by J.T. Toth
Photo courtesy of Ohio University.
At Draft 412, the NFL draft talk never ends. We will keep you ready for the next set of gridiron stars—from today and all the way until draft night 2024. We will bring you mock drafts, player profiles, individual team needs, and everything else you may need related to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Today’s Spotlight - Ohio University, Quarterback, Kurtis Rourke
Name- Kurtis Rourke
Pos- Quarterback
Team- Ohio University
HT/WT- 6’4” 231 lbs.
Born- 10/25/2000
Home – Oakville, Ontario (Canada)
Rourke played high school football at Holy Trinity High School in Ontario, Canada and ended his career throwing for 4,250 yards and 63 touchdowns along with 705 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. His big brother Nathan Rourke preceded him at Ohio University at quarterback and is now a professional quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Between the 2019-2020 seasons, Rourke only played in 4 games. He played in one his freshman season and redshirted and the following season due to Covid when he played in only 3 games. In 2021, he was named a team captain and played in 10 games and threw for 1,801 yards and 11 touchdowns.
As a starter, Rourke put everything together in 2022 for the Bobcats. He started 11 games and threw for 3,256 yards and 25 touchdowns, completing 69.1 % of his passes on his way to becoming the MAC Offensive Player of the Year. But in game 11, Rourke suffered a torn ACL and was lost for the last week of the season.
Rourke has the NFL style body, and his arm strength continues to get stronger each season. For NFL standards, it’s already above average. He has an excellent long pass touch and gauges where to put the ball consistently. He is a rhythm passer who excels throwing from a clean pocket.
He has enough athleticism to scramble and take off and he can make all the NFL throws. He does a good job of moving his eyes and going through his route progressions.
His decision making at times leaves some scouts scratching their head. He has trouble identifying blitzes and needs to improve his pre-snap reads. Different zones packages often lead him to make wrong reads. He has problems with resetting his feet and will throw off the backfoot when it is not needed, hurting his accuracy. He must prove he can bounce back from the ACL injury and perform like he did in 2022.
In the end, Rourke will be judged by the same question that many past MAC quarterbacks have been—will his play and competition in a smaller conference translate to the next level?
Watching videos on Kurtis Rourke, a quality NFL comparison might be Ryan Tannehill of the Tennessee Titans. Rourke won’t be a high selection like Tannehill but their style of play, arm strength and ability to scramble are similar.
Strengths
Size
Growing/Arm strength
Make all throws
Long ball touch
Weaknesses
Decision making
Reads
Blitz recognition
Footwork
Final Analysis
Kurtis Rourke will not be in the top group of quarterbacks coming out in 2024 but could be a solid 4th to 7th round pick that can help a team down the road.
Draft 412 Draft Projection- Round 5 Round 6