NFL Draft Profile: Chase Garbers, Quarterback, California Golden Bears
#7
Pos: QB
Ht: 6020v
Wt: 218v
Hands: 900v
Arms: 3138v
Wingspan: 7468v
DOB: 06/06/1999
Eligibility: 2022
Newport Beach, CA
Corona Del Mar High School
Chase Garbers University of California-Berkeley
Golden Bears
One-Liner:
Consistent, fundamentally sound quarterback limited by arm strength, release speed, and deep accuracy concerns.
Pros:
Consistency is an underrated quality that Chase Garbers has in spades. He took over as the starter early in his tenure at California and performed admirably for the next four seasons. While his senior season was his best statistically, he consistently maintained completion percentages in the 61% to the 64% range. Garbers projects as a pocket passer at the next level, but his rushing in college shows that he does have the athleticism to scramble when necessary. He’s adept at navigating the pocket and keeps his eyes downfield, even while threatening to run. Garbers has a knack for adjusting his ball velocity and arm angle as needed. Being in a Bill Musgrave offense for the past few years gave Garbers experience under center and in the shotgun. It should also make the transition to an NFL offense rather simple. His form within the pocket and on-platform is stellar. Garbers already has adequate physical metrics to play quarterback at the next level, which will be a final checkmark for some teams.
Cons:
Arm strength is a need for all NFL quarterbacks. Unfortunately, Garbers is severely lacking in that category. Unless on-platform and driving the ball, Garbers can’t seem to muster much arm strength. His high-angle throws are often low velocity and will give ample opportunity for NFL backs to make a play on the ball. This limitation can be managed in the short game, but his deep passes will always suffer as a result. His 62.4% accuracy leaving college is mediocre and unlikely to improve in the NFL. Garbers’ release is often slow, and the time it takes for him to recognize when a receiver is open until he throws it can be delayed.
Summary:
There are many positive aspects to Chase Garbers’ game. He has sound footwork, strong pocket awareness, adequate mobility, and continues to look downfield while under pressure. Garbers has also been well-prepared to absorb an NFL playbook, given his experience in Bill Musgrave’s offense. His lack of arm strength and deep accuracy will force NFL teams to consider if Garbers is worth a draft capital investment. Typically, organizations will opt for a less-refined developmental player over a lower-upside, consistent option in the hopes of finding a diamond in the rough. Garbers’ ceiling in the NFL is likely that of a game-managing backup quarterback, which certainly still has value. Overall, Garbers has been a consistent, high-performing player through high school and college and should at least have the chance to contribute in the NFL.
Background:
Born on June 6th, 1999, in Newport Beach, California, Chase Garbers attended Corona Del Mar High School, playing quarterback for his entire tenure there. He was a part-time starter as a sophomore and became the full-time starter for his junior and senior seasons. Garbers completed 69% of his passes for 7,970 yards, 90 touchdowns, and ten interceptions during his career at Corona Del Mar. He also accumulated 1,290 yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground, showcasing his ability to scramble when necessary. Garbers was rated as a four-star prospect in the 2017 class per the 247Sports Composite and committed to California, despite interest from several top-tier programs. He redshirted his freshman year but began to take over as the starter the following season. Garbers remained the starting quarterback for the next three seasons, showcasing a 62.4% completion rate on the way to 6,576 yards passing, 50 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions. He also continued to run the ball, accumulating 1,185 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Chase Garbers also has a talented younger brother Ethan Garbers, currently playing quarterback for UCLA, so football talent appears to run in the family.
Grades:
Current Player Value/Potential Player Value
Floor/Ceiling: Practice Squad Arm/League backup with spot-start potential
Scheme Fit: West Coast, Pocket Passer
Grade: 7th Round/UDFA
Quotes:
“Right now, it’s up in the air. It’s a lot of unknown in this process. I’ve been interviewing with teams so it’s been an interesting process and we’ll see what happens at the end of April.” -- Chase Garbers
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