Cal product Jared Goff is a projected first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, but which team he goes to and how the quarterback does when he gets there is anyone's guess.
Leading up to Jon Gruden's 2016 QB Camp, the former Raiders and Buccaneers head coach provided detailed analysis on Goff.
“He’s a lot bigger than I thought he was," Gruden told ESPN on Thursday.
"This man is 6-foot-4, he’s 215 pounds. He’s bright. He learns quickly. And then he can take it out on the field and apply it. So you’re dealing with a big quarterback that has a good football aptitude, he has the passion to take it out onto the grass and get it done. I really like him."
Goff, a three-year starter for the Golden Bears, weighed it at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds at the 2016 NFL Combine. But it was his 9-inch hand measurement was the topic of much conversation in Indianapolis.
“He’s plenty big enough for me," Gruden said regarding questions about Goff's size. "The quarterbacks I’ve been around and seen as an analyst -- 6-foot-4, 215 pounds. A lot of concern over his hand size. I’m not as concerned as others.
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"But this is a young quarterback. He’s 21 years old; he’s a true junior. Did not redshirt. He’s not a finished product, physically, either. And he’s got huge upside," Gruden added.
Given his physique and on-field traits, Goff has drawn comparisons to quarterback Matt Ryan, who was selected No. 3 overall in 2008 by the Atlanta Falcons.
“Well there are some similarities if you look at the prototypes; the size, the speed, the jumping ability," Gruden said of Goff's pro comparison. "[But] this kid comes from a completely different world of football than the one Matt Ryan came from. This kid’s in a no-huddle offense, it’s a spread system. He’s under intense fire almost every time he throws the ball. This kid has rare physical toughness, and mental toughness. Not that Matt Ryan doesn’t. But when I study Goff, I don’t see any of the Matt Ryan type offense that I remember studying at Boston College."
In Goff's three seasons at Cal, he threw for 12,195 yards and 96 touchdowns, while tossing 30 interceptions. He never threw a red-zone interception in his career.
Here's a transcribed snippet from the interview between Gruden and Goff:
Gruden: On Goff’s 1-11 freshmen record, likely starting off on a bad NFL team and having to help rebuild…
Goff: “I do [look forward to it]. It’s not for everyone. It takes a certain type of mentality and a certain type of grit to build it from the ground up. And if that’s the case, I’m excited to do that."
Gruden: On facing media after losses…
Goff: “I think it made me better in the long run. It taught me a lot of stuff and showed me that not everything comes to you easy. It’s probably the hardest thing I ever had to go through. I lost four games in high school. I lost 11 in my freshmen year of college. It really humbled me and showed me that it takes a lot of hard work to be good, and a lot of hard work to get where you want to be."
Gruden: On developing mental toughness…
Goff: “Went through just about everything you could go through in two years. I think coming off the 1-11 season – this season – was really hard to swallow…I’m thankful for those experiences. And I think it’s made me the guy I am today, and the person I am today, the leader I am today and the player I am today."
Gruden: On Goff's type of leadership…
Goff: “I think I was able to lead, whatever was needed. I think, you know, I’m a pretty calm, cool personality. But if the team needed a spark, I was able to provide that. Just kind of that guy that was even-keeled for most of the game – and like you said we had a lot of stuff that went up and down through the years – and to be kind of a rock that people could look to and be kind of the guy that was always there and always had the same demeanor was kind of important to me. At the same time, there were times I had to jump some people, and get into some people if I had to."
