Analyst says Shea Patterson expected to declare for 2019 NFL Draft

Shea Patterson and his camp have maintained throughout the year no NFL Draft decisions have been made and that the focus remains on the 2018 season, but that has not not stopped the buzz from picking up.

In his latest Scouting Notebook, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller says that both Patterson and Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins are expected to declare for the upcoming draft, citing the down class for quarterbacks as an opportunity to raise their stock during the pre-draft process.

Another underclassman quarterback expected to declare is Michigan’s Shea Patterson. The source explained that Patterson and Haskins both feel they can drive their stock up in this class and will benefit by not competing with the 2020 group that includes Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa. Patterson, a transfer from Ole Miss, also has prized recruit Dylan McCaffrey behind him on the depth chart and looking poised to play next fall. This could, of course, change, but currently, multiple sources expect Michigan to lose Patterson.

If Oregon’s Justin Herbert does not declare for the upcoming draft, this is as wide-open a year as any that we have seen. Should that occur, Will Grier is probably that next guy where we stand today.

If the rumors are true that both Patterson is set to go pro, which sort of feels like that this arrangement has been all along, truth be told, it is hard to see any negatives in it. He has flashed all of the traits that NFL teams are looking for in a modern quarterback.

He’s got an accurate and strong arm and is able to make ridiculous throws while on the run. He’s not only mobile, but has the ability to create yardage as a runner. He’s very good with RPOs. He is able to hit on deep passes down the field. All of the traits are there, even if Michigan fans are frustrated he hasn’t been “unleashed more.

Where things stand today, there is a handful of teams with quarterback needs, though perhaps not quite as much as we’ve seen in recent drafts. The Oakland Raiders, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and potentially the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints could be in the market. With as strong as the class looks like it will be with defensive line talent and no surefire franchise quarterbacks, I’m not so sure we see teams stumble over each other like Black Friday at the mall to move up and take their guy. But it is way too early to speculate, as there’s still seven weeks of NFL football and the postseason remaining.

If Patterson does come out, he has the potential to be as good as any other signal-caller in the class. He will remain focused on the special season brewing in Ann Arbor, but start preparing for a lot of draft talk for a Michigan quarterback for the first time in a long time.