The D2 Football level has produced many NFL Draft prospects over the years, but one position in particular sees few players head to the next level: quarterback.
Well this season, one D2 superstar is having his name mentioned among possible priority free agents after the draft, and that is none other than reigning national champion and Harlon Hill winner Luis Perez.
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MORE D2 PROSPECT PRO DAYS:
Joe Kupcikevicius
Nathan Shepherd
Marcus Martin
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The former Texas A&M-Commerce star made waves over the last week-plus and has finally caught the eye of some more prominent draftniks after the D2 community has been hailing his prowess for months on end.
So just how did the pro days affect the California native's stock? Find out below with a breakdown of Perez's recent activities, and what it just might do to his draft stock.
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Measurements
| HT WT | 40-YD Dash | Vertical Jump | Three Cone | Short Shuttle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-2/219 | 4.97 | 31 | 7.10 | 4.37 |
Perez has good measurables among the QB class of 2018, placing him in the middle of the pack when it comes to those we saw at the NFL Combine.
For accurate comparisons, he is on par with the likes of Josh Rosen and Kyle Lauletta for the vertical jump, and above J.T. Barrett and Nic Shamonek in the three cone.
While athletic traits aren't Perez's strong suits, he definitely has the look of a potential NFL quarterback, and that is what makes him so intriguing to NFL scouts.
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On-Field Drills
By all accounts, Perez was outstanding in his passing drills as he completed 34-of-36 passes at his Lone Star pro day on March 31. While that event is scripted, it is still good to see the Commerce alum find a rhythm like the star players do at their respective outings.
The other pro day that the Harlon Hill winner went to as we alluded to above was that of Texas A&M after receiving a special invite because of his connection to one of their branch campuses.
While we don't have exact numbers from that event regarding Perez, there have been claims that he impressed in throwing to receivers such as Christian Kirk. Unfortunately, he was overshadowed by the return of Johnny Manziel to the field, and there hasn't been much to report because of it.
But most importantly, the former Lion was able to show that he can throw just like a potential NFL quarterback, and that surely had to catch the eyes of scouts.
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Draft Stock
Slowly Rising
Perez isn't going to somehow get thrust into the middle rounds of the draft, but it would not be a surprise to see D2's top player from 2017 slide into the seventh round as a draft flyer.
Rumors have swirled online that the Vikings reached out to Perez with some interest, and that would be a nice landing spot for the D2 stud because there would be no need to develop him quickly and see if he can be a starter with Kirk Cousins in town.
At this point, going to a club that can draft or sign Perez with intentions to stash him on the practice squad makes the best sense career-wise for the rare D2 QB worthy of an NFL chance. Think Kyle Sloter of Northern Colorado last year when he was with the Denver Broncos before ending up with the previously mentioned Vikings.
We shall see within the last few weeks leading up the Draft if any more buzz gets created about this once-in-a-blue-moon prospect, but here is hoping we finally get a D2 quarterback that can stick in the NFL.
