4 traits Mason Rudolph is lacking to be a franchise QB for Steelers

Mobility

If we were to start listing off some of the least mobile quarterbacks in the NFL, Mason Rudolph’s name would be near the top of the list. Running just a 4.9 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, players like Brandon Weeden, Curtis Painter, and Matt Ryan are faster. Even the 6’7” statue, Joe Flacco tested as a faster player than Rudolph at the Combine.

While we are hardly ever going to see a quarterback running in a straight line for 40 yards, his extremely poor number is just a testament to what a bad athlete he is with his legs. His film backs this up completely. Against Cleveland, Rudolph was a sitting duck when the pocket collapsed. Without the legs to escape the pressure, it’s either going to be a poor throw or a sack for Rudolph.

In today’s NFL, the prototypical quarterback has the ability to make plays with their legs as well as their arm. This doesn’t mean that you need to be able to run like Lamar Jackson, but having the escapability to extend the play and buy yourself enough time to roll out and make a play down the field is a huge positive. Rudolph doesn’t even have this, and a player who can only throw in timing from a clean pocket doesn’t have the makings of an NFL passer in today’s league.