Dorian Thompson Robinson: The Next Jalen Hurts?
Jalen Hurts is playing in the Super Bowl. It’s a reminder that every once in a while, one of these quarterback development stories after the first round pan out. Everything has clicked for Hurts and there’s no question anymore that he’s a bonafide franchise quarterback. It sounds like the Eagles are ready to buck up to pay him too. Can Dorian Thompson-Robinson be the next developmental success story?
DTR has a lot of things going for him. He only started playing quarterback in high school. There’s a lot of upside to be had here. DTR is still figuring the game out. What happens if the light bulb really clicks for him? DTR is a former four-star recruit. The athleticism and arm strength are both there. DTR also had a really good showing at the Elite 11 camp back in 2017. He’s a winner there if it weren’t for Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence.
I know USC has a horrific defense but when you watch that game, you see what DTR could eventually turn into. You need athletes at the quarterback position and the former Bishop Gorman quarterback has that in spades. That accuracy has also made major strides year after year under Chip Kelly. DTR sported a 69.6 completion percentage in 2022.
The problem is DTR is still missing the layups and that can’t happen at the next level. We saw a lot of that at the East-West game. The former UCLA product is also undersized at 6-foot-1 and doesn’t have that pure power in his game that Hurts does.
Long story short; if you’re going to flier route at quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft, this would be my pick. The upside far outweighs the risk and people seem to be sleeping on DTR. Man couldn’t even get an invite to the Senior Bowl? Just take it as a warning now. You may have something here and if I’m leaving the draft with a quarterback this year, give me Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the 5th round.
