Brian Quick (Appalachian State)

-- Courtesy of Rob Moore / Watauga Democrat

Height: 6034     Weight: 222     40 Time: 4.55     Bench: 15     Vertical: 34.0     Broad: 9’9

Final Grade: 8.3

Player Comparison: Terrell Owens

Projected Draft Position: Early Second

Background/Character:

Despite not playing prep football until his senior year of high school, Quick has put his name on the map after a very productive four-year career in the Division I FCS. Prior to pursuing football, Quick was a highly-touted basketball player, hence the impressive athleticism. Quick’s collegiate experience was just as much about personal maturity as it was about football maturity. Quick increased his production each season and served as an influential leader in the locker room. Quick demonstrated his hard work and commitment after successfully returning from a back injury as a freshman. At the same time, Quick was forced to familiarize and learn the speed of collegiate football in a short time period. He did so successfully, breaking numerous school and division records. Interviews reveal Quick as a humble and well-spoken athlete with a team-first mentality. Hard work is arguably Quick’s greatest attribute, but teams will likely fall in love with his athleticism and think of other former-basketball player’s success in the NFL.

Athleticism:

As a former basketball prep star, Quick is a very well-built athlete with a thick and chiseled frame. In addition to his preportionate build, Quick possesses impressive leaping ability, as well as the immense wingspan, to create a huge receiving target. Quick is flexible, yet delicate along the sidelines–with unique skills of contorting his body to make catches while staying in bounds. Although not superb in acceleration, Quick has deceiving speed as a long-stride runner with good top-end speed. He is a balanced runner that can change directions with ease and his natural body strength can help him to break would-be tackling defensive backs. Unlike some tall receivers, Quick carries his weight very well with fluid movement and coordination.

Running Ability:

Quick lacks the desired quickness off the line, but it’s far from a tarnish on his game. Quick still has the speed necessary to get past the secondary and he retains such when changing direction. Quick is explosive out of his breaks and he has the ability to turn-and-burn to earn yards after the catch by effectively digging and generating a strong drive from his legs. For someone that hasn’t played for as long as other prospects, Quick has impressive anticipation of the game and appears to be very speedy through plays when necessary. Quick’s frame doesn’t make for an easy tackle amongst most secondaries, but he can also be very elusive with a combination of speed and balance. Experience leads to a slight concern regarding Quick’s vision, as his anticipation is a developing characteristic to his game. Quick can avoid defenders once the ball is in his hands, but his anticipation as a part of his route-running is lacking at this stage in his career.

Receiving/Catching:

Quick’s impressive build and athleticism combine to make him a very attractive receiver in the NFL. Although Quick doesn’t yet have hands that would be considered “sure”, he does have good concentration on the ball and rarely looses sight of it all the way through the catch. Quick’s basketball background likely attributes to his rigid body control and ability to bend at multiple angles. In addition to his 81-inch wingspan, Quick also possesses large hands (9 7/8) that allow for him to extend and take control of how he’ll bring the ball in. With only a few years of organized football under his belt, Quick’s hands should develop over time and he’ll earn the “reliable” label soon enough. In the meantime, Quick will impress with his ability to make acrobatic catches by combining his large hands with other natural characteristics such as vertical leap, height, wingspan and explosive legs. As most receiver prospects do, Quick can sometimes allow the ball into his body, but he’s a hands-first pass-catcher. And even as his hands continue to develop, Quick’s ability to make a general play on the ball is impressive enough.

Receiving Technique:

Due to his limited football experience, Quick worked extremely hard on his route-running. Today, Quick is crisp in his routes, consistently creating separation and effectively using his body to box-out defenders. During his senior season, Quick made a lot of plays with curls, drags and outs–where he was given the ball and looked to earn extra yards. He was also very effective with fly routes, where his speed and size caused numerous mismatches in the FCS. Because of those matchups, Quick didn’t receive a lot of press-coverage from opponents and he may face a learning curve in shedding man-coverage at the next level. Quick’s body control helps him stay balanced in his routes and his size is never compromised–retaining form as a large target. Quick is also an effective blocker on the edge, using his strong hands and leverage to take defensive backs out of plays. Quick is far from finished as a developing receiver.

Summary:

Albeit amongst FCS competition, Brian Quick had some impressive production in his four collegiate seasons. With limited experience in organized football, Quick will face a learning curve at the next level, but it’s very manageable for a dedicated and hard-working young man. Quick has ideal size for the NFL receiver position, but he’s still developing in learning how to use it. Quick’s natural traits such as large hands, height, wingspan and leaping ability are very attractive. Coaches will like the target presented on the field and the fact that Quick can go and get balls. Quick’s football IQ is a work in progress, but coaches can be patient knowing that he’s a young man that’s willing to learn and commited to getting better as a player. No need for character concerns regarding Quick, as he is very well-spoken and humble, coming off as a natural leader in the locker room. Quick has the potential to be a playmaker in the NFL. Like others before him, Quick’s basketball background can help at the next level. Quick is progressing in his route-running, but it remains one of his strong suits. Once the ball is in his hands, Quick is explosive from his lower half and he doesn’t come as an easy tackle for defenders. Even without the ball, Quick is a quality football player–demonstrating his ability to block downfield and serve as a threatening decoy. Since his back injury in 2007, Quick hasn’t suffered any significant injuries. He has made his presence felt on the field ever since and his increased production each season is a direct result. Quick is arguably the best player in the FCS, but his success in the NFL won’t come as easy. Quick is raw, but not as large of a project as others. With his natural athleticism and body type, Quick can develop into a redzone target and his position will eventually begin to show in a short time. In terms of potential, Quick has all the tools to become a very productive No. 1 for a team that is willing to overlook his strength of competition in college and be patient with his expected development time of no more than two seasons.