Jake Fromm, Georgia
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 220 pounds
40-yard dash: 5.01
Hand Size: 8 7/8 inches
Jake Fromm is not for everyone. There are going to be several teams that are just simply going to have Fromm off their boards due to his skillset. Due to some physical limitations, Fromm is not going to be drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, for example, to backup Patrick Mahomes in that scheme.
With that being said, what Fromm lacks in physical traits, he makes up for in intelligence. Fromm is the smartest QB in the NFL Draft and excels at diagnosing defenses and getting the ball out quickly and accurately. How big of an issue will the arm strength be for NFL teams and should we be looking Fromm’s direction in fantasy football?
Those questions are answered below in my detailed scouting report on Jake Fromm (ratings out of five stars):
Arm Strength/Throwing Mechanics
As mentioned in the intro, this is where Fromm struggles. While he has enough arm strength to drive the ball sideline to sideline, he simply doesn’t match up with the other players in this class when airing it downfield. While there’s little evidence on tape of him throwing deep downfield within that Georgia offense, it was a question of whether he wasn’t able to or whether that just wasn’t within the offensive game plan? However, he showed up to the Combine and struggled and appeared that he was putting everything he had behind the deep throws, but they just simply weren’t getting there. With that being said, Fromm has incredible and consistent mechanics. We see some of the best in the league like Drew Brees and Tom Brady throw with great mechanics play after play. This is the same thing with Fromm, however, I would like to see him step into his throws a little more. He fails to fully step into his throws, which cause them to sail high a little bit, but that can be easily ironed out.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
Jake Fromm wanted it ALL on this one. pic.twitter.com/uO8Z56XnSB
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 16, 2019
Accuracy
Joe Burrow might edge out Fromm slightly in this category, but it’s not by much. Fromm was one of the most accurate QBs in all of CFB throughout his college career and he consistently put the ball where it needed to be. For an offense that simply needs the ball to get out quickly and into the hands of their playmakers, Fromm’s the answer because he’ll hit them between the numbers every single time.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jake Fromm dropped this one right in the bucket ? pic.twitter.com/TnpUhn0Rbn
— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2020
Mobility
While Fromm certainly isn’t just a statue in the pocket, he’s not going to be a player that breaks away for a 40-yard run. He did show the ability to get outside of the pocket and create when the play breaks down occasionally, but he primarily operates inside of the pocket. Think of how Tom Brady operates within that Patriots offense (no, I’m not comparing Fromm to Brady) and how he maneuvers the pressure and gets the ball out typically under three seconds. That’s the type of QB Fromm is…
RATING: ⭐⭐ 1/2
This pass ultimately fell incomplete, but what a throw by Jake Fromm. Dropped it in right where only his player could get it. pic.twitter.com/jitHwO1gGp
— Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL) January 18, 2020
Pocket Awareness
As mentioned above, this is where Fromm excels and succeeds. He trusts his OL and operates best within structure. Some QBs thrive by bailing out of the pocket (Mahomes, for example), but Fromm is willing to stand in the face of pressure and deliver the ball accurately from within the confines of the OL.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vision/Decision-Making
Fromm excels in seeing the full field from behind center. His ability to diagnose the defense quickly is outstanding and he is able to work through his progressions efficiently and effectively. He’s not going to stare down a receiver to see if he will eventually come open, but instead he’ll work through his first and second reads and if they’re not there, he’ll check it down and get positive yardage. Over the course of his college career, which involved three years as a starting QB, Fromm only threw 18 interceptions. For comparison, Jordan Love (another top QB prospect in this class) threw 17 interceptions last season alone. A NFL team is going to value his ability to take care of the football.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Light work! Just a normal day with @QBCountry pic.twitter.com/gQUHAuhG6K
— JakefromStateFromm (@FrommJake) March 3, 2020
Anticipation
I personally believe that Tua Tagovailoa and Joe Burrow have the best anticipation abilities in this class, but right behind them is Fromm. He’s often letting the ball go before his receivers are out of their breaks, which is going to be incredibly difficult for defenses to defend if Fromm lands with a WR that he can develop that sort of chemistry with at the next level.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
Potential Landing Spot
Fromm was a potential first round pick heading into the NFL Combine, but his smaller hand size will scare away some NFL teams. Additionally, he displayed that he doesn’t have the arm strength to compete with some of the top guys in this class. However, that’s not what NFL teams should be asking him to do. Teams like the Patriots or Bears make a ton of sense with their QB situations and the offenses that they run. Fromm’s most likely a second round pick at this point, but his character and leadership could help him work his way back into the first round. Unfortunately, with the QB carousel that’s about to happen in free agency, Fromm could be only looking at a backup job somewhere to start out. Because of that, Fromm’s only an option in Superflex Dynasty rookie drafts in the mid-late rounds.
NFL Comparison
When I look at Jake Fromm and who he reminds me of in the NFL, Derek Carr is the name that keeps coming to mind. Carr doesn’t have the strongest arm, but he thrives in a west coast system that asks him to diagnose the defense and make the right read quickly. He could have a very similar career trajectory too with Carr being an early second round pick in 2014.
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Kyle Yates is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Kyle, check out his archive and follow him @KyleYNFL.
