David J. Phillip/Associated Press
With all of the top quarterbacks in the 2015 NFL draft class participating at the NFL Scouting Combine Saturday, Bryce Petty had a golden opportunity to set himself apart from the rest of the pack.
Petty entered the combine firmly behind both Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota in terms of draft stock, and while it is unlikely that he surpassed either of them, he may very well have established himself as the No. 3 option at the position.
The former Baylor signal-caller performed admirably in the drills, and he certainly showed flashes of the ability needed to excel at the NFL level.
Here is a breakdown of Petty's combine numbers and measurables following his outing on Saturday:
| 6'3" | 230 lbs. | 31 7/8" | 10" |
| 4.87 | 34" | 121" | |
NFL.com
With just over 300 rushing yards in his two years as a starter with the Bears, it is fair to say that Petty is viewed largely as a pocket passer. Even so, he acquitted himself well in the 40-yard dash.
Petty was in the middle of the back with a time of 4.87 seconds, which doesn't jump off the page, but it is notable that he was one-tenth of a second faster than Winston.
As pointed out by NFL.com's Bryan Fischer, it wasn't a bad effort from Petty considering his size advantage over most other signal-callers:
Although Petty obviously won't run wild at the next level, Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com believes he knows how to pick his spots and use his legs effectively when needed:
There is always a certain amount of intrigue surrounding the 40-yard dash, but the true measuring stick for Petty and the other quarterbacks were the throwing drills.
Petty entered the combine with plenty of preparation under his belt as he and Winston did some work with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, according to NFL Network's Albert Breer:
After the fact, Harbaugh had nothing but good things to say about his new pupil:
While Petty wasn't necessarily in direct competition with the other quarterbacks as much as he was trying to turn in a strong individual showing, comparisons are inevitable.
Petty and UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley entered the combine on a fairly level playing field in terms of being the No. 3 player at the position, and Bleacher Report's Matt Miller was leaning toward giving the Baylor alum the nod:
That notion may have been solidified by Petty's success throwing the ball Saturday. According to NFL Network on Twitter, draft guru Mike Mayock was extremely impressed by the arm strength he displayed:
Mayock further elaborated by describing the life and velocity on Petty's passes:
Fischer concurred with Mayock's assessment and tabbed Petty as the third-best quarterback in the draft ahead of Hundley despite the UCLA product's great performance in the athletic drills:
One thing working against Petty is the fact that he played in a collegiate offense that operated almost exclusively out of the shotgun.
Per Chris B. Brown of SmartFootball.com, it was clear during Petty's throwing session that his footwork is still evolving:
Even Petty himself admitted prior to the combine that he is continuing to develop as a quarterback, but he also embraced it, according to Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com.
"It's a learning curve a little bit, going from what we were doing at Baylor to where we are now," Petty said. "But it's all part of the process, so gotta enjoy it, gotta love it."
Petty may have his shortcomings, but that can be said about any quarterback in the 2015 class. Regardless of that, ESPN's John Clayton really liked what he saw on Saturday:
Although Petty probably didn't establish himself as a first-round pick or overtake the likes of Winston or Mariota, he definitely showed scouts that he has NFL potential.
That was a question mark entering the combine, but Petty was prepared and he performed admirably under the microscope.
If he is able to follow this up with a great Pro Day, then it isn't crazy to think that some team could tab him as their future starter.
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