In the early part of 2010, Jake Locker was a can’t-miss NFL prospect. The 6’2’’, 230 lb. quarterback with 4.5 speed and a rocket arm seemed destined to become the first overall pick in that April’s draft. Locker had different ideas, however, and decided to return to the University of Washington for his senior season.
A year later, the can’t-miss tag had been removed from Locker’s scouting report, thanks to a dismal final collegiate season in which he completed just 55.4 percent of his passes and was overshadowed by Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. Locker eventually dropped to Tennessee, with the eighth pick in the 2011 draft and some analysts thought he should have fallen even further.
Locker’s fall in the eyes of NFL scouts prior to the draft might turn out be a blessing in disguise for the Washington native before all is said and done. Without the expectations that are attached with being the first overall pick, Locker was able to act as Matt Hasselbeck’s understudy during his rookie season and ease into his role as the Titans’ quarterback of the future.
Locker was officially named Tennessee’s starter before the 2012 season, but struggled during that campaign, throwing more interceptions (11) than touchdowns (10) and was limited to 11 games thanks to a shoulder injury. Even worse, the Titans finished the season a disappointing 6-10.
After last season’s dismal play, there was certainly reason to be skeptical that Locker would ever deliver on the promise that once made him the hottest quarterback prospect in the country. The 25-year old has quieted many of those skeptics in 2013, as he has finally turned some of his “potential” into “results.”
The biggest hole in Locker’s game has always been his accuracy; he had never completed more than 58 percent of his passes in a season in either college or the NFL prior to 2013, but this year he has raised his completion percentage to a solid 61.8, up from 56.4 a year ago.
That improvement in accuracy has also helped the Titans’ signal-caller dramatically improve on his subpar (and that’s being kind) TD:INT rate from a year ago. Locker has thrown eight touchdowns and just one interception this season, by far the highest ratio in the league.
Locker’s improved overall play can perhaps best be described by his Total Quarterback Rating (67.8) and his passer rating (97.1), both of which rank ninth in the NFL, ahead of such names as Matthew Stafford and Tom Brady.
I already wrote about Locker in this week’s Who’s Up, Who’s Down (there’s my shameless plug of the week), but I decided the quarterback’s breakout season needed a whole article, mostly because he has become one of my favorite players to watch as the season has progressed.
Part of what makes Locker so exciting for fans is the reckless abandon with which he plays; he uses his size and speed well when he decides to tuck the ball and run. That fearlessness has earned him a 7.1 yards per carry average and has helped the Titans go 3-2 in games he’s started, cementing his previously shaky status as Tennessee’s long-term quarterback.
Locker missed two games due to a hip injury sustained against the Jets in Week 4, but returned in Week 7 to throw 326 yards and two touchdowns against the eighth-ranked San Francisco pass defense. Coming off a Week 8 bye, the Titans face the struggling pass defenses of St. Louis and Jacksonville in Weeks 9 and 10 respectively, so the quarterback should be in line for more big games in the coming weeks.
Based on that prognosis, it would be a good idea to pick up Locker off the waiver wire, where he currently resides in over 94 percent of ESPN leagues. If you’re struggling at quarterback, he might just help salvage your season as the fantasy playoffs approach. Locker is once again a can’t-miss quarterback.
Dylan Sinn is a freelance contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSinn or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty
