From now until the 2023 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman.
#10 Sam Hartman/QB Notre Dame – 6011, 211 lbs. (Senior)
Senior Bowl
Combine
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Sam Hartman | 6011/211 | 9 3/4 | 31 3/8 | 75 1/4 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.80 | 1.63 | 4.34 | 7.19 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 8’10” | 28.5 | N/A |
The Good
– Solid runner who has shown to pick up yardage with his legs
– Signals the offense well and calls out blitzes
– Faced a lot of interior offensive line pressure and receivers struggled to separate or catch the ball
– Goes through his progressions well and typically makes the correct throw
– Toughness shows up on the field, takes hits as he throws the ball and is willing to take them as a runner
– Had a very good college career statistically
The Bad
– Old for a rookie, turning 25 before the 2024 season starts
– Small frame; height comes in at 24th percentile, weight 28th percentile
– Prone to staring down his first read check downs on 1st and 10 resulting in multiple turnover-worthy plays
– Continuously throwing the ball while getting brought to the ground causes a higher risk of turnovers
– Inaccuracy shows up, causing him to sail his receivers or throw it behind them
Bio
– 24 years old (July 29, 1999)
– Played in 60 games between Wake Forest and Notre Dame
– 16,634 total yards, 154 total touchdowns, 49 interceptions, 147.2 passer rating in his career
– 2,812 total yards, 27 total touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and a 159.5 passer rating in his 2023 season
– Suffered a season-ending injury in 2018 to his lower right foot/ankle
– Had two major illnesses in his career; first an abscess in his neck that resulted in immediate surgery and led to significant weight loss, which resulted in tear of his thyroid gland and caused fluid to leak into his shoulder and eventually into his neck
– First illness caused second one in 2022 called Paget-Schroetter syndrome (also known as effort thrombosis), which caused him to get a rib removed
– Three-star QB in his 2018 from Mount Pleasant, SC
– Fifth-most passing yards and third-most passing touchdowns in FBS history
– Brother, Joe, played basketball at Haverford College
Tape Breakdown
With Sam Hartman, you don’t have to wonder what he will look like facing pressure from NFL defenses because he was constantly under it in college. I like this clip because it really shows most of the strengths in his game. After he takes the snap, he reads the right side of the field before making his way back to the left-running drag route. By this time, a guard has been beaten by an inside pass rusher, forcing Hartman to throw. It comes out accurately to his receiver as Hartman takes a hit and Notre Dame is able to pick up a pretty big chunk play.
— Steven (@Elspedd2) February 24, 2024
The most impressive part of Hartman’s game for me is undoubtedly his ability to use his legs and create plays. Both Notre Dame and Wake Forest used him on designed QB runs, which is seen in the first clip below. If given the right look, like in the first clip where Clemson spreads out its linebackers opening up the middle of the field, Hartman would be very successful with these plays. As seen in the second and third clips, he is also able to use his legs to escape pressure and make something out of nothing.
— Steven (@Elspedd2) February 24, 2024
As someone who thinks one of Hartman’s weaknesses is his accuracy, he will bevertheless have a few throws a game that are very NFL starter-like. This throw from 2022 against Boston College is one of those moments. The corner is quite literally allowing nothing inside, and Hartman makes a challenging, back-shoulder throw to the pylon. Now of course this is highlighted by an amazing catch, but, in a late-game situation down a touchdown, this is typically the look Hartman would be getting. He shows that in this sort of situation, he can deliver.
— Steven (@Elspedd2) February 24, 2024
Going back to Hartman’s accuracy, I tried to include a clip from just about every possible situation. We see Hartman in a clean pocket, a routine rollout dump off, a simple screen pass, and under pressure in the pocket. In all of these clips, Hartman is unable to deliver despite having an open guy. Some of these balls are thrown behind the receiver causing them to have to adapt. Others are just completely sailed and uncatchable except for the defender. Either way, these are things an NFL coach is going to have to clean up, and if he was J.J. McCarthy’s age, Hartman might be a more enticing prospect.
— Steven (@Elspedd2) February 24, 2024
Specifically in this Clemson game, one thing I noticed is Hartman’s tendency to stare down his first read check down and throw no matter what. Both of these routes are covered with nearly no separation, and he still throws the ball. One resulted in six for the other team while the other was a dropped interception. Being this experienced in the world of college football, you shouldn’t be making these kinds of plays. This is what lowers your draft stock tremendously if you’re just throwing to covered receivers and hurting your team.
— Steven (@Elspedd2) February 24, 2024
Conclusion
Sam Hartman is a good story of someone who has had to overcome obstacles and still managed to put up great numbers. However, the size, age, and film just don’t make a great case for his NFL draft stock. I realistically see Hartman having a Chase Daniel-type career path. A serviceable backup who can stay in the league for a long time in that role with the occasional start due to injury. Which, honestly, isn’t that bad of a gig considering Daniel made $41.8M as a backup who only made five career starts.
Hartman, for the most part, has the mental intangibles to be in the NFL but everything else is in question. His medicals haven’t been great and while most likely they will not overlap with the NFL, there is always a concern something may pop up. As a passer he does a pretty good job of reading defenses, calling out blitzes, and making the right throw but those get offset when he sails his receivers, resulting in near interceptions.
Watching him play it was very clear that his interior offensive line did him no favors. Neither did his receivers when Hartman did make a good throw. This was solved by Hartman’s very impressive running ability. It made for the occasional scamper outside of the pocket to where he could pick up 20 to 40 yards. Notre Dame felt so comfortable with him running the ball that multiple times a game it called a QB draw. Hartman has talent but it needs to be refined, and at 25 years old, it is unlikely he will grow into much more than what he already is. Although, if he does refine everything in his game, I can see his absolute ceiling being Derek Carr.
Projection: Late Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 6.6MED – Backup/Special Teamer (Fifth Round)
Games Watched: NC State (2023), Clemson (2023), Clemson (2022), Boston College (2022)
