When the new england patriots selected auburn quarterback jarrett stidham in the fourth round of the 2019 draft, they drafted a player who was a bit of an evaluation enigma.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories just what kind of quarterback prospect is stidham? Is he the player that struggled at times on film, perhaps playing in offenses at baylor and auburn that were not tailored to his strengths?Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories or is he the passer we saw down in mobile during the senior bowl, who seemed comfortable in kyle shanahan’s offense, albeit while spending most of the time in shorts and throwing against air in practice?Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories

To get a deeper understanding of stidham I returned to two of his games from last season: outings against alabama and georgia. Between the talent on the other side of the ball (both teams had defensive players drafted in the first round of this draft) and the schemes employed by nick saban and kirby smart, these contests are as close as a college quarterback can get to playing on an NFL sunday.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories what can we learn about how stidham fared against those two schools last season?

One of the first things that you see in both games is that stidham (#8) handled blitz packages pretty well.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories numbers demonstrate some of this from his game as a whole, as stidham rated ninth last year in college football according to pro football focus’s adjusted completion percentage against pressure.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories he was 19th in PFF’s adjusted completion percent against the blitz metric. But you can see this on film against elite competition in these two games.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories

On this play against alabama, stidham aligns in the pocket and the tigers use a 2x2 formation, with a slot alignment to both sides of the field.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories alabama has a sub package in the game, and they show a two-high safety look before the snap. However, the crimson tide rotate their defense as the play begins, blitzing a linebacker and sliding into a single-high, cover 1 coverage:

cognitive behavioral and social learning theories

This is the right read because the defenders over the two inside routes have inside leverage, taking those away right after the snap. The defender along the outside is playing off coverage, giving the running back an easy release and open space.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories stidham spots the slot corner rotating over at the last moment, so he puts this throw again in a spot to protect his receiver, only the RB fails to make the catch.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories leftovers

Before wrapping I wanted to highlight two more plays from stidham’s outing against georgia that illustrate just briefly what he could be in the NFL.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories pocket mobility and execution in the scramble drill are aspects to playing the quarterback position where tom brady probably does not get the credit that he should.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories while no one would confuse brady with some of the game’s more mobile and agile passers, the veteran QB does a great job at feeling pressure and using his feet to extend plays, buying time when necessary to find targets downfield.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories

While stidham might be more athletic than brady, pocket footwork and keeping your eyes downfield are a big component of mobility at the quarterback position.Cognitive behavioral and social learning theories on this third and long against georgia, stidham faces a linebacker twist inside, but uses his feet to slide to his right and buy time. As he does this, he keeps his eyes trained downfield, and makes a throw on the corner route to move the sticks: