There’s a lot of talk about the quarterbacks that are clearly at the top of this year’s draft. We’ve heard Rosen or Darnold could go first. Does Baker Mayfield fall out of the first round? More recently, making his way around the rumor mill is Kyle Lauletta, a senior out of Richmond.
Some of the chatter has linked Lauletta to the New England Patriots in the second round. Spurring those rumors forward are the similarities between Lauletta and former Patriots backup, Jimmy Garoppolo.
Nearly Identical
Both Garoppolo and Lauletta played at Division 1A (FCS) schools, Eastern Illinois and Richmond, respectively. Physically, they are nearly identical. Garoppolo stands 6’2″, 225 pounds, while Lauletta comes in an inch taller and 10 pounds lighter. Taking their senior stats into account, they become even more similar.
Garoppolo, who played 14 games in his senior season, was a better scoring passer, throwing for 53 touchdowns on 5050 yards. Lauletta, who played 11 games, threw for 28 TDs and 3737 yards. The completion percentages for the two passers were nearly identical, Jimmy G posted an even 66%, while Lauletta came in just a tick below at 64.9%. Even their yards per attempt aren’t far off each other, Garoppolo averaged 8.9 yards and Lauletta 8.6.
Both guys are confident passers who are also willing to get out of trouble and scramble. Lauletta gains half a yard more on his feet than Garoppolo, but again their numbers are very similar. Lauletta ran at a tick of 1.3 yards per carry, Garoppolo ran just behind at .9 yards. Both young men also display good footwork, decision making, and confidence.
Projection
Lauletta may not be exactly the same passer as Garoppolo (to expect that is ridiculous), but, he does have similar qualities and abilities. This will likely lead him to be taken in the second or third round, at the latest. Given a year to learn a system and serve as a backup, Lauletta could be a solid NFL starter in a few years. I would hate to see his potential and growth stunted by being rushed into a bad situation.
All in all, Lauletta has a bright future in the NFL, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out.