Chicago Bears 2020 Draft: Stanford QB K.J. Costello
Mitch Trubisky sounded like a man who had suddenly found an edge he didn’t have before. There was an anger in his voice and frankness to his words as he answered questions. Clearly the guy is feeling more pressure than he ever has in his NFL career. That’s not a surprise. For the first time, it genuinely feels like he’s playing for his future. The aura of him being a top pick is long gone. Another few bad games like the one against New Orleans and he could be done. That is why the Chicago Bears 2020 draft outlook continues to involve quarterbacks.
Odds are GM Ryan Pace is doing his due diligence on this subject each week. Could that plan involve K.J. Costello of Stanford? The program does have a history of churning out some decent signal-callers. John Elway and Andrew Luck being the biggest. Costello is hoping to follow in their footsteps. So what might the Bears get if they decide to add him next April?
Chicago Bears 2020 draft breakdown of K.J. Costello
Strengths:
- At 6’5, he has the ideal size that teams look for. Not just a tall size either. Has adequate bulk to him as well.
- While not a pure scrambler, he has the kind of mobility that makes him a threat to run if teams don’t respect it.
- Decisive with his throws. When he sees a man he believes is open, there is no hesitation. He turns it loose with authority.
This showcases Costello at his best. He gets the snap and surveys the field. Doesn’t panic as the play develops and shows good footwork as he goes through his progressions. When he finds the throw he wants, he doesn’t hold back. He delivers the ball with good touch and authority. Everything is perfect from the accuracy to the ball placement. Only his receiver could’ve gotten that.
- Polished fundamentals. He shows the kind of footwork that most college QBs don’t have coming out.
- Does a good job of managing games and not putting the ball in harm’s way unless he has no choice.
- Pocket presence is above average. Shows a willingness to climb away from pressure and stay calm while finding the open man.
Weaknesses:
- Arm strength isn’t bad but nobody would call it top tier. Doesn’t seem capable of taking that deep shot.
- Somewhat elongated throwing motion. Has a bit of a windup to it which can open him up to strip-sacks.
- Most of his throws are the same in terms of velocity. They’re all line drives. He doesn’t seem to have the ability to alter speeds.
- His accuracy can be lethal at times but then it sometimes disappears. Can be quite streaky in this regard. Same goes for his ball placement.
- Not prone to taking a lot of deep shots. Most of his throws are relegated to the short-to-intermediate range.
- Doesn’t handle pressure the best. Makes some questionable decisions with the ball when he doesn’t feel comfortable.
Pro Comparison: Byron Leftwich
Leftwich was a big quarterback known for his ability to survey the field and deliver the football with authority. He could move pretty well for his size and never believed he was out of a game. At the same time, his inability to find a changeup on his velocity and his lack of a consistent deep ball were persistent themes in his career. Not to mention his somewhat slower throwing motion. He had some really good moments in the NFL but ended up as a journeyman backup.
Projection: 5th round
Costello has enough in his game to make one think he might be a decent starter in the NFL if he lands in the right system. One that commits to running the football and lets him take advantage off play action. However, his inconsistent accuracy and limited deep ball will turn a lot of teams off in what is a pass-first league. It feels like he will be a mid-to-late round type of player a team will try to develop into something more.