North Dakota State quarterbacks coach Randy Hedberg and head coach Matt Entz met with the media on a virtual call to discuss NFL draft prospect quarterback Trey Lance on Thursday.
Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith will be attend Lance’s Pro Day on Friday. Entz said that 30 of 32 NFL teams will attend.
Fontenot and Smith also attended former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lance’s Pro Day. The Falcons hold the fourth overall pick in the NFL draft, which is set for April 29 through May 1 in Cleveland.
Here’s what Hedberg and Entz had to say about Lance:
On Lance’s ability to process defensive information at the line of scrimmage:
Hedberg: “He’s able to see coverages very well and I think it’s going to be a little bit more complex obviously at the NFL level than the college level, but I think he’ll learn that game, as he progresses through his time in the NFL.”
On what the biggest question NFL coaches and scouts have had for him:
Hedberg: “Well, I think the biggest thing is (that they) wonder if playing just the 17 games if that gives him enough pictures that he’s seen…. you know different pictures from defenses. I think that’s the biggest question, I think that I’ve gotten from different people. It would have been nice to have a full season this Fall for him this past fall, so he could have played potentially 15 more games or so, but that didn’t happen…I think that would have helped him in the long run.”
On Lance’s experience in big moments:
Hedberg: “Well, I think the biggest thing you know, in the championship game and in January of 2020 in our title game. We didn’t anticipate going in the game and running Trey 30 times in that game which he ended up doing, but some of those were scrambles… He was able to check us into protections against their different pressures that they brought in. I think the biggest thing is he studies the game so well. I don’t think there’s one in particular, other than the one that stands out…(In his first start against Minnesota at Target Field) he was able to… check into a run play against their pressure look and he scored from about 50 yards out on a run play. He did that against a pressure look. Those are things that he is able to do and process quickly at the line of scrimmage not a lot of young quarterbacks are able to do that, and he was able to do it in our system. That was because of the prep time he puts in for every game.”
On if they had to talk Trey about balancing when to throw and when to run and on how he processes at the line of scrimmage
Hedberg: “To answer your second question first, no it’s the same that we have for Carson (Wentz and (Easton Stick) in are offense. We put a lot of emphasis on the quarterback processing at the line of scrimmage. With protections they have an option (to) set the protections more and more so than not, and then they have the option of changing protections also. But they also have we have a ‘kill’ system and a ‘maybe” system, which gets them into run-pass-pass to run-run-to-pass, whatever it is, based on different alignments of the defense. So, that’s part of our game also which I think the quarterbacks are really good at, but it’s no different we did the same with Easton and we did the same with Carson and your first question again.”
On balancing when to run and threw:
Hedberg: “Well, you know that’s a really good question, and one I didn’t really touch on very much with him. Because he was so effective when he got out of the pocket you put pressure on the defense. Each quarterback has a different clock in their head, you know that. I’ve got to get the ball out boom, boom, boom (and the) ball is out. If I don’t get the ball out, I run. That’s kind of where he was (with) his clock. He’s has tremendous poise in the huddle and also in the pocket. I think that was really a big plus for him.”
On when they realized Lance had NFL potential:
Hedberg: “I knew we had a talented young man when he committed to us. And all you know, going back to two years ago, or three years ago when that happened, but you really saw it in his arm strength and his arm speed. You know you can tell when a quarterback has it when they have the arm speed going from you know the trigger position through the throw in the release point and all. He had that from day one.”
On Lance, the person:
Hedberg: “He was a great teammate. He treated everybody on the team, whether it was the first guy or the last guy the same way. He respected them, and I think that’s extremely important.”
On if Lance would be fit with the Patriots:
Hedberg: “He’d be a great fit, I think…..Where ever Trey goes, he’s gonna be a great fit. I think he’s a franchise quarterback. I really do I think he can carry a franchise with his personality and with his leadership. I think he has that ‘it factor.’ That’s important when a guy enters the room, you know who it is and that you know when he enters the room, you know who he is. I think it’d be a great fit, but there are a lot of teams that I think he’d fit in well.”
On the comparisons to Saints quarterback/running back/receiver Taysom Hill:
Hedberg: “I don’t see it that way as far as that comparison. You know, I think Trey throws the ball really well….One thing that we do within our system, that has helped our guys through the years at quarterback is we’re more into full field concept (on our) throws. A lot of college quarterbacks in our (game) are going with half field concepts. We’re into the more full-field, which I think will serve him well at the next level. He’s been able to get his eyes from one side to the next progression, and I think that’s one thing I think will be a plus for him. I think Trey Lance is going to be like Trey Lance. I think he’ll set his own path. I really believe that and he’s a tremendous athlete, as you mentioned, but he also has the ability to make throws down the field. I think that’s the key par. I think Trey is going to be Trey Lance and that they’re going to model people after him.”
On if Lance is a better prospect than Carson Wentz and Easton Stick:
Hedberg: “Well, you know I don’t want to compare the three. We’ve had a lot of success with all three of them. They’re all different, you know Carson, he’s longer (at 6-5). He was just a different type of quarterback than Easton or Trey. Easton was …. very cerebral and made a lot of great plays. He was just a winner for us. Trey is just an extremely good athlete that really processes well and has tremendous poise. The bottom line with all three of them, they’re big time competitors.”
On Lance’s passing accuracy:
Hedberg: “One thing that he’s worked hard on during this offseason is shortening his delivery and working on trying to get his feet his lower half of his body into throws more. I think that’s one thing he has really worked on in my visits with them.”
On the NDSU’s style of offense:
Hedberg: “I would say offensively we’re probably more West Coast type….We probably resemble more West Coast (because) our verbiage gets kind of long. That’s one thing our quarterbacks do, is we’re able to verbalize in the huddle where most (college) quarterbacks don’t. They aren’t in a huddle in college anymore, you know they’re looking at (fast food) signs on the sideline….we verbalize the play in the huddle. I think that’s one thing that would be a plus for Trey at the next level. He’s done that in our system and our verbiage as long. It does resemble more West Coast than anything.”
On playing quarterback for the 1977 Tampa Bay Bucs:
Hedberg: “I spent a lot of time on my back.” (He was 0-4 as a starter. He was sacked 15 times as the Bucs had a 2-12 campaign)
HEAD COACH MATT ENTZ
On the challenges of Pro Day with the COVID-19 restrictions:
Hedberg: “We’re going to have representatives from 30 (of 32) different (NFL) teams represented (Friday). That’s exciting. I know it’s a little bit unique as far as (you) can’t have the face to face interaction.
But I got to anticipate the NFL organizations are going to have numerous opportunities to get these guys either on zoom or on facetime and get a chance to interview them some way, somehow.”
On what he tells NFL folks when they ask about Lance’s upside on what he sees in his future:
Entz: “Well, I think some of the things that have gotten him to this point are going it’s going to continue to be refined and improved upon is his communication. Just knowledge of the game. He’s relatively young. He needs to see more pictures, so I think there’s always the ability to get more and more comfortable with what he’s seeing what defenses do from safety rotations…he can make all the throws. He can extend plays. He’s comfortable in the pocket. He keeps his eyes downfield. That’s one of the things you’re always concerned about when you play a young quarterback.”
On Lance, the human being:
Entz: “…I think Trey is a high character of individual that we’ve had here…he represents what we’re looking for. You’ve heard me say before (that) great character kids make great (players). He’s just another one of the great (players) that we’ve had here. He’s been a great representative of our football program and whichever NFL organization is fortunate enough to grab, him he’s going to make the people around him better.”
On if having third draftable quarterback in a row helps the program:
Entz: “When we recruit kids, we’re looking for the most competitive kids out there and every kid we recruit has aspirations to get into the NFL. What we try to explain to them or present to them is that ….every single NFL team comes to fall camp….you do everything you can and you take advantage of the opportunity you have here through the developmental piece, then, if you’re good enough, the NFL guys will find you.”
Falcons’ 2021 draft position: Here are the picks in D. Led’s Mock Draft 2.0: Top five picks
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence (QB, Clemson)
2. New York Jets: Justin Fields, (QB, Ohio State)
3. Miami Dolphins: Ja’Marr Chase (WR, LSU)
4. Falcons: Kyle Pitts (TE, Florida)
5. Cincinnati Bengals: Penei Sewell, (OT, Oregon)
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