Did Sam Hartman’s additional college year help his NFL future?

• Brooke Pryor, ESPN

  • Staff WriterApr 13, 2024, 06:00 AM ET Close Formerly covered the Kansas City Chiefs for the Kansas City Star and Oklahoma University for the Oklahoman.INDIANAPOLIS– Sam Hartman was

bound for the NFL, till a case of incorrect identity began to shift his thinking.At the end of his 5th collegiate season in December 2022, the Wake Forest quarterback– and ACC’s all-time leader in goal passes– was prepared to take the next step in his football journey when he got a telephone call from his representative. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson had just declared for the NFL draft, and reports were swirling that the Gators had already targeted his replacement after eagle-eyed social networks users found Hartman on campus and published pictures online.The just issue? It wasn’t Hartman– a minimum of not the college football player.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Instead, it was Joe Hartman, Sam’s older sibling and likewise bearded doppelganger, who was participating in the University of Florida’s College of Medication at the time.”My agent was like,

‘ Hey, are

you in Gainesville, Florida? I’m getting calls from their people that you’re looking– that you’re down there,'”Hartman informed ESPN.”And I resemble,’ Guy, I’m sitting in my group conference room. ‘He resembles,’Well, they’re interested. They want to know if you want to go.’And I resemble,’No, I have actually been in college for five years. I want to go out. ‘” However his representative, Brian McLaughlin of VaynerSports, wasn’t as sure that was Hartman’s best course after gathering feedback on his customer from NFL talent critics, and the opportunity sighting of the older

Hartman started the conversation. “It was among those things that was just because of social networks, since my brother’s down in med school, it stimulated the concept, “Hartman stated.” And we’re like,’ Well, it’s not a dreadful concept to possibly try and

go play another year.'” In spite of shattering school and conference records in a worthwhile college profession, Hartman’s professional trajectory was uncertain due to the fact that Wake Forest’s offending system varied greatly from what he ‘d be asked

to do in the NFL. Looking for clearness in his examination and to improve his draft stock, Hartman ultimately got in the transfer website. He and McLaughlin prioritized discovering a program with an offense that more carefully resembled what he ‘d be asked to do in the NFL, landing at Notre Dame.play 0:30 Sam Hartman discovers a wide-open Jordan Faison for a Notre Dame TD Jordan Faison takes an absolute penny from Sam Hartman to extend the Fighting Irish’s lead.It’s the type of relocation that could set a precedent for quarterbackslooking for to enhance their standing with NFL skill evaluators, a course made more possible due to the fact that of laws enacted in 2021 that enable college athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness

and assistance remove the monetary pressure to turn professional early. A substantial modification to the college football landscape came that exact same year when the NCAA ruled that athletes can transfer and have instant eligibility following their first transfer. Ever since, the NCAA has approved exceptions that give instant eligibility to some multitime transfers(and could change further later this month).”If you’re not going to be an early draft pick, and you can return to school, whether that’s the present program you’re at, or maybe there’s a much better situation for development and fit to think about,”McLaughlin stated,”Quarterbacks can make six figures– some guys now even creeping into the 7 figures between

their collective and marketing offers– it resembles, why not go do that? Attempt to significantly raise your draft stock.”It’s something where you get one shot at it, and you wish to make sure you’re totally prepared and all set to make the jump to the NFL. And if you’re not presently an early draft pick, you may want to go back and attempt to get yourself into an early pick … tire your eligibility.”For Hartman, who had a sixth year

of eligibility since of the NCAA’s one-year COVID-19 extension, it made sense.Playing in Wake Forest’s slow mesh offense, Hartman often ran out of the shotgun and ran a version of an RPO scheme that included extended handoffs to the running back while he read the defense before making the decision

to either hand the ball off or toss it. It was an efficient system for the Demon Deacons, assisting them to

an 8-0 start in 2021 en path to winning the ACC’s Atlantic Department for the very first time because 2006. Hartman, too, discovered success in the offense, tossing for 77 touchdowns and nearly 8,000 lawns in his final two seasons, despite missing time with an embolism that required surgery to remove a rib. Did Sam Hartman increase his draft stock(and making power )with another year in college? His 2024 draft position could tell the tale. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Scouts struggled to assess Hartman since of the non-traditional, complex offense, one up until now from the under-center schemes run in the NFL.

Could he rattle off playcalls with complicated verbiage in the huddle? Could he process a defense on several levels and make quick, clever choices with the football? How would he manage a pocket from under center?The feedback suggested remaining at Wake Forest wasn’t going to assist Hartman’s draft stock.”Wake established me so much– for 5 years, they stood by me,”Hartman said, discussing the process at the NFL combine in February.” Got the chance with COVID and the redshirt to check out and see what was out there. And it offered me an idea– hey perhaps there’s something out there I could go do, part of that was the pro-style offense. “Having 2 offenses under my [

. belt], getting under center, getting in and out of the huddle, playing with guys like [offensive lineman] Joe Alt, it just sort of set the tone. Working an NFL cadence and everything in between was extraordinary.” Hartman’s detour to the NFL through Notre Dame much better positioned him to get in a league that

progressively seeks pleasure principle after preparing a rookie quarterback.What to know for the 2024 NFL draft – Mock drafts |

. DraftCast: Top potential customers – Rankings: Kiper|Miller|Reid|Yates – QB Hot Board|Top characteristics|Comps – Position ranks |

Full order|”Anytime you can do things at the college level that you’re going to be asked to do in the NFL, it just makes it much easier for them,” stated Jim Nagy, executive director of the Senior citizen Bowl and former long time NFL scout.” Quarterbacks are being rushed on the field more than most likely ever, certainly more than 10, 15 years ago. You do not have that developmental time … It
‘s just hard when you take a guy that when you view
him and you’re not seeing him do a great deal of principles and making pro tosses and professional plays and reads. That’s when you resemble,’OK, this is going to take a bit.’ “In flattening that finding out curve with a year in Notre Dame’s pro-style system, Hartman’s draft stock has actually risen from a predicted late-round choice or top priority undrafted complimentary agent to a fourth-or fifth-round choice, according to some league skill critics.”To increase 2 rounds, it may not sound like a lot to somebody outside of football, however that’s a huge dive,”Nagy stated. “If you might move two rounds in a year by simply going elsewhere, that’s a truly big dive.”Hartman’s once-unorthodox course might be something more quarterbacks follow in the coming years as they make the most of both their opportunities for development and making potential thanks to the transfer portal and NIL offers. Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who also works with VaynerSports for NIL representation, has actually moved twice after beginning his college profession at Clemson. Like Hartman, a primary consider altering schools is looking for offenses that will better position him for an NFL career.play 0:35 Sam Hartman scrambles 26 lawns for a Notre Dame TD Sam Hartman takes off after nobody is open and finds the end zone for a 26-yard goal.” It’s taking place across college football: money talks today,”Nagy stated.”These quarterbacks are earning money a lot of cash. For some positions it doesn’t make much sense due to the fact that simply going through this year’s cycle, I talked to a bunch of position players besides quarterbacks that were attempting to be drawn back for another college season for$150,000, $ 200,000. At that point, I’m like, just go turn pro. You’re going to make a lot more money being a rookie in the NFL than making$150,000 on your college campus next year.” However some of these [quarterbacks] are making, we’re talking

like two, 3, 4, 5, six million dollars. That’s probably more than they would if they’re a Day 3 quarterback if you’re a fourth -, fifth -, sixth-round draft pick. … Probably makes more sense financially to stay in college. “For Hartman, the monetary ramifications of getting in the website and choosing Notre Dame were secondary to the football choices, however going to a program with a nationwide brand did provide a major platform and lucrative NIL deals with companies including Google, Under Armour, Beats by Dre, Dove, Dollar Shave Club and Mizzen +Main.Hartman, though, cautioned college football players to be wise in making choices about their future in an

NIL age.”I believe it’s a slippery slope,”Hartman stated.”There’s specific situations where it’s used actually well, and then often I believe it’s just misconstrued for guys to sort of dive ship and state,’Hey, there’s a little bit of cash getting flashed at me right here. I’m going to go do this.’

And then that money’s not as much as some people may think it may be. “Full 2024 NFL draft rankings – Top 5 players at all positions( ESPN+)- Scouts Inc. ranks the leading 337 prospects – Kiper’s updated Big Board (ESPN +)- Top 50 boards: Miller|Reid |

Yates – QB Hot Board|Best on the board The full effect of Hartman’s extra college season won’t be known for several years as he navigates the NFL ecosystem, but he’s already seeing early returns from his time in South Bend. Hartman made a Senior Bowl invitation following a 24-touchdown, eight-interception, 2689-yard season at Notre Dame, something that would’ve been more difficult to protect with a lower draft projection. Hartman was also one of five quarterbacks at the Senior citizen Bowl– of six overall– who moved at least as soon as in their collegiate profession.”What it did for the NFL was it type of cleaned some things up,” Nagy stated of Hartman’s transfer.”It just made for a cleaner examination of him, a little more apples to apples,
if you will, seeing him in more of a pro-style system. So just getting under center and a few of the play action things
and dropback things was good for them to see.”Not

just did the week of practice in Mobile, Alabama, put him in front of NFL brass, but he likewise showcased his skill in the Senior citizen Championship game with significant playing time.During that week in Mobile, Hartman faced Gerad Parker, his offensive organizer at Notre Dame and now the head coach at Troy. Parker smiled as the two caught up, admiring how far Hartman had actually come in a year.” Just imagine had you refrained from doing a few of the important things you’re doing right now, how that felt,”Parker said to him.”It was a well-played decision for him to put himself in a position of

,’All right, I do want to play in the NFL, what can I do to assist myself?’He wanted to come and win and belong of Notre Dame, however there was a piece of that was about getting him much better prepared” It put him in a position to have a better opportunity, and that’s all we’re all attempting to do.”