Shane Vereen, who is recognized in New England for his 11-catch performance against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, is a great resource assessing draft prospects.
Now a Pac-12 analyst, the former Patriots running back has had a ringside seat when it comes evaluating players, specifically four of the top-rated quarterback prospects in the 2024 draft.
If the Patriots wind up going in that direction, and decide to move on from Mac Jones, Vereen, appearing on MassLive’s “Eye on Foxborough” podcast, provided a nice breakdown of the four quarterbacks he’s most familiar, who coincidentally are ranked among the top ten at the position.
Vereen regularly views Pac-12 stars Caleb Williams (USC), Bo Nix (Oregon), Michael Penix (Washington) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado).
“This has been the best year to date, that I can think of in terms of talent at one position in our conference,” said Vereen. “It’s been a pleasure to be able to watch all four of them because they’re all different in their own way. They’re all going to be, in my opinion, successful quarterbacks at the next level to some extent.
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Here’s Vereen’s breakdown on each:
On USC’s Williams: “He’s unbelievable. I think he’s the best player in college football. I know the wins and losses this year haven’t been exactly what you’d want it to be, but I don’t think that’s on him. There’s a couple of things he needs to tighten up in his game, but I think his arm strength, his athletic ability, his toughness, and just the way his mentality is, is perfect. I think he is the best quarterback, the best player in college football even where the team stands right now.”
On Oregon’s Nix: “Bo Nix is a gamer. He’s not going to wow you with his stats. He’s not going to wow you with anything physically. But at the same time, he wins. He’s going to get those tough yards, because he can run, too. He’s going to make sure the offense is in the right play. I hate to use the term game manager, because I think that takes away from his ability, but he is, as far as efficiency, as far as managing the game, as far as managing the offense, I think he’s the best in our conference at doing that. And that’s why his team is where it’s at and been so successful since he stepped foot on campus.”
On Washington’s Penix: “Michael Penix is a pure pocket passer. I would have to really think hard about a quarterback that’s more accurate at the college level than Michael Penix. Now, granted, he has a great receiving corps. But still, his ball placements, especially on the deep passes, is absolutely phenomenal. And when he’s in rhythm, and when he’s able to drop back and get the ball out on that back foot on the third or fifth or maybe even the seventh step, it’s magical and it’s really fun to watch.”
On Colorado’s Sanders: “Shedeur’s throwing ability really surprised me. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I honestly had no idea. But to watch him week in and week out . . . one thing you have to understand, his offensive line gets him beat up. He’s taking monster hits week in and week out, and he picks himself up, and goes back and does it again. So his toughness is unmatched and you cannot question that. And, when he is in rhythm and the offense is clicking like it was early this season, he’s a very good quarterback.”
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