Where Arizona State's Sam Leavitt Can Be Even Better

Last season was the first for Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt. He threw for 24 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and completed 61.7 percent of passes. It was a year that helped the Sun Devils have a great postseason run. Leavitt had a lot to like, but are there some areas he could improve on?

The first area of improvement is Leavitt's ability to not stare down reads. Staring down reads refers to when the quarterback looks at the pass catcher he is going to throw to about 2-3 seconds right before he throws. 2-3 seconds may not seem like a long time, but in football, especially at the college and professional levels, it can be an eternity. This allows the opposing team's secondary to potentially deflect the ball or, even worse, intercept it.

This habit occurred frequently, especially during the Sun Devils' Week 1 blowout win against the Wyoming Cowboys and their Week 13 win against the BYU Cougars. In Week 1, it is understandable; as it was his first game as a Sun Devil. However, the fact that he still exhibited this trait in Week 13 was not ideal to see.

Many of these were deep balls as well, which were caught but could have led to dangerous plays. What could help Leavitt is to look off of his intended target. Let's say Leavitt wants to hit a deep post route to new Sun Devil Wide Receiver Jalen Moss, but as the route has to develops, Leavitt could look at another route before hitting Moss. This little detail could help Leavitt be one of the best pocket passers in the nation.

Speaking of receivers, one element that was a huge positive is Leavitt's chemistry with his playmakers, especially his receivers. There were so many plays where Leavitt made an insane throw that was hauled down by the Sun Devils' playmakers.

This trait was especially on display when the Sun Devils beat the Kansas State Wildcats. The play that stood out to me was in the third quarter, it was a 3rd and 9, Leavitt is under pressure and he delivers an absolute strike to Sun Devils Wide Receiver, Jordyn Tyson. Seeing this play happen for the first time was exciting.

Part of this has to do with Leavitt's release. I noticed as the season went on, his release got quicker. Another huge part is Leavitt's locker room presence. Having great chemistry with his playmakers shows that Leavitt has built up trust with his receivers.

Going back to an area of improvement, when Leavitt goes to throw, he often does not plant his back right foot as much as he should, which leads to the ball having less power as it travels downfield. This was especially noteworthy inASU's Week 14 game against the in-state rival, the University of Arizona Wildcats. There were many times in this game, even medium routes, where the ball did not travel as far as it could.

Now, Leavitt can hit a good deep ball, but there were many times while watching when the receivers had to go back to the ball, thus slowing down their momentum. This is a simple mechanical fix, and one that could greatly help Leavitt.

The second area of positivity that stood out to me is The first area of Leavitt's game that stood out to me positively is his ability to scramble. Leavitt not only harnesses great speed but can cut through angles while running.

Out of all the positives and negatives listed, this is the most important in my opinion. Leavitt being a mobile threat not only opens up the passing and running game, as opposing teams have to worry about Leavitt's legs; but could also help Leavitt translate to the NFL.

Some of the bet Quarterbacks in today's game whether it be Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, or recent Super Bowl winning QB, Jalen Hurts have the ability to scramble. So this could boost Leavitt's draft stock.

Overall, there is a lot of excitment going into next season for Leavitt! He has some areas to improve on, but also brings a lot of high upside to the table. What do you think of Sam Leavitt's game, let us know your thoughts on this story when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.