Tyler Van Dyke, QB Miami: Offseason 2023 NFL Draft Profile
Van Dyke was a four-star recruit from Suffield Academy in Suffield, Conn. in the class of 2020
The Miami Hurricanes pivoted at quarterback last year when D'Eriq King suffered a season-ending injury. Tyler Van Dyke took over and showed immediate signs of NFL potential. The redshirt sophomore returns in 2022 for his second year as a full-time starter. Van Dyke could play his way into the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft if he shows improvements in his processing.
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Tyler Van Dyke, QB Miami: 2023 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Redshirt sophomore quarterback from Glastonbury, Conn.
Background: Van Dyke was a four-star recruit from Suffield Academy in Suffield, Conn. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 222 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 204 for Rivals, and No. 291 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 110th in the nation with an 84 grade out of 100. As a high school senior, Van Dyke completed 123 of his 200 pass attempts for 2,260 yards and 21 touchdowns. He produced 4,600 passing yards and 39 passing touchdowns in his final two high school seniors. Van Dyke helped Suffield Academy go undefeated and win the NEPSAC Class A Championship in 2019. He also played varsity baseball and was the Western New England Prep Baseball League Pitcher of the Year as a junior.
2021 Production: 10 games, 324 attempts, 202 completions, 2,931 yards, 25 touchdowns, 6 interceptions + 53 carries, 57 yards, 1 rushing touchdown
2020 Production: 2 games, 2 attempts, 0 completions (Redshirt Year)
Injuries & Off-Field: N/A
Awards: 2021 ACC Rookie of the Year, 2021 ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year
Pros: Time to throw is within NFL parameters, possesses prototypical height and weight, extremely high percentage of big plays, willing to tuck and run when no one is open, longest throw I charted traveled 55 yards, doesn’t have an elite arm but it’s above-average for college football and won’t limit him in the NFL, flashes of driving the ball into small windows, puts pretty touch on the ball at all levels of the field, uses his eyes to manipulate the defense, throws with anticipation, knows when to slide and avoid contact, stands in the pocket and make throws despite defenders barreling down on him, jaw-dropping flashes indicate a high ceiling for accuracy and downfield touch, drops the ball in a bucket, has enough mobility to escape the pocket and extend plays
Cons: Had six passes batted at the line of scrimmage, one-year starter, significant drop off in his play and production when pressured or playing out of structure, three fumbles in 2021, lacks the speed and agility to consistently cause damage with his legs, has a bit of a sidearm throwing motion with a release that needs refinement, instances where he needs to drive the ball with more zip instead of floating it, some strange misfires where he airmailed throws, stats were boosted by a high number of screens and one-read plays, sometimes his receivers have to ease up for his deep throws, uses a wider base than usual, suffers from some of the pre- and post-snap processing problems that plague inexperienced quarterbacks
Overview: Van Dyke is unofficially listed at 6'4", 224 lbs. I wouldn’t call his arm elite by NFL standards, but it’s above-average. Van Dyke loved pushing the ball downfield in his first year as a starter, which came about by surprise when D'Eriq King’s season ended prematurely. Van Dyke’s touch might be the most impressive among the quarterbacks I’ve studied so far. He drops dimes at all levels of the field. However, I would like to see him drive the ball more often on some intermediate throws where his touch actually limits the pass catcher’s YAC potential. Van Dyke possesses limited mobility, but he’s able to extend plays outside of the pocket and take advantage of open grass in front of him. His accuracy ranges from pinpoint to “what the heck?” possibly as a result of his current throwing motion and footwork. With refinement, Van Dyke could hit the high-end of his accuracy spectrum more often. Experience should cure most of the redshirt sophomore’s warts, including his post-snap processing and struggles in off-script situations. Miami’s offense is changing this offseason, which could take away some of the screens and one-read looks that padded Van Dyke’s stats in 2021.
Overall, Van Dyke flashed all of the advanced tools and traits NFL teams want in a pocket passer. He still needs to get up to speed when it comes to processing defenses, but he’s already shown potential in that area. Van Dyke isn’t a first round pick at this time, but he’s on the cusp of developing into one.
Role & Scheme Fit: Pocket passer in a spread offensive scheme
Round Projection: Early Second to Late Second
Player Comparison: N/A
Submitted: 08-01-22