts and coaches who favor offensive systems built on the vertical passing game; it could be what separates Glennon from the other prospects leading up the draft.


2. Pocket presence. Glennon is not an athletic playmaker, and he can't defeat defenses with his feet. He can, however, punish opponents with his precise passing skills. When given ample time to throw from a clean pocket, Glennon looked like a potential Pro Bowl-caliber player, delivering pinpoint throws to his intended targets and displaying the kind of consistent placement one would expect from an elite signal-caller. His accuracy and ball placement, in fact, ranked as definite bright spots in his overall performance. Though he showed outstanding poise against pressure, he simply lacked the elusiveness to avoid multiple rushers in the pocket, taking five sacks that a better athlete might have avoided. To succeed against blitz-heavy tactics as a pro, he'll need to develop a top-notch feel for deciphering coverage, particularly blitz pressure, and utilize hot reads/sight adjustments to exploit the defense's vulnerabilities. Glennon certainly appears to have the football IQ necessary for grasping and executing that concept after spending four years playing within a pro-style system at N.C. State, but he'll need additional coaching and repetitions to master the nuances of the tactic.

3. Leadership. One of the traits most coveted by scouts and coaches searching for a franchise quarterback is leadership ability. Elite quarterbacks must be able to inspire confidence in their teammates

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