Phil Jurkovec, QB Boston College: Offseason 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Jurkovec was a four-star recruit from Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pa. in the class of 2018

Notre Dame transfer Phil Jurkovec caught the eyes of some scouts and analysts during his 2020 campaign with Boston College. Unfortunately, injuries prevented the former four-star recruit from putting together a complete showing in 2021. This coming year is the redshirt senior’s final chance to impress NFL front offices before entering the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Phil Jurkovec, QB Boston College: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt senior quarterback from Pittsburgh, Pa.

Background: Jurkovec was a four-star recruit from Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pa. in the class of 2018. He was the No. 83 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 87 for Rivals, and No. 90 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 126th in the nation with an 84 grade out of 100. Jurkovec completed 523 of 765 passes in high school for 11,144 total yards, 8,202 passing yards, and 71 touchdowns. As a high school senior, he completed 243 of 334 passes for 3,969 yards, 39 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 16 games. Jurkovec also rushed 132 times for 1,211 yards and 24 touchdowns. He amassed a state single-season record 5,180 total yards and led Pine-Richland High School to a 16-0 record and 2017 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association 6A state championship. He was the 2017 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Player of the Year. Jurkovec was selected for the 2018 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. He transferred from Notre Dame to Boston College in 2020.

2021 Production: 6 games, 96 attempts, 52 completions, 914 yards, 7 touchdowns, 4 interceptions + 50 carries, 322 yards, 5 touchdowns

2020 Production: 10 games, 336 attempts, 205 completions, 2,558 yards, 17 touchdowns, 5 interceptions + 77 carries, 150 yards, 3 touchdowns

2019 Production: 6 games, 16 attempts, 12 completions, 222 yards, 2 touchdowns + 22 carries, 130 yards

2018 Production: 2 games, 2 attempts, 0 completions (Redshirt Year)

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed half of his high school sophomore year (2015) with a thumb injury, missed one game in 2020, missed six games with a hand injury in 2021

Awards: N/A

Pros: Possesses prototypical height, very few passes batted at the line of scrimmage, upside as a runner and mobility to extend plays, contact balance is better than expected, acceleration is underrated even if it isn’t high-end, experience playing under center, plays with touch at all levels, Boston College’s offense featured limited screens, feet remain active in the pocket, quick release, takes checkdowns instead of forcing the action, smooth throwing motion, flashes of completing big plays on the move and off script, would rather throw low and away from the defender than throw a 50-50 ball that could be intercepted, ball traveled 45 air yards on a completion against Notre Dame (2020), shows good zip on short to intermediate throws, throws with anticipation and terrific ball placement on intermediate throws over the middle (seems to be his most accurate area)

Cons: Age, six fumbles in 2020, time to throw is consistently over three seconds, needs to add some weight, limited true downfield production, accuracy is hit or miss throwing on the run, handful of passes that seemed to die on him and fall short, sometimes throws off his back foot for no real reason, footwork and lower body mechanics need polishing, doesn’t consistently get through his progressions, struggled to diagnose pressure pre-snap against North Carolina (2020), runs himself into trouble, throwing motion leads to some low throws, ball placement must improve at all levels, occasionally telegraphs throws, deep accuracy is inconsistent, arm talent falls short of what other top quarterbacks in this class offer, command of the pocket is lacking

Overview: Jurkovec is unofficially listed at 6'5", 214 lbs. The Notre Dame transfer has solid mobility and above average contact balance that he uses to pick up tough yardage. There are also instances of him extending plays and connecting on big throws after avoiding pressure. Jurkovec has a fluid throwing motion and quick release. He drives the ball with good velocity on short to intermediate throws and displays touch at all levels of the field. There are flashes of excellent accuracy, anticipation, and ball placement on throws within 20 yards of the line of scrimmage. Unfortunately, Jurkovec’s lower body mechanics can be quite messy. He’ll fade away on throws, not set his feet properly, and sometimes run himself into pressure. His accuracy and ball placement overall are inconsistent. Jurkovec misses high on throws, but he primarily misses low. There were a few plays on sideline routes and deep routes where the ball just died on him before reaching the receiver. His arm talent doesn’t stack up well against the top quarterbacks in this class. Jurkovec shows inexperience in his pre- and post-snap reads. He often fails to get fully through his progressions and stares down targets.

Overall, Jurkovec lacks the polish and high-end potential to be an early Day 1 selection. He could rise into the first round with a Heisman-level campaign, but his injury history, unspectacular arm talent, and inconsistent play currently set his ceiling in the third round. Keep in mind, Jurkovec is inexperienced as a starter and could take a significant step forward in 2022.

Role & Scheme Fit: Pocket passer in a spread offensive scheme

Round Projection: Early Third to Early Fourth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 08-05-22