Michael Pratt turned Tulane from a funny logo team into a top-ten team in the country during his career. He got people’s attention when, as a freshman, he took a top-ranked Oklahoma team to the brink of defeat. From there, he would continue to show growth as his team developed around him.
Now, as his college career winds down, could he do the same for an NFL team? That is going to be dependent on several factors, one of which is the landing spot.
Pratt still has some developing to do as he enters the NFL. He has what it takes to find success physically and mentally. What he needs now is the right supporting cast and coaching staff to get the most out of him.
Player Profile
- School: Tulane
- Year: Junior (Four Year Player)
- Position: Quarterback
- Hometown (High School): Boca Raton, FL (Deerfield Beach HS)
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 220
| Passing | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | AY/A | TD | Int | Rate |
| *2020 | Tulane | American | FR | QB | 10 | 140 | 254 | 55.1 | 1806 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 20 | 8 | 134.5 |
| 2021 | Tulane | American | FR | QB | 12 | 190 | 329 | 57.8 | 2390 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 21 | 8 | 135.0 |
| *2022 | Tulane | American | JR | 13 | 215 | 338 | 63.6 | 3009 | 8.9 | 9.8 | 27 | 5 | 161.8 | |
| *2023 | Tulane | American | SR | QB | 11 | 185 | 283 | 65.4 | 2406 | 8.5 | 9.3 | 22 | 5 | 158.9 |
| Career | Tulane | 730 | 1204 | 60.6 | 9611 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 90 | 26 | 148.0 | ||||
College Career
Pratt started nine games for Tulane as a true freshman and ended up playing in 46 games in his college career. Not many quarterbacks in this class have the starting experience or big-game experience that he does. The biggest win of his career came against USC last season when they faced off in the Cotton Bowl.
That big win in the Cotton Bowl had Tulane set for big things in 2023, but Pratt would miss time, and they went 1-1 in his absence. One of those games was against a tough Ole Miss defense, which would have helped in his evaluation. With him under center, they would finish 2023 going 11-1 with Pratt and earning a Military Bowl bid. Pratt would not play in the bowl game, however, after accepting an invite to the 2023 Senior Bowl.
Best Traits
Arm Strength
When you watch Pratt, you notice right away that he has an NFL arm. He makes throws you want an NFL quarterback to make and he does it with ease in terms of getting them there. Time and again, Pratt and his arm strength not only flash but are a highlight of his. He can make throws at all levels of the field. He has the velocity you want on throws to make them across the field, outside the hashes, and over the defense. We will touch on the ball placement later, but getting the ball there is half the battle. That part of the battle specifically is one we see a lot of prospects struggle with when transitioning to the NFL.
Poise
Whether it’s a game-winning drive or handling a defender being ready to hit him in the mouth, Pratt handles it all. At Tulane, he turned them from a funny logo to a top-ten contender. Nothing intimidates him, and this trait, more than any, will help develop him at the next level. Rookie quarterbacks face all sorts of chaos when they are learning in the NFL; Pratt will be fine. Will mistakes be made? Absolutely. What he won’t do that other rookies do is let them pile on and mentally break him.
Mobility
Pratt is more than capable of picking up extra yards when a pocket collapses or getting first downs. He also can score on designed quarterback runs when called upon. His physical size helps him remain durable to a point; it allows him to almost run downhill at times and gain steam as a runner. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make angry runs on Good Morning Football one week during his career.
Trait Needing Development
Ball Placement
Pratt has an NFL arm; that much is established, but the ball placement could be better. At Tulane, he didn’t play with top-level talent at the receiver position so he did elevate their games. In the NFL, he is going to half to up his game to those around him. On film, Pratt can throw balls too high or behind them, which they have to adjust to. Those in the NFL are much more prone to turnovers, and when turnovers pile up, coaches make changes.
Some changes will likely be made to Pratt’s mechanics as he goes through the draft process. They will adjust his feet and hips, and that is bound to fix some of these issues. When he gets to an NFL camp and a position coach works with him further, we may see him develop better and faster to where when he gets a chance to see the field, this problem is corrected.
Payer Summary
Pratt is a fun watch and study and one hell of a football player. Ever since his first start against Oklahoma, people have been fans and given him their full attention. He has since grown into a great college quarterback, but can he turn into a great pro? That part is going to seem slim at this point. I see Pratt as a backup primarily who gets to start in place of an injury to someone ahead of him and gives you a chance to win. Players make careers out of that, but he could be more in the right system with the right surrounding cast.
Landing on a team with a staff that can put him in positions to succeed and get the most out of him will be ideal. The Titans, Colts, and Saints could all be nice landing spots for Pratt. Those places all have established starters, either by draft capital or contract, but that is what he needs to be behind. They also have great skill players around him for him to get work in with and to see how much they can help him grow while waiting for his chance.
Projected Draft Capital: Day Three Pick
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