Dawgs By Nature
Tyler Shough could be drafted earlier despite already being 26
The Cleveland Browns seem to be the center of the NFL draft world heading into the NFL combine at the end of the month with many assuming the Tennessee Titans will select QB Cam Ward with the top overall pick. With at least six teams needing starting quarterbacks this offseason, the position will be the focus of the draft and NFL free agency.
With only Shedeur Sanders expected to be worth a high selection after Ward, the Browns could take him or create a bidding war for the second pick.
We will continue to profile as many draft prospects as we can between now and the NFL draft in late April, including quarterbacks. QB Tyler Shough is an interesting name that many have not heard of but has the tools to make an impact at the NFL level:
Todd McShay has been covering the NFL draft for years so you might be asking yourself “Why isn’t Tyler Shough getting more attention this year?”
The answer is simple, and will bring back shades of Brandon Weeden for Cleveland fans: Shough turns 26 years old during the first month of the 2025 NFL season. Weeden turned 29 during the second month of his rookie season, almost a three-year difference but Shough is around three years older than both Ward and Sanders.
He can still get the job done at the position, at least at the college level, but may not have the developmental upside of younger quarterbacks:
Shough attempted under 200 passes at Oregon, where he was for the first three years in college. Three years at Texas Tech saw an uptick in playing but it was his final year (his seventh) at Lousiville where he broke out with 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns on 63% passing with 389 attempts.
This isn’t to say that Shough should be the Browns plan for their starting quarterback but his experience could prepare him to help out early in a backup role. Weeden, for example, had a four-year career (along with one game in 2018) in the NFL.
McShay isn’t the only one who sees the talent in the former four-star recruit. The Draft Network notes the following strengths for Shough:
Easy velocity
Minimal wasted movement in throwing motion
Varying arm angles
Underrated mobility
Maturity
You can see some of those strengths in this deep ball:
There are obvious concerns with Shough’s profile, including and especially his age. It is also fair to wonder if Shough’s experience advantage explains most of his success last season.
As we prepare for the NFL combine, we will keep an eye on all of the quarterbacks as Cleveland enters a pivotal offseason.
