ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller can envision Canadian quarterback Taylor Elgermsa being a fit for teams with a veteran quarterback.
“I look at a team like the Los Angeles Rams where they have Matthew Stafford. They have someone who’s the clear-cut number one, but you’re in a system that is big on teaching and developing players under Sean McVay. A Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan system where it is predicated on space and timing is going to be what’s familiar to him. His arm talent, his arm ability is going to translate to any scheme,” Miller said.
“The Rams are a great one. I even think the Kansas City Chiefs, that’s a spot where Andy Reid loves developing quarterbacks. You have the established veteran in Patrick Mahomes, they have established backups, two of them. Those situations are real. Teams like the Tennessee Titans or the Cleveland Browns don’t have that exact opportunity, but most teams are going to be able to afford that.”
The first time Elgersma’s name hit Miller’s database was when the London, ON native accepted an invite to the 2025 Senior Bowl. Miller went to Mobile, Ala. with a blank notebook and no preconceived notions about the Wilfrid Laurier University QB. Talent evaluators wanted to find out if Elgersma would fit in among Power Four conference players.
“His deep ball power showed up, he moves the ball with really good velocity, he had good accuracy throwing down the field. I thought as a natural thrower, he stood out. I liked his aggressiveness. I liked the timing that he threw the ball with, especially as we got later in the week,” Miller said.
“Everything I saw that week from an arm talent perspective, it checks the boxes. Mobility-wise, that’s probably the biggest obstacle for him. The ability to move in the pocket, evade sacks, find passing windows. If there’s an aspect of his game that I have questions about, it would be the ability to get out of the pocket and evade pressure.”
Miller sourced all-24 film from Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks video coordinator Kerry Martin and assistant video coordinator Matt Carey. He was not worried about any possible difference in competition level compared to the jump Elgersma is going to try and make to the NFL. Instead, Miller focused on evaluating his positional traits as a quarterback when studying the video.
“You go to arm strength, accuracy, decision-making, mobility, mechanics, those are things that are constant. Even if the Canadian game is very different with 12 guys, the different field, that part of it, I try not to get caught up in too much when evaluating. The X’s and O’s part of it, you almost put aside and you go to those positional values that you really care about for a quarterback,” Miller said.
“You build out your scouting report from there. Decision-making is decision-making regardless of who you’re playing against. Early in my career, there was a tendency to over-evaluate with the X’s and O’s. You have to have a knowledge of that, certainly, but I think more so when you’re able to see that without having direct knowledge of the other 12 guys that he’s playing against.”
The 23-year-old Elgersma has created a buzz during his NFL Draft process. He was able to carry it over from his Senior Bowl performance into the University at Buffalo pro day. NFL teams pushed for him to throw more than the original script called for at the Murchie Family Fieldhouse in Western New York. 17 NFL franchises were represented but all 32 wanted to be there and could have been if it was held on a more favourable day for scouts’ schedules.
“Everything I’ve heard has been really positive, especially in this 2025 quarterback class that lacks some pop, lacks some star power. There’s intrigue about a player that’s a little bit of an unknown and sometimes that can be a great asset to a prospect. That you haven’t been exposed to three or four or five years of us over-evaluating you,” Miller said.
“We’re getting to the point with Taylor, you pass the threshold for size, arm strength, experience, production. That’s going to contrast with some guys we have coming out of U.S. college football that don’t have as remarkable traits. I would say the chance of him being drafted is strong. He’s draftable, especially in this quarterback class, it lacks some depth. I definitely think he’s draftable. In my opinion, it would be in the seventh round.”
If Elgersma does not hear his name called among the 257 selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, he’ll likely have multiple undrafted free agent contract offers. Miller shared his advice for the 2024 Hec Crighton winner should that situation play out post-draft with multiple teams to pick and choose from in starting his NFL career.
“Get somewhere where there’s an established veteran quarterback that you can learn the American game by watching. I would imagine he’s probably going to be a practice squad guy his first year so he can sit back and learn and get reps,” Miller said.
“I would say 25 of the 32 NFL teams are going to have a situation where there is a clear-cut starter, there is a clear-cut backup. It would give you that opportunity to be a third or even fourth quarterback on a practice squad where you can take a redshirt year and really learn the game.”
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