2011 NFL Draft Profile: Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick-QB-Nevada:  6’4″  #225

Strengths-Is a fantastic athlete.  Has dynamic running ability and can take over a game with his feet.  Has a strong but not elite arm.  Can make all the throws if he uses proper mechanics and footwork.  Displays great velocity on fastball throws.  Has a slightly elongated delivery.  Shows the ability to throw well on the move with good accuracy and strength.  Shows nice touch on deep ball.  Has very solid accuracy on all levels. Has improved his accuracy every year of his college career.   Shows good poise in tough situations and can be counted on to make plays in critical situations.  Seems to be a good character kid and shows the ability to be a team leader on and off the field. 

Weaknesses-Has a slight frame and will need to bulk up in order to take an NFL pounding.  Has questionable ball security when on the run.  Does not have elite arm strength.  Uses fastball velocity to make up for long delivery.  Will lock onto a WR.  Needs to work on using his eyes and pump fakes to move defenders.  Does not consistently go through his progressions.  

NFR Draft Analysis-Kaepernick has exceptional physical tools.  He is still a raw and unfinished project who will have to fine tune some mechanics and learn a pro-style offense.  Based on his high ceiling Kaepernick could find himself in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft.  We think he is a very solid 3rd round choice for a team with some time to develop a young QB.

NFL Comparison- ???

Stats Overview Passing YEAR CMP ATT YDS CMP% YPA LNG TD INT SACK RAT 2007 133 247 2175 53.8 8.81 74 19 3 18 150.77 2008 208 383 2849 54.3 7.44 75 22 7 16 132.10 2009 166 282 2052 58.9 7.28 56 20 6 13 139.14 2010 233 359 3022 64.9 8.42 79 21 8 10 150.46

2010: Poised to become one of the premier quarterbacks in the country after three record-breaking seasons at Nevada … Has been named to the Watch List for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award … Has been named to the Watch List for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award … Also named to the Watch Lists for the Walter Camp Award and the Maxwell Award … Has been named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year by Lindy’s … Has legitimate chance to become Nevada’s all-time leader in total offense as well as other passing categories, including touchdowns … Enters the season ranked 13th on the NCAA’s career rushing TDs by a quarterback list and ranks 12th on the all-time rushing yards by a QB list … Needs roughly 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards passing to become just the second player in NCAA history to rush for 4,000 yards and throw for 8,000 yards (Brad Smith, Missouri) … Needs 694 rushing yards to be fourth player in NCAA history to throw for 7,000 yards and rush for 3,500 yards.
2009: Earned All-WAC honors again as he was named to the league’s second team … Earned the team’s Golden Helmet Award as the Most Valuable Player … Named Honorable Mention All-America by The Sporting News … Became the 10th quarterback in NCAA history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons … Became just the second player in NCAA history to record back-to-back seasons of 2,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing … Was part of an NCAA-record-setting Nevada team that became the first squad in history to have three players rush for 1,000 yards in the same season  … Rushed for 100 yards in a game five times, including a 230-yard output against Idaho that featured a career-long 75-yard TD run … Became one of just six players in NCAA history to have scored 200 points and passed for 200 points in a career … Became just the 13th player in NCAA history to rush for 2,000 yards and pass for 4,000 yards in a career … Ranks in the top 10 in most rushing and passing categories in Nevada history and is second all-time in total offense … Captured two more WAC Player of the Week awards (against Louisiana Tech and against Idaho) … He scored 16 rushing TDs and also had a receiving touchdown … Was voted the Western Athletic Conference’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year by the league’s media for this season … Was named to the Watch List for the Maxwell Award, which is given annually to the nation’s most outstanding player … Was named to the Watch List for the Davey O’Brien Award, given annually to the nation’s top quarterback … Was named to the Watch List for the Manning Award, which is awarded annually after the bowl season to the nation’s top quarterback … Named first-team Preseason All-WAC by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview … Named first-team Preseason All-WAC by Athlon Sports … Named first-team Preseason All-WAC by Lindy’s and was named the WAC’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
2008: Emerged as one of the country’s most dangerous quarterbacks with a strong arm and quick feet … His name was embedded in the national rankings in rushing, passing, pass efficiency, total offense and scoring … Preseason honors included: All-WAC Second Team by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview … All-WAC Second Team by Athlon Sports … All-WAC Second Team by Lindy’s … He was named the Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year in voting by the league’s coaches following the regular season, becoming the second Nevada player, and first Wolf Pack quarterback to win that honor (B.J. Mitchell, 2005) … He is the only quarterback in Nevada history to rush for more than 1,000 yards and he is just the fifth quarterback in NCAA Division I-A (FBS) history to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season … Finished the season 1,130 yards rushing, which ranks 22nd in NCAA history for rushing yards by a quarterback in a season … Rushed for at least 100 yards in a game four times (against UNLV, Hawai`i, Fresno State and San Jose State), including 240 yards against UNLV, the most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback in school history … Threw at least one touchdown in every game except for the opening win against Grambling State, in which he scored three rushing touchdowns … Threw for 767 yards and seven touchdowns in Nevada’s final two games of the season, at Louisiana Tech and against Maryland in the Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl game … His 102 points and 17 touchdowns scored are fifth on Nevada’s single-season lists … Other single-season top 10 marks included: total offense (second), rushing yards (14th overall, most by a QB), rushing touchdowns (second), passing yards (ninth), passing touchdowns (t-10th), completions (ninth) and attempts (ninth).
2007: Burst onto the scene in the fifth game of the year when he replaced the injured Nick Graziano at quarterback … Became the second Nevada player ever to be named the WAC Freshman of the Year (joining Chance Kretschmer, 2001) … In less than nine full games (eight starts), threw for 2,175 yards with 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions … Was second on the team, and eighth in the WAC, with 53.9 rushing yards per game … Also scored six rushing TDs … Was 10th nationally and third in the WAC in pass efficiency with a mark of 150.8 … Was fifth in the WAC and 41st nationally in total offense at 251.6 yards per game … Earned WAC Player of the Week award for his performance at New Mexico State, in which he accounted for five touchdowns with 237 yards passing and 136 yards rushing … Named rivals.com National Freshman of the Week for his play at Boise State: 243 yards passing with three touchdowns and 177 yards and two scores rushing … ESPN analyst Bill Curry called Kaepernick “the best young freshman quarterback I have ever seen in my life” during the Boise State game … Given the team’s Fireman’s Award for stepping up in a time of need … Earned honorable mention freshman All-America honors from The Sporting News and College Football News.

Some bio material provided by www.nevadawolfpack.com