Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State
Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis took a massive leap in 2022, having his best season yet in the Florida State garnet and gold. Travis threw for 3214 yards and 24 touchdowns, while throwing only 5 interceptions. He also tallied up 7 rushing touchdowns. He led the ACC in passing yards per attempt (9.1) and passing efficiency rating (160.1). Additionally, Travis led the ACC in total yards per play at 8.3, which also ranked #3 in the nation. Heading into the 2023-2024 season, Jordan Travis currently has the second-highest odds for the Heisman, behind Caleb Williams who is favorited to repeat. He is gaining a lot of attention, which in turn brings about high expectations for this season.
Film:
- Notre Dame (2021)
- Boston College (2021)
- LSU (2022)
- Louisville (2022)
- Wake Forest (2022)
- Clemson (2022)
- Oklahoma (2022)
Strengths:
- Naturally gifted athlete and leader. This should go without saying. Watch the film yourself if you're not convinced.
- Possesses quick feet and is a threat to run/scramble on all three downs. Travis is super agile both inside and outside of the pocket, making himself a running threat that opposing defenses must respect.
- Leverages high awareness with excellent ability to escape and extend plays. This trait boldly stands out on tape. Passing plays that look dead behind the line of scrimmage somehow gain new life when Travis is at his best.
- Great ability to connect with his targets while on the run.
- Keeps his eyes downfield while scrambling, simultaneously talking to/directing receivers before the pass and subsequent completion.
- Arm strength is there - and at times it is impressive - but needs to find more consistency in terms of accuracy at the deeper levels.
- Maintains decent passing rhythm in a run-friendly* FSU offense that sometimes draws up run plays with him as the carrier (i.e. QB draw, option). His overall stamina is extremely impressive.
*FSU ran passing plays on just 46.52% of plays in 2022 according to TeamRankings
Weaknesses:
- Needs to find control of lower body. Often foregoes getting his feet fully set before his release.
- Ball placement and accuracy needs improvement at all levels, more-so at the deep level. In 2022, receivers often had to make body adjustments to the ball when it should have been an easy reception (i.e ball was thrown behind receiver, ball was overthrown). Travis needs to place the ball in receiver-friendly positions and/or hit them in stride for continued success.
- Must improve on knowing when to throw the ball away or take a sack. Too many instances occurred in which Travis recklessly flipped the ball away as he was being taken to the ground, or forced dangerous passes at the last second.
- Sliding must factor into his running ability. The physicality and athleticism is coveted, but for his health and longevity, he needs to slide.
- Could work through his progressions more efficiently. Travis will occasionally lock onto receivers and force something when it isn't there, which in turn results in missed opportunities/open receivers in other areas on the field.
Summary:
Jordan Travis is such an impressive athlete. The Seminoles really found a gem in the Louisville transfer. He's the definition of a gamer. Gritty, determined; a leader in his own right. I expect him to take an even bigger leap production-wise in 2023 and push his way into being considered a top 4 QB in this class. His elusiveness, awareness, and comfort in throwing on the run stands out. These traits seem natural for him. On the flip-side, he needs to take better care of the ball in certain situations, help his receivers a bit more in terms of accuracy/ball placement, and work through his progressions more often. Overall, Jordan Travis is a stud who should be flying up boards this year.
Grade: 8.3/10
-- Alex P
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