Quarterback ball velocity at the Combine since 2008

      Some very interesting data on quarterback ball velocity comes via the NFL combine and Ourlad's guide to the NFL, which posts the ball velocity from some quarterbacks from 2008-2015. Not everyone participates in the velocity drill and in fact a lot of the better quarterbacks skip it. Plus it's probably not that accurate of a test as there are all kinds of different throws that the quarterback makes in real life. Still the numbers probably do mean something. I was surprised by a few items.  First, look at the top guys. Colin Kapernick and Kirk Cousins have a 59 mph ball, but so does former Brown Brandon Weeden. 

Believe it or not, the Browns' Austin Davis produced higher velocity at the combine than Cam Newton, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.  It doesn't prove that he is a good quarterback, but I'd like to see how he does with another year with the same team. 

Austin Davis is up there too at 58 mph. But Jameis Winston is supposed to have a cannon, and he is in the middle of the pack. Guys like Cam Newton, Marcus Mariotta, Joe Flacco, Blake Bortles and Russell Wilson are also at the 55-56 mph range.

The highest velocity measured since 2008 was Logan Thomas of Virgina Tech at 60 mph.   He hasn't been tearing up the league so far, and was released by the Cardinals. He's now with the Dolphins.  

Not everyone with high velocity is taken by the pros.  There were 5 guys who were at 59 mph that I had scarcely heard of.   Apparently some of the strong-armed guys just were not pro prospects. 

On the other hand, for the guys who are very slow, almost none make it.  Only Tyrod Taylor is a starter with a 50 mph ball, and in his case a lot has to do with his running ability. That would make you think that Connor Shaw might really struggle to make it in the NFL based on his small size and slow fastball at 50 mph. I also wonder what the Vikings  were thinking when they took Christian Ponder at 51 mph. Basically, nobody other than Tyrod has made it as a fulltime starter if they couldn't throw at least 55 miles an hour.

Kirk Cousins, Michigan State 59

Colin Kaepernick, Nevada 59

Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State 59

Ryan Mallett, Arkansas 58

Austin Davis, Southern Mississippi 58

Nick Foles, Arizona 57

Tom Savage, Pittsburgh 57

Sean Mannion, Oregon State 57

Mark Sanchez, Southern Cal 57

Josh Freeman, Kansas State 57

Chase Daniels, Missouri 57

Cam Newton, Auburn 56

Marcus Mariota, Oregon 56

Blake Bortles, Central Florida 56

Andy Dalton, TCU 56

Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois 56

Ryan Nassib, Syracuse 56

Colt McCoy, Texas 56

Curtis Painter, Purdue 56

Russell Wilson, Wisconsin 55

Joe Flacco, Delaware 55

Geno Smith, West Virginia 55

Jameis Winston, Florida State 55

Casey Keenum, Houston 55

Jake Locker, Washington 54

Bryce Petty, Baylor 53

Brett Hundley, UCLA 53

AJ McCarron, Alabama 53

Landry Jones, Oklahoma 53

Chad Henne, Michigan 53

Ryan Lindley, San Diego State 52

Kellen Moore, Boise State 52

TJ Yates, North Carolina 52

Marqueis Gray, Minnesota 51

Christian Ponder, Florida St 51

Tyrod Taylor, Va Tech 50

Connor Shaw, South Carolina 50

Matt Flynn, LSU 50

Michael Glennon, North Carolina State 49

Josh Johnson, San Diego 49

Colt Brennan, Hawaii 44