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— Brave in the pocket. Willing to hold onto the ball and play from condensed throwing platforms.
— Good pocket movement. Slides around with a controlled base under him and with his eyes down the field.
— Clean operator when in rhythm. Plays with proper footwork and a smooth, repeatable throwing motion.
— Adequate accuracy, particularly to the short and intermediate ranges. More of a touch thrower.
— Arm strength wavers at times. Struggles to generate velocity when knocked off his spot. Concerning given his injury history.
— Athletic testing does not show up on film outside the pocket. Not really a scrambling threat; does not often pull away from defenders.
— Too many plays where he is far too aggressive given his physical limitations. Leads to contested throws and interceptions.
— Production waned each season, partially because of injuries.
— 8 G, 153-266 (57.5%), 1,716 YDS (6.5 AVG), 12 TD, 6 INT; 29 ATT, -41 YDS (-1.4 AVG), 3 TD
— 3-star recruit in USC’s 2019 class, per 247Sports
— Transferred from USC to Pitt in 2022, then from Pitt to BYU in 2023
— 2019 Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year
— Attended 2024 Shrine Bowl
— Minor elbow injury in 2019; shoulder injury late in 2020; ulnar nerve injury and strained elbow tendon in 2023
Kedon Slovis is an experienced player with enough pocket maturity and accuracy to stick around in the NFL.
Slovis started as a true freshman for USC back in 2019, taking over for JT Daniels. Slovis’ command of the pocket and accuracy immediately allowed him to succeed with a few NFL pass-catchers at his disposal.
Despite sporting a firmly average build, Slovis is fearless in the pocket. He does not mind taking hits to get throws out. Rarely is it ever Slovis’ first instinct to leave the pocket at the first sign of trouble. Instead, he more often shows efficient pocket movement while keeping his eyes down the field. Slovis very much operates to see plays through from the pocket.
Slovis is also a reliable operator when kept clean, especially in the 1-15 yard range. He plays with smooth, rhythmic footwork and a repeatable throwing motion. Those skills allow Slovis to throw with good touch accuracy to the short and intermediate range.
With all of that being said, Slovis struggles when things go haywire. For as tough as he is in the pocket, Slovis lacks the arm talent to generate velocity from compromised positions. His arm talent is mediocre as well, so losing anything in those moments is detrimental to his ability to guide the ball.
The problem is that Slovis too often tries to make high-risk throws anyway. He is aggressive and creative to a fault given his middling physical skills. There are too many times where Slovis needs to let a play die and live for the next down, but he instead jams a throw into traffic. He won’t get away with that in the NFL.
If Slovis can better understand his own skill set and play within himself, he can be a very effective backup. He already operates well from the pocket and throws the 1-15 yard range well enough to be useful. With that said, Slovis is a low-ceiling prospect who will likely top out as a capable spot starter.
GRADE: 5.6 (Backup/Draftable — 6th/7th Round)
PRO COMPARISON: Mike White
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