One of the most fun aspects of every NFL Draft as a writer is scouting prospects and trying to identify those hidden gems….the diamonds in the rough, if you will…guys who might not be Day 1 or Day 2 picks, but sure as hell seem to have what it takes to make it in the NFL. Over the course of the next couple months, I’ll be highlighting some guys from this year’s draft class that I believe will be a steal for someone come April. Up next, we diving into the game of Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham.
I know it’s risky putting a quarterback in my class of ‘hidden gems’ this year – I mean, hell…this is one of those ‘you either got it or you don’t’ type of positions. Usually, there’s a good reason quarterbacks are overlooked. If you’ve got it, you’re going to be a first round pick because of the importance of the position. If you don’t, well, a sliding you will go. But, two things come to mind when I think about Cunningham – one, he’s too electric NOT to see the field in some way, shape, or form. Two, a prospect won’t necessarily be today what he could be a year from now. You never know what someone with the right physical traits could develop into if the rest of his game catches up.
That’s where I’m at with Cunningham. I’ve watched enough of his tape, scouted him at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, and I see a physical profile that could make for some fun at the next level. There’s a reason so many teams have shown an interest in him. His 120 career touchdowns broke Lamar Jackson‘s Louisville record for most career touchdowns. I kind of feel like I could just stop this report at that and let it sink in. That says plenty about Cunningham’s natural talent as a runner. But, the general consensus is that he needs to grow more as a pure, disciplined passer before he can really push a starter in the NFL.
I agree that that’s the weakness of his game when projecting him to the next level, but he’s a lot closer to it than people are giving him credit for. I don’t think I’d necessarily say that his accuracy is bad – he’s just streaky. I’ve seen that everywhere I’ve watched him. There were a couple of practices in Mobile that he looked dead on. There was another in which he couldn’t hit anything. You see that on his tape, too. But, he threw pretty well at the Scouting Combine. He showed there that he’s certainly capable of some nice ball placement, and there are some examples of that on his tape too. As a thrower, it’s really only his deep ball velocity that I would be concerned with at the next level. Everything else, I’m getting with my coaching staff and asking how we tap into the good throws and get them out of Cunningham more consistently. The flashes are enough, for me, to say that’s certainly possible, and ultimately, that’s his path to sustained success in the NFL.
The #Patriots met with Louisville QB Malik Cunningham, per @_RyanFowler_.
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) April 10, 2023
The 2023 Senior Bowl participant would likely be a late-round, dual-threat project for New England. pic.twitter.com/BcuCU3a1OR
But, he has to be accounted for on every play as a runner, and that’s what should have him seeing the field sooner rather than later. I could reasonably see starting out with special packages just for Cunningham, especially if he does end up somewhere like New England. Get him on the field and run some RPOs and bootlegs…get him in space where he can read-and-run and provide a little juice to an otherwise stale offense. Have him run wildcat-esque packages – use him how the Raiders used Marcus Mariota in 2021. I could totally see Cunningham being an immediate factor on plays like that that are just a little gadgety and you never quite know whether he’s going to throw or run. This could be especially effective in the red zone, where he wouldn’t have to worry about heaving the ball 50 yards down the field.
Cunningham does need to improve at standing and delivering from inside the pocket. He does seem to have that same quality that I wrote about with Will Levis, where he seems to be processing and reacting about half a second behind everyone else when standing in the pocket. It looks like it might be a matter of comfort, but I’m not sure.
All Senior Bowl content is sponsored by Lyons Ford. They’re not your typical dealership! They will always give you every discount you qualify for, and give you you the most bang for your buck for your trade-in vehicle. You won’t regret doing business with them. Reach out to Zach on Twitter if you’re looking at getting a new or used vehicle.
PROS
- Speed
- Elusiveness
- Vision (as a runner)
- Intermediate placement
- Experience
CONS
- Streaky accuracy
- Deep velocity
- Mechanics
- Vision (as a passer)
All in all, Cunningham is a project for sure, but he offers a skill set that offensive coordinators could get creative with. He’s someone that’s definitely worth a draft pick, and a chance to come in and find a way to get on the field. He’s a guy that can help a team win if for no other reason than special packages in the red zone where he’s a threat to run or pass. Also, as for the Nashville connection, Cunningham is a former Music City Bowl MVP – how ’bout that?
Louisville QB Malik Cunningham went 72 yards to take it to the endzone
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 19, 2021
(via @GoCards)pic.twitter.com/vCBVLDSYSr
2023 NFL DRAFT HIDDEN GEMS
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
Subscribe to the SoBros Network Patreon here – $5/month gets you instant access to an exhaustive content library of articles, podcasts, and videos created exclusively for our subscribers!
