It’s been impossible to figure out whether or not Jake Locker improved his draft stock at the Senior Bowl last week. Throughout the week, reviews of Locker’s performance varied from day-to-day, with analysts unable to form a consensus opinion. His 60 percent completion rate on Saturday was solid, but analysts still found a way to pick it apart, noting he was sailing passes and still struggling with footwork.
Over at Fox Sports, Locker didn’t get a great review. His mechanics appeared to be an issue, contributing to his inaccuracy in practice throughout the week.
If you were in attendance and watching him during the practice sessions this week, you probably gasped at his inaccuracy. Locker rarely threw two accurate passes in a row, a sure sign that he has problems with his mechanics. Locker seemed to turn his right hand a bit during his release which could be part of the problem. His poor performance during the Senior Bowl game didn’t help his cause, either.
Doug Farrar, reviewing the Senior Bowl for Yahoo!, noted Locker’s inaccuracy, but also praised his recovery in Saturday’s game.
For the other quarterbacks, the results were far more mixed. Locker, who came to Alabama as the event’s marquee star, struggled with accuracy and mechanics early on, recovered to have a better second half, and went six of 10 for 98 yards in the game.
While Locker didn’t appear to answer any questions about his abilities in Alabama, it’s unclear whether he hurt his draft stock or not. He does, however, have outstanding character and a great work ethic that could justify the risk of taking him in the early to mid first round of the draft.
For more on the Senior Bowl, check out the rest of our StoryStream.