Hall of Famer Bill Polian, who built the Indianapolis Colts around Peyton Manning, doesn’t have high hopes for Lamar Jackson as an NFL quarterback.
Speaking about Jackson during a segment on ESPN, Polian said Jackson doesn’t have the frame or raw passing ability to become a successful NFL passer.
“Short and a little bit slight,” Polian said of Jackson. “Clearly, clearly not the thrower that the other guys are. The accuracy isn’t there.”
Polian’s comment about Jackson being short seems…short on substance. After all, we’re talking about a kid who’s listed as being 6-foot-3, and he’ll likely weigh in around 220 pounds or more at the NFL Scouting Combine later this month.
And in terms of “raw passing ability,” we’re really not sure what in the heck Polian is talking about. Here’s a prime example of the unbelievable talent this young man possesses, and that’s just scratching the surface.
All you need to know about what this scribe thinks about Jackson can be seen here. He’s a rare talent who has a chance to have a Cam Newton-esque impact on the NFL. Yet Polian would have him become an NFL receiver, rather than attempt to become a franchise passer.
“I think wide receiver,” Polian said. “Exceptional athelete, exceptional ability to make you miss, exceptional acceleration, exceptional instinct with the ball in his hand and that’s rare for wide receivers. That’s [Antonio Brown], and who else? Name me another one, Julio [Jones is] not even like that.”
Thankfully, Jackson isn’t going to be listening to Polian on this count. He’s dedicated to becoming an NFL quarterback, and the league will be better for it.