- Joined
- Apr 7, 2014
- Messages
- 2,542
- Reaction score
- 4,985
- Points
- 93
Leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft starting on April 28th, Steeler Nation will be releasing several draft profiles of prospects who could potentially see themselves on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next up for the Steelers…
Green stands in at 6’3″ tall while weighing 228lbs, and has one of the best arms in the draft.
Carson Strong is a former 3-star prospect that was passed on by several schools due to his medical concerns. He was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans in his knee while in high school and had surgery to assist with that condition. He again had surgery on that same knee in college and his mobility was always a concern. However, Strong was the first freshman quarterback to start for Nevada in over 20 seasons in 2019. He produced three strong seasons, including being named the Mountain West Player of the Year his final two seasons.
Quarterback Carson Strong of the Nevada Wolf Pack looks on before a game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. (Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
The Steelers are definitely doing their due diligence on this year’s quarterbacks and brought in Strong on Wednesday for visit. If all the medicals check out, then Strong could be a steal on the 2nd day of the draft that Steeler Nation would love watching sling it all over the field.
If quarterbacks were taken on their arm talent alone, then Strong might be the first one taken in almost any draft. Simply put, he can make all the throws at any level. He has plenty of arm strength to utilize anywhere on the field with ease, as well as putting zip on throws in the middle of the field into tight windows. Strong has also shown tremendous touch on several occasions and knows when to use it. It is rare to find Strong throwing a ball that should’ve been thrown with touch on a line or visa versa. Also paired with his ability to make all the throws, he does so incredibly accurately. He does a good job putting the ball where only his receiver can catch it as well as leading his receiver away from trouble across the middle. Strong’s arm is by far his greatest asset, which luckily for him is a very important part of playing QB.
While Strong’s physical tools with his arm are his greatest asset, his physical tools in his lower half are his greatest weakness. Starting off with his osteochondritis dissecans that he was diagnosed with in high school and had surgery to attempt and remedy did not help his long term outlook. That same knee also had issues throughout college as he had a clean-up surgery and fluid drained from that knee as recent as 2021. All of those put together have limited his athleticism and ability to move outside the pocket with much quickness. When he is outside the pocket, he does a good job to get his base reset and make accurate throws, but getting out there has seemed like a chore at times for him. His footwork inside and outside the pocket could use improvement, but isn’t something that currently holds him back. Clearing his medical review with team doctors will be huge for Strong as he hopes to get drafted as early as possible.
All the arm talent that Strong has gives him a little bit of room for error in terms of his ability to read a defense and his decision making, but that won’t always be the case with faster and smarter defenders in the NFL. He has shown good pre-snap awareness, recognizing what defenses are trying to do and taking advantage of mismatches by either getting the ball out of his hand quickly, or taking shots down the field. Post-snap, he needs to improve on recognizing when defenses hide their coverage well and adjusting where he goes with the football. His ability to make good decisions is also something that has helped him become a 2x Conference Player of the Year as he doesn’t make many turnover worthy plays. However, he does occasionally take chances he shouldn’t because he knows his arm can make up for it. Polishing up his post-snap reads and understanding that he can’t outthrow the coverage at all times will allow him to take the next step in his game and see the field earlier in his career.
This is going to probably rub a lot of Steeler Nation the wrong way. Coming out of college, Joe Flacco was viewed as a prospect with elite arm talent but would need time to develop so he could get up to the speed of the NFL. That is very similar to Strong, as he won’t be able to rely solely on his physical tools and will need to speed up his processing. Both are average athletes that will never be considered running threats, but move well enough in the pocket to not be liabilities. Also, people need to remember Flacco did win a Super Bowl, so this comparison does have its shinning moments.
It is hard to gauge where Strong will land with this being a weaker quarterback class and him having a lot of medical red flags. There is no doubt his arm talent alone would put him on Day 1 of the draft, but everything else likely has him in rounds 2-3. He likely will be the 6th QB taken, which most likely gets him drafted in Day 2.
Let us know below what you think about Strong as a prospect and the potential of seeing him in the Black and Gold! What other prospects would you be interested in seeing a profile on?
Would Steelers Fans Be Happy Drafting Sam Howell?
Steelers NFL Draft Prospect QB Chris Oladokun is a Huge Sleeper Pick
Why NDSU WR Christian Watson is the Final Missing Piece for the Steelers’ Offense
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
Carson Strong (Quarterback), Nevada, Redshirt Junior
Green stands in at 6’3″ tall while weighing 228lbs, and has one of the best arms in the draft.
Overview
Carson Strong is a former 3-star prospect that was passed on by several schools due to his medical concerns. He was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans in his knee while in high school and had surgery to assist with that condition. He again had surgery on that same knee in college and his mobility was always a concern. However, Strong was the first freshman quarterback to start for Nevada in over 20 seasons in 2019. He produced three strong seasons, including being named the Mountain West Player of the Year his final two seasons.
Quarterback Carson Strong of the Nevada Wolf Pack looks on before a game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. (Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Pros:
- Good build and size
- Solid production across multiple seasons
- Strong leader and team captain
- Strong arm, probably best in draft class
- Can make all the throws whether it be with high velocity or touch
- Variable arm slot on release
- Makes accurate throws to all three levels
- Moves well within the pocket
- Limited turnovers, especially in the red-zone
- Isn’t afraid to take what the defense gives him
- Very good ball placement
- Good recognition pre-snap
Cons:
- Medical history is a huge red flag that needs thorough examination
- Average at best athleticism
- Holds the ball too long at times looking for a big play
- Post-snap recognition is slow
- Can take sacks due to inability to escape pocket that average movers can
- Sticks on #1 read too long at times
- Has taken chances he shouldn’t due to elite arm talent, NFL won’t let that happen
The Steelers are definitely doing their due diligence on this year’s quarterbacks and brought in Strong on Wednesday for visit. If all the medicals check out, then Strong could be a steal on the 2nd day of the draft that Steeler Nation would love watching sling it all over the field.
Arm Talent and Accuracy
If quarterbacks were taken on their arm talent alone, then Strong might be the first one taken in almost any draft. Simply put, he can make all the throws at any level. He has plenty of arm strength to utilize anywhere on the field with ease, as well as putting zip on throws in the middle of the field into tight windows. Strong has also shown tremendous touch on several occasions and knows when to use it. It is rare to find Strong throwing a ball that should’ve been thrown with touch on a line or visa versa. Also paired with his ability to make all the throws, he does so incredibly accurately. He does a good job putting the ball where only his receiver can catch it as well as leading his receiver away from trouble across the middle. Strong’s arm is by far his greatest asset, which luckily for him is a very important part of playing QB.
Athleticism and Footwork
While Strong’s physical tools with his arm are his greatest asset, his physical tools in his lower half are his greatest weakness. Starting off with his osteochondritis dissecans that he was diagnosed with in high school and had surgery to attempt and remedy did not help his long term outlook. That same knee also had issues throughout college as he had a clean-up surgery and fluid drained from that knee as recent as 2021. All of those put together have limited his athleticism and ability to move outside the pocket with much quickness. When he is outside the pocket, he does a good job to get his base reset and make accurate throws, but getting out there has seemed like a chore at times for him. His footwork inside and outside the pocket could use improvement, but isn’t something that currently holds him back. Clearing his medical review with team doctors will be huge for Strong as he hopes to get drafted as early as possible.
IQ and Decision Making
All the arm talent that Strong has gives him a little bit of room for error in terms of his ability to read a defense and his decision making, but that won’t always be the case with faster and smarter defenders in the NFL. He has shown good pre-snap awareness, recognizing what defenses are trying to do and taking advantage of mismatches by either getting the ball out of his hand quickly, or taking shots down the field. Post-snap, he needs to improve on recognizing when defenses hide their coverage well and adjusting where he goes with the football. His ability to make good decisions is also something that has helped him become a 2x Conference Player of the Year as he doesn’t make many turnover worthy plays. However, he does occasionally take chances he shouldn’t because he knows his arm can make up for it. Polishing up his post-snap reads and understanding that he can’t outthrow the coverage at all times will allow him to take the next step in his game and see the field earlier in his career.
NFL Comparison – Joe Flacco
This is going to probably rub a lot of Steeler Nation the wrong way. Coming out of college, Joe Flacco was viewed as a prospect with elite arm talent but would need time to develop so he could get up to the speed of the NFL. That is very similar to Strong, as he won’t be able to rely solely on his physical tools and will need to speed up his processing. Both are average athletes that will never be considered running threats, but move well enough in the pocket to not be liabilities. Also, people need to remember Flacco did win a Super Bowl, so this comparison does have its shinning moments.
Steelers Draft Projection – Day 2 Pick
It is hard to gauge where Strong will land with this being a weaker quarterback class and him having a lot of medical red flags. There is no doubt his arm talent alone would put him on Day 1 of the draft, but everything else likely has him in rounds 2-3. He likely will be the 6th QB taken, which most likely gets him drafted in Day 2.
Let us know below what you think about Strong as a prospect and the potential of seeing him in the Black and Gold! What other prospects would you be interested in seeing a profile on?
Other Potential Steelers Draft Picks
Would Steelers Fans Be Happy Drafting Sam Howell?
Steelers NFL Draft Prospect QB Chris Oladokun is a Huge Sleeper Pick
Why NDSU WR Christian Watson is the Final Missing Piece for the Steelers’ Offense
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
