Scout’s Corner: Matt Barkley, QB, USC Scouting Report

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Every week on Tuesday and Thursday, we will focus on one of the draft eligible prospects for the 2013 NFL Draft. At season’s end, we will have compiled a healthy stockpile of scouting reports for you all to use as you gear up for the draft. Scout’s Corner will feature in-depth scouting report that will be updated with regularity. You will be able to find all of the scouting reports in one spot by just CLICKING HERE.

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Today, we will take a look at one the top quarterbacks in the upcoming draft class — USC’s Matt Barkley. Barkley was talked about as a potential top ten pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, but he opted to return to Southern Cal for another season with an all-star cast of wide receivers.

The additional year of experience running the USC offense should only benefit Barkley as he prepares for his NFL career.

NOTE: All measurables taken from Barkley’s athletic bio.

Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 230-pounds

Strengths: There is no doubt about it. Barkley is a very poised and accurate quarterback, who has shown to have the intelligence you want in your franchise signal-caller. His mechanics are solid and he demands his teammates respect in the huddle.

Barkley projects very well into a west coast offense and his experience running a pro-system at USC will only benefit him in the long run. Many teams will look at a quarterback’s intangibles and accuracy while deciding if he is a top prospect. Barkley is off the charts in those regards.

Weaknesses: A big knock on Barkley is his average arm strength. He will not blow you away by having a cannon of an arm, but a strong arm is not the only attribute that translates to success at the next level. Barkley often times does not get enough zip on his throws. Another question surrounding Barkley is whether or not his wide receivers make him appear better than he really is.

On top of the arm strength concerns, Barkley is not a stand out athlete. He gets the job done in the pocket, but he will not impress you with world class athleticism.

Overview: Despite his mediocre arm strength, Barkley still grades out very high and should go in the top half of round one. His mechanics, accuracy and intelligence should make up for the fact that he does not have a cannon attached to his shoulder. Barkley may not be a prospect the caliber of Andrew Luck, but he is a very good signal-caller that could work under center in the NFL for many years.

As mentioned earlier, his best fit appears to be in a west coast offense.

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