Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: Bailey Zappe

Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe rewrote the record books and could be a great young quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL Draft.

If NFL evaluators simply went by the numbers, then Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe would probably be looked at as a top prospect. 

That's how prolific he was in his only season for the Hilltoppers after transferring from Houston Baptist. 

Zappe completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 5,967 yards and 62 touchdowns while averaging 8.7 yards per attempt. 

Those yards and touchdown totals broke the single-season FBS records for both categories. 

Zappe isn't a prototypical-looking NFL quarterback at only 6-1 and 220 pounds, but he consistently found ways to make plays last season. 

He has the ability to throw accurately from different arm angles and showed good anticipation and timing in the pocket. 

Zappe has good anticipation on short and medium throws, giving his receivers plenty of opportunities to make plays after the catch. 

He shows tight and consistent footwork in the pocket, but that falls off once he's forced out, and it doesn't help that Zappe isn't really a threat to run. 

While he throws a catch-able deep ball, Zappe's arm is below-average by NFL standards, which could limit the potential of an offense whenever he comes in. 

Zappe didn't face great pressure on a snap-to-snap basis at Western Kentucky, and how he'll handle that at the NFL level is a big question. 

Zappe's ceiling likely won't extend beyond being a developmental backup who can hold the fort when/if a team's starter comes out. 

That's still a valuable resource to have for any NFL team, especially for one like the Las Vegas Raiders, who could need a new backup quarterback heading into next season if Marcus Mariota leaves in free agency. 

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