Football is a game of quarterbacks. The most important position in football is the signal caller, so it’s vital to any team’s success that they have a great passer. So outside of Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, Trey Lance, and Mac Jones, who could be “the guy” for a lucky NFL team. That “guy” is Stanford QB Davis Mills. Of anyone outside of the big five of quarterbacks, I believe Mills has the most potential to be an above average quarterback in the NFL.
Measurables
Davis Mills stands at a stout 6’4″ 212 lbs. He has great size for the quarterback position, and stands tall behind his offensive line. His hands aren’t huge at 9.5 inches, but are in the same pool as guys like Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, and Kyler Murray. His hand size won’t blow anyone away but won’t be a concern either. What really impresses me about Mills was his 4.58u forty yard dash at his pro day. That is very fast for someone of his size and is faster than Eli Manning and Ryan Tannehill, who both have comparable statures to Mills. His arm strength isn’t out of this world but he can make all the throws asked of him and with a little extra muscle he can force the ball an extra 5-10 yards in the league.
Play-Style
Mills is an accurate passer who will thrive in any heavy passing scheme. Any variation of the Air-Coryell, West Coast, and or any vertical passing offenses are great fits for Mills. He shows nice velocity and spin on his throws and has the strength to get the ball outside the hashes. He shows great pocket awareness and can flush if needed of him. He’s an above average athlete at the quarterback position but does his best when sitting tight in a pocket. He has shown before a tendency to overthrow his receivers so he will need to work on his touch in the NFL. For the most part, he is a very accurate receiver who can fit balls in tight pockets.
Bottom Line
Davis Mills has the tools to be a great quarterback in the NFL. He doesn’t have crazy arm strength or mobility, he only has 13 starts to his name, and never lead a team to the playoffs. He warrants attention and in the right situation he could be great. Best case scenario for Mills is a place where he can sit behind a veteran quarterback for a year or two and can learn from a great coach. An elite supporting cast would be nice too.
Best Fits for Davis Mills
New Orleans Saints
The Saints are the first team that comes to mind for Mills. He could sit behind Winston and learn how to be a professional. Sean Payton could have time to mold him into the successor to Drew Brees and he would come into an explosive offense with Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, and a top five offensive line.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh would also be a great landing spot for Mills. Big Ben could teach Davis the tricks of the trade and he could learn under head coach Mike Tomlin. He would do great in an offense with Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and an above average offensive line.
Washington Football Team
Ron Rivera is a great head coach and would be one of the best guys to develop Mills. He could learn from the all-time greatest bridge quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick. Terry Mclaurin and Antonio Gibson would be great tools for Mills in D.C..
New England Patriots
The Patriots are an interesting fit for Mills. Cam Newton could help Mills use his athleticism and Bill Belichick would be a great coach to help him succeed in the league. Nelson Agholor, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Sony Michel, N’Keal Harry and a young offensive line would be perfect to help Mills in the NFL too.
