Dallas Cowboys: Watch out for rookie quarterback Ben DiNucci

Dallas Cowboys Ben DiNucci: Mental Processing

A common theme for college quarterbacks is their inability to get past their first and second reads. With spread offenses designed to create easier reads for the quarterback, having to read the backside of the field is a challenge rookie quarterbacks face all the time.

For DiNucci, that is something he will need to fix almost immediately. On tape, it is very clear where he wants to throw the ball often telegraphing his passes. If it were not for the level of competition and his good ball placement, there is a good chance he sees more interceptions or a worse completion percentage.

In all the videos from the previous page, pay attention to DiNucci’s eyes. You will notice that unless he’s forced to move out of the pocket his eyes are always aligned with one side of the field.

Overreliance on his arm strength

When a quarterback has good arm talent and arm strength, it can be very easy for him to get carried away trying to make throws off-platform or without consistent footwork. DiNucci doesn’t do this often but he does it enough to where it is problematic.

On the first throw, DiNucci does a great job of avoiding the sack and notices his receiver sitting in a hole in zone coverage. Instead of planting his left foot and throwing the pass, he continues to run and throw off-platform causing him to miss his receiver right.

In the second video, he completes the pass to the receiver but because he doesn’t open his stance more left, he throws it behind the receiver and as a result, he isn’t able to earn yards after the catch. By not planting his foot and driving the ball to the outside, he cost his team more yards and potentially a scoring opportunity as there was only one defender in the area to make a play on the receiver.

While DiNucci’s body type is a bit leaner than one would expect, his arm strength, arm talent, foot speed, and elusiveness are good, if not very good, and highlight why the Cowboys felt the need to use their final pick on the signal-caller.

Playing at the FCS level doesn’t usually warrant draft buzz and after transferring from Pittsburgh, his odds were even smaller. However, he turned it around and it looks like that small window of opportunity was all he needed to make his name known.