Sam
Darnold.
Sam
Darnold.
USC· 6'3"· 221 lb· 4.85s 40
Sam Darnold is a good fit for a diverse range of pro-style NFL offenses, especially those that prioritize play-action and intermediate passing, adapting well to both West Coast timing and some spread concepts.
He can be a starter in Year 1, with a high ceiling to become a franchise quarterback capable of elevating an offense.
He would be a poor fit in a purely run-first, option-heavy college-style offense that limits his throwing opportunities.
Darnold's arm talent and ability to operate within structured offenses make him a versatile and attractive option for many NFL schemes.
Selected #3 overall in Round 1 of the 2018 NFL Draft by New York Jets out of USC.
Relative Athletic Score (Kent Lee Platte) benchmarks combine/pro-day numbers against every measured prospect at the position since 1987. 10.00 is elite; 5.00 is average.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 4.85sp50
- Vertical
- 26.5inp50
- Broad jump
- 105inp50
- Three-cone
- 6.96sp50
- Shuttle
- 4.40sp50
- Bench
- —rep
| Yr | Team | G | Cmp | Att | Yds | TD | Int |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | USC | 13 | 246 | 366 | 3086 | 31 | 9 |
| 2017 | USC | 14 | 303 | 480 | 4143 | 26 | 13 |
| Career | — | 27 | 549 | 846 | 7229 | 57 | 22 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Darnold started his career with the Jets, showing flashes but struggling with consistency and injuries. He later played for the Panthers and 49ers, primarily serving as a backup quarterback.