Jake Fromm is in line to start for the Giants in Week 14 against the Chargers should Mike Glennon not clear concussion protocol, meaning it's the appropriate time to get introduced to his skillset as a quarterback.
Of course, I thoroughly vetted Fromm during the 2020 pre-draft process, and my thoughts on his abilities as a passer are below. He was my QB7 in the 2020 NFL Draft, with a late fourth-round grade. The Buffalo Bills selected him in the fifth round at No. 167 overall.
If new offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens can piece together a rhythmic, quick-strike attack with an occasional deep shot off play-action, Fromm can be serviceable. As is the case for any young quarterback, keeping Fromm relatively clean will also be paramount to the Giants having success in Los Angeles.
Accuracy
This is one of the strong suits in Fromm's game. If he's going to succeed as an NFL quarterback, it'll be in large part due to his ability to surgically place the football where he wants it to go. Is he Drew Brees? No. But this is not a passer who will have many clear-cut misses each outing, and the ball placement on his accurate throws -- like does the ball properly lead a receiver? -- is typically good.
Of course, completion percentage isn't the sole indicator of a passer's accuracy, but it's a good place to start. Though Fromm's percentage dipped from 67.3 to 60.8% in his final season at Georgia, he routinely showcased quality ball placement to all three levels of the field, not just on underneath tosses, from a clean pocket.
Decision-making
Fromm's best attribute as a quarterback is the choices he makes with the football. He only committed seven "turnover-worthy plays," per TruMedia, with the Bulldogs in 2019, a low figure considering he dropped back to pass 414 times. That 1.6% rate of a turnover-worthy plays was on par with Joe Burrow's rate of 1.8% and noticeably better than Justin Herbert's (3.6%).
In his preseason action with the Bills, Fromm did not throw a pick -- nor have one dropped -- and in the vast majority of cases found the open receiver, although many of his reads appeared to be predetermined before the snap.
Pocket management
Believe it or not, Fromm leaves a little to be desired in this area of playing quarterback. Since he got plenty of experience at Georgia, it'd be easy to assume Fromm is a deft pocket mover. In reality, he was hardly pressured during his long tenure as the Bulldogs quarterback. Relatively speaking, he didn't get many in-game reps carefully sliding away from defenders in the pocket.
Does he have a horrible tendency to run into pressure or take off if his first read is covered? No. Fromm actually likes to get through his reads and is decently fast doing so. But pressure equates to a usually antsy, awkward Fromm as a passer.
Arm strength
Fromm is not an "arm talent" quarterback, meaning he's not capable of making accurate passes with velocity when pressured or when forced to improvise.
His overall arm strength is probably NFL average. Not a luxury, but not a major hindrance when he's protected well. Baked into this -- Fromm has a tight, compact delivery. The ball has a "jumping" effect out of his hand because of how quickly he releases it.
Fromm is aware of his arm strength, knowing he has to make anticipatory throws, which he did on occasion at Georgia. However, it's not a true speciality of his game.
Mobility
In the SEC, Fromm had enough functional mobility to scamper for an occasional conversion on third down when there was quality coverage downfield. And he showcased good awareness of when to do so at Georgia.
By today's NFL standards at the position, Fromm is a well-below-average athlete who shouldn't be expected to escape pressure or routinely pick up yards with his legs against any defense.
