Dorian Thompson-robinson NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Cleveland Browns' QB
HEIGHT: 6'2"
WEIGHT: 203
HAND: 9⅞"
ARM: 30⅝"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 4.56
3-CONE: 7.28
SHUTTLE: 4.44
VERTICAL: 32.5"
BROAD: 10'1"
POSITIVES
— Good athlete. Springy and explosive; very good long speed.
— Experienced processor and decision-maker. Decisive; plays with good rhythm.
— Tough and poised in the pocket. Willing to take hits to get the ball off.
— Above-average accuracy to all three levels.
— Above-average accuracy when throwing on the run and outside the pocket.
NEGATIVES
— Light frame. May be an injury and longevity risk.
— Sometimes struggles with velocity and driving the ball.
— Pocket management is up and down. Internal clock can be late and lead to broken plays.
2023 STATISTICS
— 13 G, 266-of-382 (69.6%), 3,169 YD (8.3 AVG), 27 TD, 10 INT; 118 ATT, 645 YDS, 12 TD
NOTES
— DOB: November 14, 1999
— 4-star recruit in 2018 class, per 247 Sports' composite rating
— 40 career starts
— 2020 and 2021 second-team All-Pac 12
OVERALL
Dorian Thompson-Robinson brings the experience, athleticism and accuracy necessary to be a high-quality NFL backup and spot starter.
He has a level of experience that the rest of this class can't match. Not only does Thompson-Robinson have 40 career starts over four years, but he's done so in multiple systems, including most recently Chip Kelly's.
The Kelly offense presented Thompson-Robinson with plenty of NFL-style concepts and full-field reads, and the veteran quarterback handled them very well by his senior season. He plays with good rhythm, adequate pre-snap understanding and the requisite amount of aggressiveness to fit tight-window throws. Sometimes Thompson-Robinson can push the envelope too far, but he's not a generally reckless passer.
Thompson-Robinson also has a decent floor thanks to his athletic profile and three-level accuracy. As an athlete, he is bouncy and loose, allowing him to easily pop out of the pocket and head to open grass. The 23-year-old is a very effective scrambler and a solid designed-run threat to the perimeter.
In terms of accuracy, Thompson-Robinson won't blow anyone away, but he generally gets the ball where it needs to be and gives his guys chances. He's not one to have many egregious misfires.
That said, it's hard to see an exciting ceiling with him.
For one, he's on the smaller side. Just over 6'1" is manageable, but being 203 pounds is light for a quarterback, especially one who may take hits as a runner. Thompson-Robinson's arm is also lackluster. He can struggle with driving the ball into tight windows down the field and to the sideline.
Lastly, Thompson-Robinson's pocket management is a bit of a roller coaster ride, oscillating between immaculate escape acts and confusing cement-footed moments when he doesn't know where to go.
Thompson-Robinson has the experience, athleticism and baseline accuracy to all three levels to be an ideal QB2. Size, arm-strength concerns and pocket-management inconsistencies hurt his potential as a legit starting quarterback, but he has enough room to grow to emerge as a steady spot starter, a la Taylor Heinicke.
Thompson-Robinson would fit best in a West Coast-style system that embraces a quick game and his strengths as an athlete.
GRADE: 6.1 (High-Level Developmental Prospect/Round 5)
OVERALL RANK: 184
POSITION RANK: QB9
PRO COMPARISON: Tyler Huntley
Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen
