When Max Duggan was drafted with the Chargers final pick of the draft, it felt like a major letdown, and Charger fans took to social media to express their disapproval. Why? It’s not as if any other player drafted would have had a better chance at making the roster. It is rare to see a seventh-round draft pick be on the opening day roster or even make it to their second contract. Duggan brings value, simply for the maturity and high character that helped lead his team to the NCAA National Championship game.
Physical Metrics
Duggan measured in at 6’1” and 207 pounds. What kept TCU in games, and allowed them to win so much last season was Duggan’s ability to extend drives using his athleticism. He ran a 4.52 at the combine, and TCU allowed Duggan to create when the play breaks down, as well as quarterback designed runs. Duggan puts everything on the line every play, allowing himself to become superhuman when he needs to be, injured or not. As a junior, he played through a broken bone and torn tendon in his foot. He has also broken his left fibula, though is far removed from that high school injury.
It’s also worth noting that Duggan was diagnosed with a heart defect that was uncovered during a COVID test. Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome creates a rapid heartbeat through an extra electrical pathway between the upper and lower chambers of the heart. He had a nine-hour open heart surgery, including an emergency post-operation to clear a blood clot, and still managed to recover in enough time to pass a physical for the upcoming football season.
Statistics
2019
181/139 (53.4%) | 2,077 yards | 15 TD/ 10 Int
130 Att/ 555 yards | 6 TDs
2020
146/240 (60.8%) | 1,795 yards | 10 TD/ 4 Int
116 Att/ 526 yards | 10 TDs
2021
145/227 (63.9%) | 2,048 yards | 16 TD/ 6 Int
105 Att/ 352 yards | 3 TDs
2022
267/416 (63.7%) | 3,698 yards | 32 TD/ 8 Int
130 Att/ 555 yards | 6 TDs
Film Analysis
The first thing that pops off the screen when watching Max Duggan film is how wildly inaccurate he is. Most of Duggan’s production through the air came on screens and short passes. Duggan is not afraid to go deep, but the further he is throwing, the more inaccurate he becomes. Wide Receivers had to adjust and bail Duggan out of a lot of bad throws. It’s the most important job of a quarterback, and Duggan is terrible at throwing with touch and placement.
That said, Duggan did keep turnovers to a minimum, and his decision making nets positive. He had just two fumbles last year, and held a 73-28 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He throws with a gunslingers velocity, and can throw from awkward and off-platform angles. However inaccurate Duggan is, he found a way to be successful at getting the football to his playmakers, whether deep downfield, or to the short areas of the field. He led all FBS teams in touchdown passes (17) of greater than 20 yards.
Another big draw was Duggan’s ability to keep drives alive by any means necessary. He was highly productive as a rusher in every season, including 25 touchdowns on the ground. He has a subtle acceleration when he hits open field, and while he doesn’t run with finesse, he surprises defenders with how quickly he can turn a sack into a 25 yard gain. It also payed a major factor in his Heisman run, coming up just short of becoming the college football most valuable player. Keep in mind that Duggan was benched in favor of a different quarterback to start the season, and Duggan was the teams full time starter his first three seasons.
Expectations
Duggan will make the roster as a 3rd string quarterback, likely straight to the practice squad. He will also suit up as a free third quarterback on game day and sit behind Herbert and Easton Stick. The qualities that made Duggan worthy of being drafted was his maturity, leadership, confidence, and his ability to will TCU to come-from-behind wins through any means necessary. The Chargers coaching staff will need patience to develop Duggan into a quality backup. The primary draw of a backup quarterback has less to do with physical skill sets, and everything about mental makeup. Those traits provide more value to a teams primary starter anyways.
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