Deep dive: Brennan Armstrong is an NFL prospect

UVA QB Brennan Armstrong is second nationally in passing yards and passing TDs. Wanna know how?

Armstrong is tied for the lead nationally in attempts that travel 20+ yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus, and ranks 14th nationally in pass efficiency on those throws, completing 14 of his 28 attempts of 20+ for 473 yards.

Armstrong is also fourth nationally in intermediate (10- to 19-yard) pass attempts, and is 26-of-33 for 479 yards, and ranks third nationally in pass efficiency, on those attempts.

This goes against the grain of modern offense, which has so many guys throwing bubble screens and other short passes.

Armstrong attacks coverages downfield, and with impunity.

In Virginia’s 59-39 loss to North Carolina in Week 3, Armstrong was 39-of-54 for a school-record 554 yards and four TDs (one INT).

On passes that went 20+ yards downfield, he was 6-of-12 for 189 yards and two TDs – and the lone INT.

On the 10- to 19-yard passes, he was 10-of-15 for 187 yards.

Those are the big boy throws against a Power 5 defense, and he accumulated 376 yards putting air under the ball.

His counterpart, preseason ACC Player of the Year Sam Howell, completed a total of four passes of 10+ yards on the night, for 160 yards – 62 of those yards coming on a pitch-and-catch to Khafre Brown on a ball that traveled 13 yards to the target.

Howell did most of his damage with short stuff and poor tackling by UVA linebackers and the secondary – Carolina gained 222 of its 307 yards (72.3 percent) through the air after the catch had been secured.

UVA’s receivers gained 193 of their 554 yards (34.8 percent) after securing their catches.

Against pressure

Armstrong leads the nation in passing yards against blitzes (514 yards), completing 35 of his 45 attempts (77.8 percent) on 49 dropbacks, with four TDs and no INTs.

Three of the 10 incompletions were drops.

Carolina learned how good Armstrong is against the blitz – or maybe they didn’t.

Armstrong was 22-of-29 on 31 dropbacks for 337 yards and two TDs against the Tar Heels.

He was actually better against the blitz than he was against standard pressure. He was 17-of-25 on 30 dropbacks for 221 yards, two TDs and the INT on those snaps.

Bottom line

Both sets of numbers – how Armstrong fares against the blitz, how he attacks defenses downfield – make you think that the kid has an NFL future.

Story by Chris Graham