The Leading Authority of the NFL Draft

Skinny: Kaepernick is a four year starter that not only has great experience but he has shown dramatic improvement during each season he’s played.  His college offense is not as ideal for an immediate transition but he can certainly work on his center snap exchange and his footwork in the meantime.  Kaepernick has a very strong arm with the ability to throw a 90 mph fast ball and enough strength to throw deep passes from his back foot. He has the movement skills and elusiveness to scramble outside of the pocket to extend plays with his feet but teams have to give him space out of respect for his rocket arm.  The California native has to work on his mechanics and the finer aspects of quarterbacking but there’s no questioning his natural athletic talent.  Kaepernick is a prospect that has the intangible, speed, size, and strength to be a force in the NFL one day.  He’s just going to need a good year or two with a quarterbacks coach in his ear everyday but should be a dangerous player at the next level.

2010: Possibly the most intriguing quarterback prospect, Kaepernick combines a rare blend of size and speed at the position. Known for operating out of the “Pistol offense,” he has beaten numerous opposing defenses with his arm and his legs. The fourth-year starter has improved steadily each season.

2009: His improvement as a sophomore was remarkable, as he wound up throwing for 2,849 yards with a 22-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio, not to mention the fact that he ran for 1,000 yards and 19 touchdowns. His accuracy could use some work, but he has the arm to stretch the field along with good throwing mechanics and the size to stand tall in the pocket while he surveys the field. Kaepernick’s so talented that the Chicago Cubs actually drafted him in the 43rd round.

NEWS

09/15/10 - Kaepernick is one of the most dynamic athletes in college football. At 6-foot-6, he has the ability to outrace defenders down field from the Wolf Pack's explosive pistol offense. "He creates a lot of problems," Cal defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast said. "He has very good speed and can make people miss. He has an extremely strong arm." Kaepernick has spent the past two seasons shredding defenses. He is one of only two players in college football history to throw for at least 2,000 yards and rush for at least 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Major college programs weren't lining up for Kaepernick's services when he was a senior at Pitman High in Turlock. Considered a better baseball player -- he was a dominant pitcher who received a handful of scholarship offers to play baseball -- Kaepernick preferred football. His older brother, Kyle, sent DVDs of Colin to 100 major college football programs across the country, but all he could muster were some offers to walk on. But when Kaepernick attended a camp at Nevada, coach Chris Ault saw a unique talent that he couldn't pass up. Not surprisingly, NFL scouts now are taking interest, despite Kaepernick playing in a gimmick offense that relies heavily on the running game. There also is some question about the level of competition in the WAC -- Nevada's record against teams from major conferences isn't very good over the years. Still, he's projected to be a mid- to late-round pick in next April's draft. – Mercury News

08/28/10 - Nevada's Colin Kaepernick, Virgil Green, Ryan Coulson and James-Michael Johnson were named Wolf Pack captains Friday. Kaepernick, a four-year starter as the team's quarterback, has a 19-15 record in his career. He has compiled at least 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards while accounting for at least 36 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons. "I think the biggest thing for me is that it means my teammates respect me, respect how hard I work and how hard I play the game," Kaepernick said. "It means that they know they can turn to me when we need to make a play or make something happen."

12/25/09 - Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick had a disappointing performance against SMU in the Hawaii Bowl, finishing with 177 yards passing and one score.  He was intercepted once and rushed for just 23 yards.

10/26/09 - Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick was named the Verizon Wireless Western Athletic Conference offensive player of the week. Kaepernick, a junior from Turlock, Calif. (Pittman HS), accounted for 408 yards of total offense and six touchdowns in Nevada’s 70-45 win over Idaho. Kaepernick rushed for 230 yards and four touchdowns (11, 61, 35, 75 yards) on 15 carries and was 13-of-21 for 178 yards with no interceptions and two more scores through the air. The 230 rushing yards were the 10th best by any player in the nation this year and the most by a quarterback. - Western Athletic Conference