INDIANAPOLIS -– Cal’s Jared Goff is the Bay Area college quarterback ensconced in pre-draft hype. Stanford’s Kevin Hogan, however, was a vastly superior signal caller in one key category.
Wins.
Hogan collected a 37-10 record as the Cardinal’s primary quarterback, including victories in three of four bowl games played. That means something to Hogan, that he knows how to win. It’s something he touts during meetings with prospective NFL employers at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“You play the game to win, and you have to do whatever it takes to secure victory,” Hogan said on Thursday. “Whether it’s leading a two-minute drive in the fourth quarter or handing the ball off 50 times, winning is all that matters. I understand that. I don’t care about individual stats. It’s about victories for me, and I think NFL teams obviously respect that.”
It’s also about individual size, skill and production at this stage. At 6-foot-3, 217 pounds, with 10’-1/8” inch hands and a winner’s mentality, Hogan checks several boxes.
But he also leaves a few blank. Draft profiles suggest his mechanics and vision need significant work and that he lacks preferred mobility.
Hogan is projected as a sixth-round pick.
He proved a worthy draft commodity during a strong, productive senior season at Stanford. He threw for 2,867 yards, 27 touchdowns and just eight interceptions while completing 67.8 percent of his passes.
Hogan has shortened his throwing motion during this offseason, and will show it off Saturday at the NFL Combine and Stanford’s pro day. He believes that, in addition to his experience in Stanford’s pro-style offense, will prove he can be a successful pro.
“I’m happy with my upbringing in the West Coast system,” Hogan said. “From talking to NFL players, they all say it translates really well.”
Hogan has some excellent resources to lean on. The sturdiest is Stanford alum and current Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, a mentor Hogan spoke with on Wednesday.
“I spent a lot of time on the phone with him, just getting ready to come here,” Hogan said. “I spent some time on the phone with Matt Hasselbeck, just talking about the process and everything he’s done in his career. Had some coaches who are currently in the NFL coaching, so I got some advice from them, as well. “I feel I have a lot of good resources to reach out to and get information from, and will give me an honest opinion about where I can improve.”
Hogan believes he’ll show well during the pre-draft process, improving on the game tape he’s already produced.
“I feel like I’ve put a lot of good things on tape,” Hogan said. “I know all of these coaches are going to watch my tape and that’s who I am. I am just trying to improve where I can. I’m trying to make strides with my base in the pocket and really tighten up my base and have a more compact delivery.
“I feel like, once I put it all together, I’ll be good to go.”
