Tyson Bagent, QB Shepherd: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Bagent was a zero-star recruit from Martinsburg High School in Martinsburg, W.Va. in the class of 2018

Shepherd quarterback Tyson Bagent is one of the true wild cards in the 2023 NFL Draft. After impressing analysts and scouts by outperforming his D-I counterparts at the Senior Bowl, Bagent should hear his name called on Day 3 of the draft.

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Tyson Bagent, QB Shepherd: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Fifth year senior quarterback from Martinsburg, W.Va.

Background: Bagent was a zero-star recruit from Martinsburg High School in Martinsburg, W.Va. in the class of 2018. He passed for 7,800 yards and 112 touchdowns in high school, leading Martinsburg to two state championships. Bagent also lettered in basketball. His father (Travis Bagent) played baseball for Shepherd and has won 28 arm wrestling world championships.

Injuries & Off-Field: Participated in 53 games at Shepherd

Awards: 2018 First-Team All-MEC, 2019 Second-Team All-PSAC East, 2021 D-II First-Team All-American (Associated Press), 2021 First-Team All-PSAC East, 2021 PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year, 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy, 2022 D-II Second-Team All-American (Associated Press), 2022 First-Team All-PSAC East, 2022 PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year, NCAA all-time passing touchdowns record

Pros: Possesses an NFL frame, enough mobility to navigate the pocket, keeps feet aligned with good base, feet are active but not toesy, good job loading and transferring weight between feet on throws in clean pocket, keeps body aligned on throws, uses eyes to hold defenders, creative arm angles and slots, uses a faster whip release when pressured, drives the ball downfield into tight windows with velocity, throws with anticipation, understands holes in zone and how to protect his receivers, instances of touch on downfield throws, layers the ball well between defenders, strong use of back shoulder throws

Cons: Competition level, not physically imposing despite facing lower-level competition, lacks the speed to gash defenses, lean build, arm talent doesn’t allow access to all deep throws, inconsistent throwing motion and release, looping release that drops down low, sidearm delivery, release delays the throw a little bit, double clutches that result in him holding the ball too long, needs to show more focus on consistent form throughout the throwing process, occasionally drifts into pressure, ball security concerns as a carrier, will challenge double coverage throwing off his back foot, accuracy and touch on short throws are lacking, ball placement is still inconsistent, doesn’t consistently get through progressions to find open receivers, slow to work through progressions, gets stuck on reads, doesn’t always trust his eyes and decision making, doesn’t always get his feet set when throwing from outside the pocket, fades away on throws when he senses pressure

Overview: Bagent took official measurements at the NFL Combine. He’s 6026 and weighs 213 lbs. with 9 1/2’’ hands. He had a 75 3/8-inch wingspan at the Senior Bowl. Bagent excelled at the D-II level, setting the NCAA record with 159 career passing touchdowns. He has enough mobility to navigate the pocket and extend some plays. The former zero-star recruit maintains a good base and keeps his feet aligned. His feet remain active throughout the play but avoid getting toesy. Bagent smoothly loads and transfers weight between his feet on clean pocket throws and keeps his body aligned. The Senior Bowl participant uses eyes to hold defenders and accesses creative arm angles and slots. He’ll speed up his delivery with a whip release when pressured. Bagent drives the ball downfield into tight windows with velocity. There are flashes of him throwing with anticipation. He displays a strong understanding of holes in zone and how to protect his receivers from big collisions. There are instances of Bagent throwing with touch downfield. He layers throws between defenders and excels at back shoulder throws. The Shepherd product overcame a limited supporting cast that often dropped passes or allowed immediate pressure in pass protection. However, he benefitted from air raid concepts Shepherd deployed, especially against low-level competition that often busted in coverage. Bagent wasn’t physically imposing at the D-II level and lacks the speed to threaten defenses with his legs. His arm is NFL-caliber but doesn’t allow access to all deep throws. Inconsistency is the name of the game for Bagent. His accuracy, ball placement, throwing motion, release, footwork, and processing all feature high levels of variance. The West Virginia native’s release is looping and dips down low. He’ll default to a sidearm delivery at times, and his release occasionally delays his delivery. Bagent doesn’t always trust his eyes and decision making, which leads to him double-clutching and holding the ball too long. These instances invite pressure. The fifth-year senior drifts into pressure, and his ball security as a carrier is suspect. Arm arrogance pops up on Bagent’s tape as he’ll challenge double coverage throwing off his back foot. The D-II All-American’s accuracy and touch on short throws are lacking. His ball placement varies at all levels. His lack of development working through progressions and NFL concepts is a big sticking point. Bagent is slow working through his progressions and gets stuck on reads. He sometimes fails to work through his progressions and misses an open receiver. Bagent doesn’t get his feet set when throwing from outside the pocket and frequently fades away on throws when sensing pressure. Despite all of these concerns, Bagent was by far the most impressive quarterback during the three practice days at the Senior Bowl. Jake Haener ultimately performed better in the game, but Bagent easily outclassed his competition in Mobile. He captured fewer eyes at the Scouting Combine but still looked like he belonged among the crop of experienced D-I athletes.

Overall, Bagent is a multi-year project facing the steepest learning curve of any quarterback in the 2023 class. Teams shouldn’t expect him to play at all as a rookie, and there’s a chance he won’t be ready for backup duties in 2024. However, Bagent offers more upside than many of his D-I counterparts and possesses some clear NFL traits. He’s worth a late round flier for a team with an aging quarterback or one preparing for a rebuilding cycle.

Role & Scheme Fit: Play action-heavy vertical passing offense

Round Projection: Late Sixth to UDFA

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 03-08-23