Mac Jones playoff collapse doesn’t bode well for Buccaneers Kyle Trask

What do the Buccaneers have in Kyle Trask?

Now, let’s get back to Trask and Jones. Trask hasn’t played a snap in the NFL, but we can use his college film quite easily to evaluate his traits, which is the only fair way to evaluate players.

Stats and accolades can’t matter in a direct college to NFL transition; otherwise, players like Tim Tebow and Jameis Winston would come in as the best quarterbacks in the league.

According to nearly every objective analyst, Jones and Trask struggle in the same boat as far as traits are concerned; arm strength and athleticism. Jones has a faster 40-yard dash than Trask and a bit more zip on his deep ball, so it may be fair to say that Trask can turn into Jones with the proper training, and Jones is still the better prospect as of today.

Traits aren’t everything, but they certainly do mean a lot in the transition to the NFL. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes prove this perfectly. Separating the players’ stats from their traits is hard, but it is the only fair way to look at a player.

Here is a highlight reel of every touchdown Trask threw during his final season with the Gators. This season was incredible statistically, but the touchdown video tells a different story than the numbers do.

Trask’s lack of zip is most on display in the touchdowns where the defenders are closest. The ball just doesn’t move with enough velocity, and this opens up several plays where the defender is able to recover on the ball, forcing Kadarius Toney or Kyle Pitts to make incredible grabs, something they did all season.

NFL defensive backs won’t offer this same window of opportunity. The SEC is usually an excellent example of what NFL talent can look like, but every NFL DB knows how to punish mistakes like this.

50/50 balls that hang a bit too long went Jones’ and Trasks’ way more often than not in college when their receivers were better than 90% of the field, but that doesn’t happen nearly as often in the NFL-even with the receivers the Buccaneers possess.

Trask may be able to hit some of these guys down the field, showing off some semblance of a “deep ball,” but it still doesn’t compare to some of his counterparts in the Class of 2021.

Where there is smoke, there is fire, and there is undoubtedly some smoke surrounding the arm strength of Trask and Jones, and watching the tape for one minute shows below average athletic ability in extending plays at the next level.