Niners Nation Scouting Report: Tom Brandstater, QB Fresno State

by Fooch on Mar 11, 2009 12:30 PM PDT in Draft Comment 27 comments

The restructuring of Alex Smith's contract has people all atwitter over the QB position. The competition is currently set between Alex Smith and Shaun Hill (sorry Damon Huard), but there is always the possibility the 49ers go for a QB in the draft to slowly develop going forward. Discussion has centered on everyone from Matthew Stafford to Mark Sanchez to Josh Freeman to Nate Longshore (just kidding).

One California QB that does intrigue me is Tom Bradstater of Fresno State. Right off the bat, I'll acknowledge that his stats definitely do not blow anybody away (well except maybe his mom):

Year	GP	Comp	Att	Yds	Comp %	TD	INT
2004	RS	-	-	-	-	-	-
2005	8	6	13	49	46.2%	1	1
2006	11	146	268	1,490	54.5%	13	14
2007	13	211	337	2,654	62.9%	15	5
2008	13	221	371	2,664	59.6%	18	12
Totals	45	584	989	6,857	59.0%	47	32

However, after watching him in the Shrine Game, I was kind of in awe at his formidable size. He stands 6'5 220 lbs and has a very solid arm. I think people said the same thing about Jeff George and obviously that worked out real well. But if Brandstater isn't a head case, maybe he's worth a late pick or signing as an undrafted free agent.

Strengths
He's obviously got the size at 6'5, 220. Fortunately it sounds like he can move around in the pocket fairly well for a big guy. Given the athleticism of defensive players these days, mobility is a big plus. You don't see many immovable objects like Drew Bledsoe anymore. At the combine he ran a 4.37 20-yard shuttle run, which was good for fifth best among QBs. That shows his ability to get back and forth and general mobility.

The big plus lately is that apparently between the Shrine Game and the Combine, Brandstater was working on his accuracy. At the Shrine Game he definitely had issues overthrowing receivers, but according to some folks at nfldraftscout.com, he really helped himself at the Combine in that area.

While he has some weaknesses in his mechanics, it sounds like he could prove solid in the West Coast offense. The 49ers seem to want to incorporate some aspects of the West Coast offense into the Raye-Singletary experiment, so that's something to keep in mind.

Weaknesses
Accuracy is still an issue deep down the field. While he can hit the shorter 10-20 yard passes he really struggles deep, which is something that showed in the Shrine Game. Additionally, his decision-making apparently leaves something to be desired. He can telegraph passes, which is when he's not poorly delivering them.

It sounds like the big problem for him throughout his college career is inconsistency. He'll take a step in his development, only to take two steps back. NFL Draft Scout indicated that 2008 yielded big numbers in part due to a spread offense look. It seems like that's all the rage in the college game these days. Of course, if Brandstater is going to be sitting for a season or two anyways, maybe it's not that big a deal.

Looking Forward
Brandstater is consistently labeled a project, with many sites not expecting much more than a solid backup QB. Brandstater thinks he could be drafted anywhere from the 2nd to 5th round, but many folks see him as strictly 5th round or later.

We'll be going over other QBs in the coming weeks, but I'm curious if people see Brandstater as someone who could be developed and coached into an actual starting QB in the NFL? If there was ever a time to grab a guy late and stash him on the bench, now is that time given that Hill and Smith will be duking it out over the next two seasons. Of course, if people don't think Brandstater could ever turn into anything, why bother drafting him at all? Am I just mesmerized by his 6'5-ness?

Here for your amusement (I think the Boom Goes the Dynamite guy should've handled this interview...or Chris Farley):

Resources
NFL Draft Scout scouting report
Turlock Journal article
FF Toolbox scouting report
War Room Report
WalterFootball.com
Draft Countdown

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Comments

Wow

I’m a little surprised you mentioned Brandstater, but I’m excited about it since I’m from the Valley, and a huge Fresno State fan.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head when you said he’s mostly inconsistent. I remember watching him at a practice when he redshirted, back when Paul Pinegar was QB1, and he threw one of the most impressive deep balls I’ve ever seen. Good times seemed to lie ahead.

Unfortunately, his potential never really was reached. A lot of this might have to do with the same thing the Niners offense has dealt with — having a new offensive coordinator about every year. This past year Fresno had an especially conservative OC, who insisted on running the ball pretty much every 1st down, and then throwing the good ’ol 3-yard pass on 3rd and 8. I saw them at their best when they beat UCLA in the Rose Bowl, then at their worst later in the year when they struggled to beat WAC teams.

Anyway, Brandstater is not someone I would want on the 49ers. He has some talent, but I don’t see any way he’ll translate to a good NFL QB, unless he has some incredible coaching and at least a few years sitting behind a good QB (pretty much like Matt Cassel’s situation). He’s not especially mobile, but like you said, he’s no Drew Bledsoe. I could say more but you pretty much got things right in your analysis. If we’re going to go the route of a former FSU QB, I’d really like the 49ers to try to get Billy Volek. He’s shown himself to be at least an average NFL QB in his short time as a starter, and was really impressive at FSU. He’s not a big deep threat, but makes good decisions and is quite accurate.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Mar 11, 2009 12:44 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I picked Brandstater as my 7th Round pick in the 49ersfancast.com Mock draft. I like this kid.

by Indiana Jim on Mar 11, 2009 1:05 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This guy went to high school with my brother

Fun fact.

by Ninjames on Mar 11, 2009 1:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Pat White

This guy’s getting a ton of attention due to his QB / WR ability and his impressive performance at the Combine last month. Could the Niners ever mix things up by playing a Wildcat with White and Michael Robinson? Each guy can potentially run, throw and catch. Could be kind of a fun thing to do every once in a while to change things up.

by Neon on Mar 11, 2009 1:40 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Druckenmiller alert!!! Druckenmiller alert!!!

Abort! Abort! Abort!

I would want to hear more about what he is doing to improve on his accuracy and whether it is working. His college stats aren’t that impressive, which raises obvious questions re: how his numbers will be against bigger, faster defenders in the NFL. Size and strength are good, but if you can’t hit your receiver at 15-20 yards then I don’t really care how much you can bench press.

by Call It The Throw on Mar 11, 2009 1:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

/agree

I’ve always hated the attention that big QBs receive. For every Ben Roethlisberger, there are 10 Druckenmillers.

This is no different from the baseball scouts that overhype guys because of sh*t like “sharp jawlines” and “broad shoulders.” This is professional sports, not a modeling agency. Judge a guy buy his performance on the field, not how he looks in a locker room.

by shlecko on Mar 11, 2009 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

to be fair

Brandstater’s not a physical specimen, or abnormally big & mobile like Roethlisberger, but I do get what you’re saying.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Mar 11, 2009 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Druckenmiller alert?

Druckemiller was a first round pick which Brandstater is far from being. I have no idea why you guys are comparing a past first round selection to a future possible 5th or later round selection.

Don't sweat it. I'm illiterate.

by methodrampage on Mar 12, 2009 7:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

Also from being from the valley, I would laugh all the way to the bank if the 49ers drafted this bum. I have watched him his entire career as fresno state. He is the worst!! The only reason his numbers were decent was because defenses stacked up against the run and he threw high % passes. any other program would have cut him, but Pat “to stubborn to change his ways” Hill is always loyal to the people he picks. P Hill was so stocked this guy was built like a nfl qb that he didnt even bother to give any of the other qbs a try. Probably the fact that Brandsetter was always on his knees in P Hills office also had something to do with it. Fresno State was supposed to be good this year. Decent def, good receivers, great rb, ol, etc. the only ? was the qb position. Someone mentioned the UCLA game…. the only reason that was close was because brandsetter couldnt put any drives together, and our defense sucked. UCLA was god awful this year! Check out the hawaii game. If memory serves correct, another game Fresno should have one and we lost due to 6 turnovers. Brandsetter was involved in at least 5 of them (picks, fumbles, you name it). Obviously you can see that I wasted 3 years watching this bum. His only strength is that he is built like an nfl qb with some mobility. THATS IT. His weakness’ are right on and completely outweigh the fact that his arm is so strong that he always throws ducks on deep throws. If I were the niners, check out the posts about this guy on the fresnobee.com before wasting a draft pick .

by gl12ox05 on Mar 11, 2009 3:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

...

let it out, it’s ok

by foosball4949 on Mar 11, 2009 4:33 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

To be fair

I’d say the main reason they didn’t live up to expectations this season was the defense, which was just terrible. Brandstater didn’t play great, but I don’t think he killed the team. The UCLA game was a shootout…I don’t really see how that equates to him not being able to put a drive together…in fact, he made some pretty incredible throws that game.

I do agree with you, though, that he probably won’t be a good NFL QB.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Mar 12, 2009 8:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

oh, and...

what other QB do you wish he would have played? Ryan Colburn was the next backup, if I remember correctly, and trust me…Brandstater would look like an All-Pro compared to him. I watched him play quite a bit in high school, and the general consensus was that if he did make it to the college level, it would be at DB more likely than QB. His arm strength leaves much to be desired, is all I’ll say.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Mar 12, 2009 8:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

your kidding right?

although I agree that the defense didnt play up to par either, probably due to the fact the d cordinator was sick all year, and P hill didnt have the balls to do anything about it.

But back to one of your other points, how would we know what Colburn can or cant do? Hill never put him in the game. We were getting killed in the boise game. we could have put colburn in the 4th qtr. but noooooo. finally tom got hurt and colburn had to go in. how many passing plays did he have. Thats right, none. it would have been a perfect time to see what we have going into next year.

Secondly, if colburn shouldnt have even been there, then what kind of qb recruiting is Hill doing? Faulkner was supposedly this high recruit out of texas but supposedly he is a bust. Brandsetter played 3 years. he was never good. hill should have put a higher emphsis on qb recruiting.

yes the defense was terrible, but brandsetter was god awful. the only reason he didnt kill the team is because he has talent around him. we have good rbs who can play even when stacked up against. we have wr that can turn a 3 yrd pass into a big play. Name one game which brnadsetter took the team on his back and single handedly won the game. Not the ucla game. though he made some plays, our rbs grinded out the 4th qtr. If Brandsetter could have put together one td scoring drive against wisc, we win that game.

yes….this is my therapy session…… no to brandsetter and no to hill!!!

by gl12ox05 on Mar 12, 2009 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Venting is good

I guess I just don’t have the festering anger towards him that you do. It’s all good, though.

This is pure speculation, of course, but I think the Colburn recruiting was because someone important knew Hill or gave money to the program, or was a way of keeping local interest in the team (since Colburn was from Central Valley Christian high school in Visalia). I haven’t watched a LOT of high school football or anything, but I have certainly seen QBs much better than Colburn that didn’t end up going to college. Anyway, I digress.

As far as next year, if I remember correctly they have David Carr’s kid brother as well as the kid from Edison High (not sure about the high school) that is really quick and has the potential to run the spread offense (it would shock me, though, to see Hill run a spread offense). I don’t think Colburn is going to take a snap as a starter, and that’s why they didn’t end up playing him much.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Mar 12, 2009 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

carr and feathers

yes, Carr and Feathers will be here next year. But since carr will be a true fresh and feathers a red shirt fresh, how much can we really expect from either? I hope in the long run, they will be the answer, but i dont know how much they can help in their first year.

Their will be an open competition at qb next year between carr, feathers, and colburn. If colburn really isnt the answer, he should have played against boise. We all would have seen for ourselves. Colburn couldnt have changed the outcome of that game in the 4th qtr.

I think niner fans should hope tommy doesnt go their way. Dont forget about the san jose game in which he couldnt complete a pass in the 2nd qtr.

If you want a ca project, scouting fresno state is good, as we have had many go on to the pros and be successful. keep an eye on carr and feathers as hill is hinting these guys might be our saving graces. I am hoping he is right, just doubting it will be next year. What a waste of another year for ryan mathews.

I think Hill is on the hook during the next two years. do something, or your gone. what do you think?

by gl12ox05 on Mar 12, 2009 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree about Hill

Although even if he doesn’t get us back into the national rankings, i still think it would be a good idea to keep him. I have a hard time believing that they could bring in the kind of coach that would get teams like Wisconsin, USC, UCLA, or Oregon to actually play us. I know many people in the Valley have the mindset of “who cares if we can beat a ranked team if we can’t even win the WAC?”, but my personal opinion is that it brings more excitement to see them compete against top teams. For some reason Hill hasn’t ever really been able to get the team prepared to play against weaker conference opponents, and that is a knock on him for sure, but I think as far as bringing national attention to the team, Hill is probably Fresno’s best bet.

I think his future at Fresno will come down to how important the school feels it is for them to win the WAC. I do think that he brings in enough national attention to the school by being competitive in the nonconference games, but I wouldn’t be stunned if they let him go. I just don’t really know who would do better.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Mar 12, 2009 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I will give you that...

Hill has done this program wonders. We are nationally recognized (to a degree), he definately built up the program, he is a master scheduler, etc.

My problem with him is he does not WIN. He does everything else, but win. His expectation is that since he is given one of the top football budgets in the wac, and year in year out, his recruiting classes are if not the top, 2nd in the WAC. With those resources, we should be right there with WAC. I dont care if we win the conf, but if we dont, our conf record better be right there with the leader. he really hasnt done anything since the near win at USC. people are starting to forget, including the national audience.

He is always complaining about the lack of support. To fix that is easy, win and the fans will come out. Look at this year. The stadium was packed all the way up to the Nevada game. Then fans stopped showing up. The fans have nothing else to do but watch the fsu games. If we are fighting to win the wac or play a bcs school, I promise you, we will show.

And Hill is given the resources to go and do just that. I dont care that he is stubborn or too loyal. If he does what he is supposed to do, then he can do whatever he wants.

Your right about his replacement. That is the tough call. Keep Hill who has built this program but cant win or replace him with whom? One name comes to mind, Trent Dilfer. Though he doesnt have coaching experience, he is known as an evaluator and a mentor with NFL ties. Just a reach, I know, but thats a name.

by gl12ox05 on Mar 12, 2009 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The fans have nothing else to do but watch the fsu games

Well, at least now they have baseball! :)

Dilfer is an interesting idea. He still seems to relish his days as a bulldog, and I have always thought he would be a good coach. I think he definitely wouldn’t be as conservative as Hill, either.

STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.

by UnleashTheGore on Mar 12, 2009 12:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Have no idea about the guy himself

but someone like him should be the quarterback that the Niners draft. Someone way down in the draft who could be developed over time.

by Bob On The Coast on Mar 11, 2009 9:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Nate Longshore

You said just kidding and I’ve had my fair share of Longshore pain as a Cal fan. However, I wouldn’t mind giving him a chance as a UFA. I think all his issues are mental. After his sophomore year, he looked like he would be a star, but the way he threw the ball was never the same after Oregon 2007.

Longshore has the arm to make all the throws, he just lacks mobility—and the mental state at this point.

by gogoldenbears on Mar 11, 2009 9:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

No thanks on Longshore or Brandstater

I’ve been through enough 4th quarter chokejobs already thanks.

Rafael Rodriguez: Your number 8 organizational prospect before stepping a foot on American soil and has "looked just super so far," according to Felipe Alou...according to Baggs.

by BrianBokake on Mar 12, 2009 10:47 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You have to be crazy

I’m from Fresno, and have watched Fresno State football for a long time. From Dilfer to Carr and they were both decent college QB’s. They both very at the best (average) NFL QB’s. This Bradstaner guy sucks big time. He only threw to his TE and his WR were rarely thrown to. And when he did throw to his WR’s he was not accurate. He would have never started for any big college program. JTO is light years ahead of him, and we know how JTO’s 49er career went.

by 9er on Mar 12, 2009 2:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs