2023 NFL DRAFT PROSPECT REPORT
- Name: Aidan O'Connell
- Position: Quarterback
- School: Purdue
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 213lbs
Film Watched: Penn State 2022, Wisconsin 2022, Wisconsin 2021
Pro's:
- Tough competitor. Started as a walk-on before working his way up to QB1
- Resilient – played through and recovered from injuries to lead his team
- Strong pocket presence. Stands in there and delivers the football
- Understands route timings and throws the ball with impressive anticipation
- Accurate thrower to all three levels of the field
- Has a clean, quick release
- Throws with nice touch, adjusting pass velocity for what the situation dictates
- Avoids negative yardage well happy to throw the ball away and live for another day
Officially no testing for Aidan O'Connell.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 10, 2023
Aidan O'Connell is a QB prospect in the 2023 draft class. He does not qualify for a RAS due to a lack of measurements. https://t.co/peHVkDD9Ze #RAS pic.twitter.com/NrhjoW6py9
Con's:
- Arm talent falls just short of NFL desirables. Deep sideline balls float on him
- Cumbersome athleticism – more obvious in the pocket than when scrambling
- Nasty habit of staring down his receiver, particularly between the hashes
- Has his own idea of who will be open, and working through progressions is inconsistent
- Some lower body mechanics need adjusting to get more torque into his passes
The Verdict:
“Does Aidan McConnell take home the crown of ‘day three QB that Si would take a shot on’? I’m not sure what it is, but something is stopping me from anointing him as that guy with any enthusiasm. What I can say is this; McConnell is a gamer who won’t flinch walking into adverse situations. He has good command of the huddle and his ability to operate from the pocket earns him respect. My favourite thing about him is oddly his shortcomings - I think he can squeeze another percentage or two of velocity out of his passes with some dedicated work on his stance and throwing motion. And I imagine working with elevated talent could cajole him to be more disciplined with his checkdowns. That gives him some anticipated growth that not all late rounders have. He’s a bit of a throwback, but I can see him being a reliable backup in a pinch.”
Simon Carroll
Head Of NFL Draft Content
NFL COMPARISON: JAKE DELHOMME
PREDICTION: 6TH ROUND PICK
Rated 5 out of 5