Texas A&M QB Conner Weigman*

That dreaded asterisk is a distinction Texas A&M quarterback (QB) Conner Weigman carries into the 2024 college football season due to playing in only four games in 2023 after suffering a broken bone in his foot.

The injury occurred on Sept. 23, 2023, against Auburn.

However, missing most of the season didn’t stop Draftwire and NBC Sports from mocking Weigman into the first round (nflmockdraftdatabase.com).

Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick went as far as to say, “If he can build off the few games we saw in 2023, he can be a darkhorse QB1 candidate next April.“

All of that caught my attention, and as much as I didn’t want to like him because of the asterisk, I found myself liking him when I was evaluating his game film in 2023. I didn’t want to like him because I knew if I did like him, his 2024 pre-season grade would be a roll of the dice.

Tale of Two Seasons

Scouting is like being a private investigator.

All the clues are on the game film.

It’s because I wasn’t satisfied only studying Weigman in 2023, I had to do a deeper investigation and go back into four out of his five games the season prior.

2022 game film reviewed: LSU, South Carolina, Auburn, and Ole Miss (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

The first thing that jumped out was his completion percentage from both seasons.

• 2023: 68.9%
• 2022: 55.3%

And that’s the way it looked on game film too.

Weigman wasn’t in sync with the offense in 2022 and he was less polished-looking as a passer. He wasn’t as confident-looking or as deliberate when he was throwing. He threw 13 straight incompletions against Auburn. I charted 12 passes that were broken up (PBUs) averaging 3.0 per game and he completed 4/12 deep passes (33.3%).

Stellar 2023

Weigman developed into a first-round graded QB last season. He was sacked only three times, wasn’t taking yardage losses that can result from sacks, threw two interceptions, and had five PBUs in four games (1.25 average). That was good ball security and his game film suddenly translated big time to the NFL.

2023 game film reviewed: Auburn, Miami, UL Monroe, and New Mexico (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

• Quick tempo
• Decent footwork with decent timing and placement
• Decisive
• Poised
• Crisp
• Regularly went through progressions
• Pocket mobility
• Compact delivery
• NFL arm strength
• Inconsistent accuracy with pressure in his face
• Sometimes rushed throws
• Fearless throwing into tight windows
• Drove ball downfield with authority
• Throwing instincts demonstrated not dependent on footwork
• Ability to sidestep pressure and deliver accurately
• Decent accuracy rolling out left or right
• Efficient short to intermediate game
• Tough
• Moxie
• Competitive runner
• Does not like to slide
• 50% deep attempts charted (6/12)
• Streaky (Auburn and Miami)

So now what?

According to texags.com, in a January 19, 2024 interview with Weigman, “Rehab has been good so far. The doctor called a couple of days ago. He looked at my CT scans and said the bones were all healed. It was good to get cleared from him. We just need to start working with the training staff now, and it’s about getting back to feeling like myself again.”

Outside of that, the only glimpse of Weigman was in the Texas A&M Spring Game on March 1.

In a nutshell, Weigman looked like the Weigman of 2022, not 2023.

While I didn’t see him favoring his foot, his movements weren’t as fast. His one deep pass attempt was incomplete, there were two PBUs, and he wasn’t as deliberate. He looked rusty.

Plus, there is a new head coach at Texas A&M, Mike Elko, and a new offensive coordinator, Collin Klein.

I’m left with a fourth-round 2024 summer grade on Weigman. That broken bone in his foot has cast a shadow over his football resume and we won’t know the full extent of the injury (physically and mentally) until the schedule plays out.

What to watch for during the 2024 college football season

1. Quick and decisive in the pocket?

2. Is he taking unnecessary steps in the pocket before throwing which affects his accuracy?

3. Streaky (like in 2022 and 2023)?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.