Written by Albert Breer at SI.com
It was supposed to be a test against Pitt on Saturday, but Mason Rudolph’s stat line by the end of the first half read this way: 20-for-28, 423 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INT, and a commanding 49-14 lead.
What more could the senior possibly do?
The answer would see to be “pretty much nothing.” If Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy kept his foot on the pedal and left Rudolph in the game, getting to 800 or 900 yards wouldn’t have been out of the question. And yet, on the actual tape, some NFL scouts swear there’s still plenty to be desired.
“He’s O.K.,” said one AFC scouting director. “He’s playing in a great, quarterback-friendly offense. Probably has a top 10-caliber group of receivers. Gundy is a great coach and does an outstanding job with that offense. I’m not sold on him as a top guy . . . He’s a decent athlete. He’s tough and runs that offense well. But not sure the video game numbers he’s gonna put up this year will translate to the NFL.”
“He’s got good size,” was the positive an AFC personnel exec found before echoing the sentiment, “but his arm strength is lacking and he’s inconsistent with his accuracy.”
Added an area scout: “Not as good as the media wants everyone to believe; he’s a Day 3 guy. His accuracy isn’t as good as the numbers show—his receivers make a lot of tough catches for him. Arm strength is adequate, not tops. What’s the difference between him and Bryce Petty?”
And that is the crux of the matter for Rudolph.
