Coming into the 2013 college football season, one of the more intriguing quarterback prospects was Fresno State’s Derek Carr. The brother of former top NFL draft pick David Carr had impressive stats last season, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 37 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. He also completed 67 percent of his passes. However, his NFL potential was questioned due to seemingly faulty mechanics which mostly centered around a tendency to throw off his back foot, rather than stepping into his throws. At the professional level, that results in turnovers, so scouts and fans were eager to see improvement on that in the new year.
Carr seems to have many of the tools necessary for success as a professional football player. He has good size, at 6’3” and 218 lbs. He has a strong arm and his accuracy is good overall, and he has solid leadership skills. Ostensibly, the only worry was his mechanics, and his ability to step into his throws. Proving that he could make that change, and lead his team would do a lot to jump him up draft boards. His biggest chance to shine came in front of a national audience on a September Friday night against Boise State. Carr took advantage.
Though the Broncos already had a loss on their record, they were still considered the team to beat in the Mountain West Conference, and had beaten the Bulldogs in 11 of their last 12 meetings prior to their 2013 matchup. Boise State was one of the darlings of the college football world, having been so good for so long, and with a couple of BCS Bowl wins on their resume. Fresno State, and Carr, had something to prove, and did just that, winning a thriller 41-40. Carr himself put on a show, throwing for 460 yards and four touchdowns. He also led an emotional fourth quarter, game-winning drive that ended with him squarely back in contention to be a top draft pick.
On his biggest platform thus far, Carr performed fantastically. He not only put up the big numbers, but he looked good doing it. His passes had zip on them, and he fit them into some tight spots when needed, and he also displayed a very good arm with some impressive deep balls. He also looked confident, willing to stand in and make the throws needed for the win. Most importantly, he no longer looked wary under pressure, instead putting his body into his passes, instead of throwing while stepping back. Going into that high-profile game, questions abounded for fans and scouts alike, and with a great performance, Derek Carr answered all of them.