Carolina Panthers Draft: Is is too soon to give up on K.J. Costello?

K.J. Costello scouting report

It’s hard to gauge just what sort of impact K.J. Costello can make at the next level. His arm strength is eye-catching, to put it mildly. But there are some glaring deficiencies that haven’t yet been rectified from his game in recent years.

Costello has the velocity in his throws that enables him to get the ball everywhere on the field with ease. He does a nice job keeping his eyes downfield and possesses a quick release that gets him out of potential trouble on occasions.

However, what he displayed against some elite powerhouse defenses in 2020 is more than a little concerning. Costello looked flustered in the pocket behind a suspect offensive line at Mississippi State and his rash decision-making was there for all to see on his way to 11 interceptions in just six games.

A lack of mobility is another element of his production that is going to have a detrimental impact when NFL teams do their due diligence on the player. Costello is never going to beat you on the move and his worst decisions this season came when the pocket collapsed quickly, giving him nowhere to go.

There is a substantial amount of work to be done if Costello wants to forge any sort of career in a professional environment. The Carolina Panthers might have an immediate need for a proven starter or at least an exciting prospect with more upside – but whether they’ll be in a position to take one is another matter entirely.