Anthony Gordon, Washington State

Profile

Anthony Gordon (Sr): 6-3, 210

Terra Nova (Pacifica, Calif.); City College of San Francisco

2019: All-Pac 12 Second Team; set WSU and Pac-12 single-season records for passing yards and touchdowns, total offense and completions; semifinalist for Davey O’Brien Award.

Draft range: Day 3

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Anthony Gordon had to bid his time.

It was a long wait.

After playing his freshman season for City College of San Francisco, the former “no star” recruit transferred to Washington State where he’d get a chance to play under then-head coach Mike Leach, known for his quarterback-friendly offense.

Just two problems: Luke Falk and Gardner Minshew.

Those were the players ahead of Gordon on the depth chart. Falk wound up being drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 draft and is now a backup for the New York Jets. Minshew, meanwhile, took the NFL by storm after the Jacksonville Jaguars took him in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. Minshew wound up playing in 14 games, passing for 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions while rushing for 344 yards.

Needless to say, there wasn’t a lot of playing time for Gordon at Washington State – until his senior year. In 13 games this season, Gordon passed for 5,579 yards and 48 TDs, both of which were second nationally.

And just to show that his numbers weren’t overly inflated by the Leach offense, Gordon went on to complete 8 of 12 passes and two touchdowns in the Senior Bowl.

All that leads to a pressing question he’ll undoubtedly be asked by NFL teams: How did he slip through the cracks? After all, Gordon didn’t receive a single scholarship offer despite a record-breaking career at Terra Nova High School in Pacifica, Calif. He was also drafted by the New York Mets in 2015 to play baseball, chose football instead, then went on to put up big numbers while helping City College of San Francisco win the junior college championship.

And even then, Gordon didn’t receive a scholarship offer – until Leach called him one day in May that year, asking him if he’d like to play at Washington State.

Then came the waiting game as Gordon played behind Falk and Minshew. Gordon only saw action in two games before starting every game this season.

Now? People are finally taking notice.

A sampling of what scouts have said about Gordon, courtesy of The Bleacher Report:

• “No one in the country throws a better deep ball.”

• Some scouts say his multiple release points (overhead, three-quarters, sidearm) are reminiscent of former Texas Tech QB Pat Mahomes.

• Plays with “the attitude and fearlessness of a guy who has started four years.”

Despite his recent success, questions surround Gordon, due in large part to the small sample size scouts have on him. There are questions about his size (6-3, 210) and whether he’s a system quarterback.

Of course, Leach has an answer for that, too:

“A system guy? Those (scouts) will never learn,” Leach said via The Bleacher Report.

Wasn’t in bounds but this off platform throw in the Senior Bowl from Anthony Gordon had me jump out of my chair. pic.twitter.com/fzd5krr7de

— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) January 25, 2020