Southern Methodist University quarterback Shane Buechele is one of the more interesting quarterback prospects entering the draft. While he does have some glaring concerns, other parts of his game look like they will translate very well to the NFL level. Because of this, the senior out of SMU should be a solid Day 3 pick for teams looking to snag a potential backup with moderate upside.
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Player Bio
Name: Shane Buechele
Jersey: #7
Position: Quarterback
School: Southern Methodist University
Class: Senior
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 207 lbs
Awareness (8.5/10)
Buechele is an intelligent passer who reads the field well. He goes through his progressions and won’t force plays he can’t make, yet also knows when to pull the trigger. The SMU product helps out receivers by finding them for plays with plenty of YAC potential. When outside of the pocket, Buechele boasts impressive awareness and scans downfield. His impressive awareness allows him to stay poised and helps out other parts of his game.
Vision (7.5/10)
Buechele has strong vision and, as mentioned already, knows how to find his receivers at the right time. He reads the field well and hits his receivers in stride. Being calm and collected with good vision are some of Buechele’s top traits and are likely the difference between being a late-round pick and an undrafted free agent. However, despite being able to scan the field well, Buechele is surprisingly over-willing to throw into tight windows, which absolutely cannot happen in the NFL.
Mobility (6/10)
Buechele can make throws outside of the pocket, but he’s not great on the run. He can’t scramble to keep plays alive and therefore isn’t much of a threat with his legs. With that said, he is good at acknowledging when he has the room to run and capitalizing on these opportunities. So while he isn’t an elite runner by any means, he’s mature enough to be able to identify when he should or should not move around.
Athleticism (5/10)
Buechele is slightly undersized and leaves a lot to be desired in the athleticism department. He’s not going to be making flashy moves or breaking tackles, nor will he be using his strength to extend plays. With that said, he is a physical and gritty player who can get right back up after taking a hit. This is something you appreciate, especially from someone who is considered undersized.
Timing (7.5/10)
The SMU product has really great timing when throwing to open receivers. He knows how to hit them in stride and spark big plays. Still, as mentioned above, when a receiver is covered, he may try to force into too small a window. This isn’t something that occurs on every play, of course, but it’s still something that warrants consideration. All in all, though, Buechele knows how to time his throws to receivers breaking free.
Strength (6.5/10)
Buechele is not very strong. He can put some zip on short and medium passes and get them to where they need to go, but he doesn’t have the flashy, deep-pass ability. He’s not going to be someone who beats you over the top but rather relies on a conservative balance to move down the field. This isn’t a deal-breaker, but it would be nice to at least have the option for a big play every once in a while, which unfortunately isn’t the case with Buechele.
Accuracy (9/10)
Perhaps Buechele’s best trait is his accuracy. In case you couldn’t tell yet, his ability to hit receivers in stride and allow them to keep their momentum while running is a big part of why he’s going to be drafted this year. The throwing into coverage issue remains a concern, but in terms of accuracy, there are minimal complaints when it comes to the prospect in the short and medium passing games. He does lack accuracy when throwing deep, though.
Velocity (6/10)
Buechele’s lack of velocity makes sense considering his suboptimal arm strength. He won’t be zipping passes by defenders and into the hands of receivers, which certainly doesn’t help his stock.
Production (4.5/5)
Buechele was dominant in high school and produced record-breaking results as a freshman at Texas, racking up 2,958 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He regressed as a sophomore in 2017 and ultimately suffered various injuries while losing his job to Sam Ehlinger. He backed up Ehlinger in 2018, appearing in just two games. Buechele transferred to SMU and dominated as a junior, accruing 3,929 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He saw similar success in 2021, tallying 3,095 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Speed (2.5/5)
Buechele lacks speed and isn’t a threat to take off and run frequently. He’s not tremendously slow by any means, but his speed still leaves plenty to be desired.
Leadership (5/5)
Buechele was praised for his leadership at both Texas and SMU, so there’s no reason to be concerned here. He is someone that teams should feel more than comfortable having as a young and confident presence in the locker room.
Poise (4.5/5)
Outside of the throwing into traffic concern, Buechele looks very poised. This is a direct result of his strong awareness and ability to scan the field. Furthermore, his film shows that he almost never gets rattled, which is a skill that not every quarterback prospect can say they have. His poise should translate very nicely to the NFL level.
Player Summary
Ultimately, Buechele is a developmental prospect who has snuck onto many draft boards as a top-10 quarterback in the draft. He doesn’t provide immediate flair, yet he possesses enough upside and potential to translate into a relevant player in the NFL, even if it is as a backup. It’s nearly a guarantee that he’ll come off the board on Day 3, with the sixth or seventh rounds looking like the most likely positions.
Final Grade (72/100): Mid-to-late day three pick
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