Getty Will Grier #7 of the West Virginia Mountaineers passes against the Oklahoma Sooners.
Will Grier has come a long way in his career. The West Virginia Mountaineer quarterback lit up stat sheets and scoreboards last fall to earn an invitation to the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine.
He first played collegiately for the Florida Gators. He arrived in Gainesville as a 4-star prospect per 247 Sports and started to shine during his redshirt freshman season. Through 6 games in 2015, he completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,202 yards, 10 touchdowns and just 3 picks.
He decided to transfer at the end of the season, as he suffered a suspension on Oct. 12 after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
He chose to saddle up with Mountaineer head coach Dana Holgersen in West Virginia. After sitting out a year due to transfer, he posted impressive numbers over in 2017 and 2018. Over 22 games over that stretch, Grier completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 7,354 yards and 71 touchdowns. He flashed running ability, too, as he tacked on five scores on the ground in two seasons.
He saved his best for last, amassing 539 yards and 4 touchdowns in a shootout loss to eventual Big XII champion Oklahoma. He was turnover-averse all year long, tossing just 8 interceptions versus 37 touchdowns in 2018.
He enters Lucas Oil Stadium this weekend with a chance to earn major looks from a few NFL contenders. Let’s take a look at his results, as well as potential landing spots.
Will Grier’s Latest NFL Combine Results
#NFLCombine key measurements thread…
142. #WestVirginia QB Will Grier
Height: 6-2 4/8
Weight: 217
Hand: 9 3/8
Arm: 31 4/8
Wingspan: 75 1/8
His legitimate 6-foot-2 frame is not quite towering. However, one of the teams taking an extended look at him is the New Orleans Saints. That’s a team that understands height isn’t everything, as former Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees is a generous 6-foot.
On the field at this time, he has recorded a 4.84 in the 40-yard dash. a 34-inch vertical and a 112-inch broad jump. He ran a 7.09-second time in the 3 Cone Drill and 4.28 second in the 20-yard shuttle.
Will Grier’s NFL Draft Stock
Grier didn’t start 2019 with a lot of positive buzz. Todd McShay provided this analysis during Senior Bowl week.
“West Virginia’s Will Grier was solid but unspectacular on Wednesday. I thought he got into a good rhythm in 7-on-7s, but he is really benefiting from having three Mountaineer pass-catchers on the roster.”
Also, Walter Football ranks him as the No. 7 signal-caller in this year’s class, even behind Northwestern’s Clayton Thorson. The site had this to say:
“Multiple team sources who have seen Grier in person say he has just average arm strength and has a hard time driving the ball when he can’t set his feet. Some in the media are pushing Grier as a first-round pick.”
With that said, top quarterback evaluators are looking at him as the quarterback of the future. In addition to the Saints, Pro Football Focus has Bill Belichick and the Patriots pointing to him as a potential heir apparent to Tom Brady, who will turn 42 next season.
In addition, Charger Wire pegged him as a “QB of the future” in place of Phillip Rivers.
When Will Grier Could Be Drafted
He may have to wait until the second or third day, but a quality franchise will pick him up. Between the Saints, Chargers and Patriots, he will enter a quarterback room with space to grow and develop into a potential starter a few years down the line.