Kyle Lauletta QB Richmond
TALENT
ROUND 1
STRENGTHS
Kyle is a blue color quarterback who reminds me a little bit of former 49er’s QB Jeff Garcia when Garcia played more from the pocket. Kyle has excellent leadership qualities and character and his intangibles might be the best of the QB's in this draft. He works well form the pocket and has the athleticism and agility to manipulate the pocket and extend plays and make first downs and touch downs with his feet as well as in the pass game. He is smart and instinctive and works the offense like a coach on the field. Kyle has good accuracy and good overall arm strength. He stands tall in the pocket and has excellent mental strength and stamina. Kyle does an excellent job moving and re-setting his feet and throwing the ball with strength, accuracy, and good mechanics. He is a classic style quarterback who has played in a classic style offensive system working well from under center and in the shot gun formations. Kyle is a grinder.
CONCERNS
Kyle doesn’t have the strongest arm but his arm strength is good enough for the next level. He does force the ball at times and this leads to interceptions. You would like to see him add a little bulk. But, his biggest issue is reading the blitz from any angle and dealing with the speed of the NFL to get to the quarterback. Kyle’s strength is his high football IQ to bring what he does in practice into the game. However, athletically, he may have peaked.
BOTTOM LINE
Jeff Garcia was a good quarterback when he played from the pocket. Kyle on film seems to have similar arm strength and throwing motion (although Jeff was a bit more over the top) but it’s the same style, accuracy, and arm strength. What is my definition of a grinder? It’s a quarterback that keeps coming at you intellectually no matter how many times they get hit or throw interceptions or miss open wide receivers. Tom Brady is a grinder, Drew Brees is a grinder, and Aaron Rodgers is a grinder. All the great quarterbacks have different strengths and athleticism but the one intangible they all have is that they are grinders. They all know athletically when they, or their team, is over-matched and that is when the one intangible to lift their game and the game of their teammates around them surfaces. Jeff Garcia was a grinder athletically the same for Russell Wilson too but both struggled to lift their games and the games of their teammates around them intellectually. Kyle Lauletta has the potential to lift his game and the game of his teammates around him intellectually. I saw this at the Senior Bowl practices. He wouldn’t change a play or a route if it didn’t work all he did was say to his teammate, when you run that if you see a defense player between us just move a little to one side or the other so that I can see you better. These are the little things that make the play successful and teach your teammates and at the same time acknowledges why the Quarterback didn’t complete the play the first time. This is maturity, instincts, and coach on the field intangibles that most young quarterbacks don’t have. I don’t know what round Kyle will be selected coming from Richmond but… for me I would like that 1st round 5 year option because this kid looks to be a potential pro bowl quarterback in the future.
-Drew Boylhart (The Huddle Report) [PARAPHRASED]
