DOES VELOCITY MATTER FOR QB's?

by Dave Druckenmiller- The Football Room- 2017

So does velocity really matter at the combine.  Since 2008 it has been measured.  I have found he average velocity speed of the football to be around 54.80.  Since Deshawn Watson hit 49 mph there has been debate about if it really matters.  I say so far it does, but not enough years have passed for us to really say it is a given metric to predict success in the NFL.  Only Drew Brees and Tyrod Taylor lacked that velocity.  But Tyrod Taylor does struggle with his deep ball. Drew Brees compensates with a high release point. 

Green is very good, yellow around avg, and then range and the red are lower velocities.

BALL VELOCITY SPEED-MPH YEAR Brett Favre, Southern Mississippi 63 1992 Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech 60 2017 Bryan Bennett, SE Louisiana 60 2015 Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech  60 2014 David Webb, California 59 2017 Paxton Lynch, Memphis 59 2016 Stephen Morris, Miami  59 2014 Tyler Bray, Tennessee 59 2013 Zac Dysert, Miami (OH) 59 2013 Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State 59 2012 Kirk Cousins, Michigan State 59 2012 Colin Kaepernick, Nevada 59 2011 Peyton Manning 59 2008 Jared Goff, California 58 2016 Austin Davis, Southern Mississippi 58 2012 Ryan Mallett, Arkansas 58 2011 John Wilson Parker, Alabama 58 2009 Mike Reilly, Central Washington 58 2009 Drew Willy, Buffalo 58 2009 Carson Wentz, North Dakota State 57 2016 Sean Mannion, Oregeon State 57 2015 Brandon Bridge, South Alabama 57 2015 Tom Savage, Pittsburgh  57 2014 James Vandenberg, Iowa 57 2013 Nick Foles, Arizona 57 2012 Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois 57 2012 Jordan Jefferson, LSU 57 2012 Mark Sanchez, Southern Cal 57 2009 Josh Freeman, Kansas State 57 2009 Chase Daniels, Missouri 57 2009 Paul Smith, Tulsa 57 2008 Christian Hackenberg, Penn State 56 2016 Deshone Kizer, Notre Dame 56 2017 Joel Stave, Wisconsin 56 2016 Jacoby Brisett, NC State 56 2016 Josh Woodrum, Liberty 56 2016 Marcus Mariota, Oregon 56 2015 Anthony Boone, Duke 56 2015 Blake Bortles, Central Florida  56 2014 Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois  56 2014 Jeff Mathews, Cornell  56 2014 Keith Wenning, Ball State  56 2014 Ryan Nassib, Syracuse 56 2013 Bradley Sorensen, Southern Utah 56 2013 Patrick Devlin, Delaware 56 2011 Andy Dalton, TCU 56 2011 Cam Newton, Auburn 56 2011 Levi Brown, Troy 56 2010 Colt McCoy, Texas 56 2010 Nate Davis, Ball State 56 2009 Curtis Painter, Purdue 56 2009 Mictchell Trubitsky, North Carolina 55 2017 Jerod Evans, Virginia Tech 55 2017 Cody Kessler, Southern California 55 2016 Brandon Allen, Arkansas 55 2016 Trevone Boykin, TCU 55 2016 Jameis Winston, Florida State 55 2015 Cody Fajardo, Nevada 55 2015 Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois 55 2014 Geno Smith, West Virginia 55 2013 Tyler Wilson, Arkansas 55 2013 Russell Wilson, Wisconsin 55 2012 Casey Keenum, Houston 55 2012 Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin 55 2011 Rhett Bomar, Sam Houston St 55 2009 Joe Flacco, Delaware 55 2008 Kevin O’Connell, San Diego St  55 2008 Dak Prescott, Mississippi State 54 2016 Nate Sudfeld, Indiana 54 2016 Tajh Boyd, Clemson 54 2014 Bryn Renner, North Carolina  54 2014 EJ Manuel, Florida State 54 2013 Matthew Scott, Arizona 54 2013 Patrick Witt, Yale 54 2012 Nathan Enderle, Idaho 54 2011 Jake Locker, Washington 54 2011 Nathan Peterman, Pittsburgh 53 2017 Brad Kaaya, Miami Fla. 53 2017 Kevin Hogan, Stanford 53 2016 Brandon Doughty, Western Kentucky 53 2016 Vernon Adams, Oregon 53 2016 Bryce Petty, Baylor 53 2015 Bret Hundley, UCLA 53 2015 David Fales, San Jose State 53 2014 AJ McCarron, Alabama 53 2014 Dustin Vaughan, West Texas A&M 53 2014 Landry Jones, Oklahoma 53 2013 Darron Thomas, Oregon 53 2012 Tom Brandstetter, Fresno St 53 2009 Cullen Harper, Clemson 53 2009 Stephen McGee, Texas A&M 53 2009 Brian Brohm, Louisville 53 2008 Chad Henne, Michigan 53 2008 Drew Brees, Purdue 53 2000 Jeff Driskel, Louisiana Tech 52 2016 Shane Carden, East Carolina 52 2015 Collin Klein, Kansas State 52 2013 Ryan Lindley, San Diego State 52 2012 Kellen Moore, Boise State 52 2012 TJ Yates, North Carolina 52 2011 Max Hall, BYU 52 2010 Tim Hiller, Western Michigan 52 2010 Michael Kafka, Northwestern 52 2010 Zac Robinson, Oklahoma St. 52 2010 Jevan Snead, Mississippi 52 2010 Graham Harrell, Texas A&M 52 2009 Pat White, West Virginia 52 2009 Erik Ainge, Tennessee 52 2008 Jerry Lovelocke, Prairie View State 51 2015 Colby Cameron, Louisiana Tech 51 2013 Marqueis Gray, Minnesota 51 51 2013 Christian Ponder, Florida St 51 2011 Sean Canfield, Oregon St. 51 2010 John David Booty, Southern Cal 51 2008 Connor Cook, Michigan State 50 2016 Nick Marshall, Aurburn 50 2015 Connor Shaw, South Carolina 50 2014 Jacory Harris, Miami 50 2012 Aaron Corp, Richmond 50 2012 Ricky Stanzi, Iowa 50 50 2011 Tyrod Taylor, Va Tech 50 2011 Jarrett Brown, West Virginia 50 2010 John Skelton, Fordham 50 2010 Matt Flynn, LSU 50 2008 Deshaun Watson, Clemson 49 2017 Michael Glennon, North Carolina State 49 2013 Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan 49 2010 Tony Pike, Cincinnati 49 2010 Josh Johnson, San Diego 49 2008 Armanti Edwards, Appalachian St. 46.5 2010 Colt Brennan, Hawaii 44 2008 Blake Sims, Alabama 42 2015