Penn State Football: Trace McSorley could take Taysom Hill route

With questions swirling about where Penn State football QB Trace McSorley fits at the next level, he could take on a versatile role like Taysom Hill.

Since the day New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton compared Trace McSorley to Julian Edelman back in March, it’s caused people to think about the Penn State football QB’s future in the pros. Obviously, he’s proven that he can play the quarterback position at a high level in college. Still, he doesn’t fit scout’s measurables, and he had a down 2018. Some see him as a QB, but also as a safety, wide receiver or specialist at the next level. I say why not all those spots.

Payton of all people is the perfect person to evaluate McSorley’s game. He signed do-it-all player and backup QB Taysom Hill, and it’s added another element to an already-dangerous Saints’ offense. McSorley can still play QB like he always has but also play wide out, running back, returner, special teams and even some defense in the NFL.

The difference between Hill, past college QBs turned wide receivers and McSorley is his production at the Power 5 level in the passing game. Before the 2018 season, the talk around him made it seem like he’d go in the third or fourth round as a QB. It changed with the much-talked-about 2018 season that saw him complete under 54-percent of his passes, which no one put on a significant consistency drop off at wide receiver.

McSorley threw for just under 10,000 yards and 77 touchdowns against just 25 interceptions in his 40 career starts. Hill, Edelman, Josh Cribbs, Brad Smith, Antwan Rande El and so many other NFL wide outs that played QB in college didn’t sling the rock at that type of elite level in college and still provided a multi-purposed player that create a nice career in the NFL.

I believe McSorley can do so many things while adding a nice third-string QB – that most teams don’t carry anymore. Most franchises just carry two signal callers but a guy like Hill gives the team an athlete that isn’t wasting a roster spot that can also play the emergency QB role should Drew Brees and Teddy Bridgewater go down.

While I don’t agree with Pennlive’s David Jones that McSorley should switch positions the NFL, I agree that he can play everywhere and still be a solid backup option under center.