Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough rising in NFL Draft boards despite embarassing now-viral clip

Zeno Jo

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Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough rising in NFL Draft boards despite embarassing now-viral clip image

© Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In a star-studded draft class headlined by the likes of Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, and Shedeur Sanders, one under-the-radar quarterback is starting to rise in notoriety.

Tyler Shough, who wrapped up a six-year collegiate career with stops at Oregon, Texas Tech, and Louisville, is one of the older prospects in this year's NFL Draft, but is gaining attention as one of the top quarterbacks of the class.

Viral clips from the NFL Combine can either be a good thing or a bad thing, and a clip from one of Shough's drills has gone viral for the wrong reason.

Despite the viral moment, Shough's standing in a quarterback class led by presumed No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward has been steadily rising since. Impressive pro day performances and a long reel of film from his collegiate career are starting to glow in the eyes of NFL scouts.

"I spoke to a GM who I really trust and who is really good. He told me that the best pure thrower of the football in this draft is Tyler Shough," ESPN's Pete Schrager said.

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Shough wrapped up the 2024 season at Louisville with an impressive statline, throwing for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions.

"The more I watch, the more I like this Tyler Shough!" former NFL head coach Jay Gruden said. "I think he could be the 3rd QB off the board when it's all said and done."

Still, the biggest red flag for a team looking to draft Shough is his age. He's 24, making him the oldest quarterback in this year's draft. He was also in the same recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields.

The Athletic's latest mock draft has Shough going 40th overall to the New Orleans Saints, who finished 5-12 with Derek Carr under center last season.

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Zeno Jo

Zeno is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has experience covering South Korean soccer, NCAA sports and esports. Since graduating from the University of Illinois in 2023, he has written for The Champaign Room and Illini Inquirer, among other outlets.