For a lot of 25-year-olds, a job interview may contain them searching for a brand new alternative, or maybe a step up the company ladder.
For Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough, his run by means of the lengthy and unusual course of that’s the NFL Draft, described as many because the world’s oddest job interview, is a matter of him searching for his first.
Shough spent seven years in school, starting his collegiate journey as a backup at Oregon, the place he spent his first three seasons. He then transferred to Texas Tech and finally Louisville, the place his closing season of faculty soccer has put him firmly within the dialogue as a possible first-round choice.
Even when the quarterback he backed up at Oregon, Justin Herbert, is lower than two years older than him regardless of having a wealth of NFL expertise below his belt.
“I really feel like I verify lots of these packing containers for groups,” Shough mentioned of his age and damage historical past when assembly with the media on the NFL Scouting Mix. “The media knocks on me for the age and damage historical past, however I believe as soon as groups perceive that, one, I believe the age and expertise is a optimistic, and two, the damage historical past isn’t actually an damage historical past. It’s simply I had a pair damaged bones, and it hasn’t affected me. I believe, if something, it’s helped me out.”
Let’s dive into that lengthy street to the NFL Draft for the Louisville product, earlier than outlining why he nonetheless may hear his identify referred to as on Thursday night time.
Tyler Shough’s lengthy street to the NFL Draft
Throughout his recruiting cycle, Shough was thought of a four-star recruit and ranked because the No. 2 quarterback in Arizona. He took over because the beginning quarterback at Hamilton Excessive College in Chandler as a junior, and the staff completed with a 7-5 document.
The yr was 2016.
Whereas the staff’s efficiency noticed their season finish within the 6A quarterfinals, Shough’s private manufacturing put him on the radar of packages throughout the nation. Thought-about one of many high pro-style quarterbacks within the 2018 Recruiting Class, Shough entertained gives from a number of high packages, together with Georgia and Alabama. He even gave an preliminary verbal dedication to North Carolina in the summertime earlier than his senior yr.
He finally reversed course, committing to Oregon the subsequent winter.
Shough noticed spot motion throughout his first yr in Eugene, enjoying in three video games earlier than redshirting the remainder of the 2018 season. However he entered the 2019 marketing campaign because the backup to Herbert, who was a senior, and the “inheritor obvious” at quarterback for the Geese. In backup responsibility Shough performed in eight video games, finishing 12-of-15 passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns. He noticed important motion in Oregon’s blowout win over Nevada, the place he accomplished 8-of-9 passes for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Athletic did a deep dive into his prolonged motion that Saturday, which you’ll be able to dive into right here.
Finally, Herbert discovered his strategy to the Los Angeles Chargers, and Shough entered the 2020 season because the anointed beginning quarterback.
Then, the world modified.
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic noticed the Pac-12 wait to start play till November, utilizing a shortened schedule. Shough guided the Geese to a win of their season opener over Stanford, and Oregon started the yr with three consecutive wins. However back-to-back losses to Oregon State and California dropped the Geese to 3-2 and had many questioning if Shough was the inheritor obvious that was promised.
Oregon’s sixth scheduled recreation towards Washington was canceled because the Huskies handled a COVID-19 outbreak, and as a substitute of that recreation deciding who would signify the Pac-12 North within the convention title recreation, Oregon was awarded the spot.
Shough began that recreation towards USC, however switch quarterback Anthony Brown noticed important motion in Oregon’s win over the Trojans. Whereas Shough bought the beginning towards Iowa State within the Fiesta Bowl, Brown noticed important enjoying time. The 98-yard landing drive Brown orchestrated within the second quarter modified the dialogue in Eugene across the QB place, as did Brown ending the day as Oregon’s main passer.
Weeks later Shough entered the switch portal.
Shough introduced on February 22, 2021, that he was transferring to Texas Tech, and entered a three-way battle for the beginning quarterback spot that spring.
In August head coach Matt Wells introduced that Shough can be the staff’s beginning quarterback, and the Pink Raiders started the yr with three straight wins.
Their fourth recreation, towards Texas, noticed the most recent hurdle in Shough’s profession. The quarterback threw a Decide Six within the second quarter and was injured on the play. The analysis was a damaged collarbone.
Shough returned to motion for the 2022 season and was once more the beginning quarterback for the Pink Raiders to open the season. However he reinjured the collarbone in Week 1.
He didn’t return till late October, however was the staff’s beginning quarterback down the stretch, and accomplished 24-of-39 passes for 242 yards, a landing, and an interception in Texas Tech’s 42-25 win over Mississippi within the Texas Bowl.
“I had a damaged (left) collarbone in 2021 that I didn’t get surgical procedure on, after which the primary time I bought hit once more, it broke. As soon as I bought surgical procedure, I used to be again working quarterback counter and energy, and it hasn’t affected me since,” mentioned Shough on the Mix.
2023 was purported to be totally different for Shough, however it was sadly extra of the identical. Texas Tech started the yr with him because the beginning quarterback, but in addition with losses to Wyoming and Oregon. A 41-3 win over Tarleton State helped proper the ship, however Shough was not precisely spectacular within the victory, finishing 10-of-20 passes for 123 yards and a landing.
Then got here their first convention recreation, and the most recent damage.
On a second-down play early within the recreation towards the Mountaineers he scrambled for a brief achieve and appeared to roll his ankle. On the subsequent snap, Shough dropped to throw and seemed to roll that ankle once more after throwing a move, and dropped to the turf.
He stayed down and was ultimately carted off with an air solid round his decrease left leg. He had damaged his fibula.
“Then I bought hip dropped (in 2023). There wasn’t actually something I may do to forestall it, but when something, like I mentioned earlier than, it sort of helped me out mentally, and the right way to be a coach, and add worth off the sector and nonetheless try to be a pacesetter,” described Shough on the Mix.
Shough’s season was over. He had six years of faculty soccer below his belt, however once more he was searching for a brand new house.
Shough ultimately discovered that, transferring to Louisville to play below Jeff Brohm. However on the time Shough signed with the Cardinals, there have been already questions on signing a quarterback with that damage historical past and 6 years of faculty soccer below their belt.
Brohm dismissed these as “unfortunate instances,” earlier than praising Shough’s expertise.
“We studied precisely what they had been,” Brohm mentioned in February of 2024. “We’ve had him in for a bodily. We analyzed every thing he had. We went by means of it in nice element. He’s had some unfortunate instances that occurred through the season which have brought about him to overlook some motion. That typically occurs, and typically it doesn’t. We’ve all had accidents all through our time.
He has a substantial amount of expertise,” Brohm mentioned of Shough. “He’s very expert; he can throw the soccer. He can see the sector. He’s 6-foot-4 ½, 6-5, and he’s performed lots of soccer. And, when he’s performed, he’s performed effectively, so these are all nice parts so as to add to your soccer staff.”
Brohm’s phrases appear prophetic now.
Shough’s closing yr in school — and his solely yr at Louisville — was the season he put all of his promise and potential collectively. He accomplished 62.7% of his passes for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns, towards simply six interceptions. He led Louisville to an 8-4 document, and whereas he opted out of the staff’s bowl recreation, he performed in each different contest this season.
It has been an extended and winding street for Shough to the draft, and he’s set to show 26 early throughout his rookie season. His standing as an older prospect — he would flip 30 throughout his fifth NFL season — coupled with that damage historical past has created some questions.
However Shough thinks how he has dealt with his lengthy street speaks volumes.
“I believe simply the mix of what I’ve gone by means of mentally and experience-wise, after which my bodily instruments,” he mentioned on the Mix. “I’ve performed much less ball than among the guys right here, regardless that I’m older, simply due to the state of affairs I’ve been in. So I really feel like there’s lots of untapped potential for me. I really feel just like the sky’s the restrict.
“I believe what has occurred in my previous has solely gave me that zeal to maintain going additional. It lit this little hearth beneath me, that I wish to go on the market and show myself proper: that I’m one of many the most effective guys. I believe for those who watch the tape, and watch what I can do, you’ll see loads fo nice stuff, and lots of stuff that I can enhance. I really feel like I’ve a excessive flooring, however I’ve a fair larger ceiling.”
Why Tyler Shough may nonetheless be a first-round decide
Even with this in depth damage historical past, and his “superior” age as a prospect, Shough is mentioned as a possible first-round choice.
Why?
A part of it’s the want for and significance of, the quarterback place across the league. A number of groups enter the 2025 NFL Draft hoping to bolster their quarterback rooms, and whereas two on the high of the draft — the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants — may move on quarterbacks inside the highest 5, they’re groups that would commerce again into the primary spherical to draft a QB and safe that desired fifth-year possibility.
However a significant a part of Shough’s story is what he can do together with his arm. Whereas he has flashed some athleticism and mobility throughout his profession, what he can do from the pocket stands out.
Take this play towards N.C. State, and watch how Shough makes use of his eyes to freeze the single-high security in the midst of the sector, earlier than ripping a bottom Bang-8 put up route:
Or this landing towards Miami, as he suits within the throw away from the leverage of the protection:
Then there may be this landing Shough delivers towards Jacksonville State, as he hangs within the face of stress within the pocket earlier than delivering a well-placed throw on a crossing route for a rating:
Nonetheless, the power to react to stress stays a prerequisite for a quarterback within the NFL at this time. Whereas Louisville didn’t use Shough a lot as a runner, he nonetheless can beat stress within the pocket just a few alternative ways. On this play towards SMU, Shough evades stress by first climbing the pocket after which rolling to his proper. He retains his eyes downfield, and delivers a deep throw on a nook route that turns into an 86-yard landing:
Then there may be this play, that can completely be featured when Shough is drafted. Going through stress towards SMU within the low pink zone, he escapes the pocket to his left, however finds a strategy to drop his arm angle whereas rolling to the left to make this throw:
There are alternative ways quarterbacks can keep away from stress, whether or not by means of athleticism or adjusting their arm angle, and Shough has proven the power to do each.
“I believe I can get it performed in a number of methods,” Shough mentioned in Indianapolis. “Clearly, I used to be working much more designed quarterback runs at Texas Tech, and that simply wasn’t a part of the offense at Louisville. I believe I excelled in each methods, whether or not that’s extending performs with my toes, or creating performs and getting these these first downs, and getting down.”
Are these traits sufficient to miss that age and damage historical past?
On this draft cycle, they simply is likely to be.
