From now until the 2025 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, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Iowa Western Community College QB Hunter Dekkers.
NO.8 HUNTER DEKKERS, QB, IOWA WESTERN (R-SENIOR) – 6030, 225 POUNDS
HULA BOWL PARTISCIPANT
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Hunter Dekkers | 6030/225 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
— Has good size and bulk for the position
— Athleticism to move around the pocket and scramble for yards
— Possesses the arm strength to make most throws down the field
— Has the touch to drop the ball into the bucket over the shoulder
— Can throw on the run with touch
— Can make throws from varying arm angles and different platforms
— Velocity on passes helps him fit balls into tight windows
— Will step up in the pocket and step into his throw or tuck and run
— Frame makes him a freight train who is tough to bring down
THE BAD
— Isn’t exceptionally fast or quick as a runner
— Can get caught panicking in the pocket, leading to sacks
— Accuracy can wane when he feels pressure
— Will sail passes over the intended target on occasion
— Prone to locking onto one target rather than continuing his progression
— Base as a passer can be inconsistent
— Puts the ball at risk often, throwing it into traffic
BIO
— Redshirt senior prospect from Hawarden, Iowa
— Born July 4, 2001
— Grew up on a cattle farm in northwest Iowa
— Set Iowa high school career records for most passing yards (10,628) and touchdown passes (126)
— Three-star recruit, according to Rivals
— Committed to Iowa State and played in three games as a true freshman in 2020 before redshirting
— Backed up Brock Purdy in 2021 and completed 20 of 36 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns and one interception; rushed four times for 61 yards and one touchdown in four games
— Named the starter in 2022 and completed 302-of-457 pass attempts (66.1%) for 3,044 yards and 19 touchdowns with 14 interceptions, also carried the ball 89 times for 73 yards and two scores
— Stepped away from Iowa State football program after being indicted on charges related to sports gambling
— Committed to Iowa Western Community College after transferring from Iowa State
— Completed 288-of-449 pass attempts (64.1%) for 3,806 yards and 32 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 2024
— Led Iowa Western to the NJCAA national championship game in 2024
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Growing up in small-town Hawarden, Hunter Dekkers looked destined for stardom as an athlete. A prodigy on the basketball court, the baseball diamond, or on the gridiron, he excelled at it all, setting Iowa high school records for career passing yards and touchdowns. Dekkers would go on to play at Iowa State, but his involvement in online sports gambling caused him to be dismissed from the team, and he finished his career at Iowa Western Community College.
When you pop in the tape on Dekkers, you see a big, strong passer with the arm talent to make almost every NFL throw. He has been making those “wow” throws since his days at West Sioux High School, and his tape at Iowa State and Iowa Western also shows that playmaking ability. You can see in the clips below of Dekkers showing great touch and ball placement down the field for touchdowns in the NJACC national championship game.
Dekkers is a certified gun slinger who isn’t afraid to whip it across the field into tight coverage to his intended target. Watch this throw Dekkers makes against Ohio where he drops back and whips it to his target in the end zone. Firing the pass with great velocity over the middle, he evades the defender attempting to tip the ball and fits it into his man with a defender in close coverage.
What also sticks out about Dekkers and his game is his ability to make plays on the move. He is comfortable throwing on the run and making passes from varying platforms with various arm angle. In the clips below against West Virginia, he shows great touch and effortless torque while on the move to get the ball down the field to his target for the score.
Dekkers is a good athlete who is capable of tucking and running if he sees a window, having the mobility as well as the size to take on defenders and pick up tough yards after contact. Take a look at this rep against Texas in which Dekkers climbs the pocket and sees a wide-open running lane. He tucks the ball and takes off for the end zone, sneaking in for the score.
While there are plenty of promising qualities that Dekkers shows, he does need some refinement from the neck up to be considered a capable starting option at the next level. His gunslinger mentality puts the ball at risk more often than you’d like to see (24 interceptions in last two collegiate seasons). Plus, his pocket presence can break down when he feels pressure like you see in the play below against Hutchinson, Dekkers turning around and running right into pressure for the sack.
CONCLUSION
Hunter Dekkers is a physically gifted passer who has the size, athleticism, and arm talent that you are looking for at the position. He can make the touch throws as well as operate outside of the pocket as a passer, utilizing his feet both to extend the play as well as pick up yardage on his own. However, his risks as a passer — they tend to backfire — and needed improvement in pocket presence make him more of a project that a team can consider bringing in to training camp to develop into a practice squad/No. 3 quarterback with time.
When coming up with a pro comp for Dekkers, Tyson Bagent for the Chicago Bears came to mind as another physically gifted passer from a small school who went undrafted. He ended up making the roster and started some games for the Bears in the 2023 season. That is a best-case scenario for Dekkers, who will want to get into an NFL training camp and compete for a roster spot like Bagent did.
The Steelers need to secure their top starting option at quarterback, but Dekkers could be a UDFA they could consider bringing in to compete with Skylar Thompson for the No. 3 job this summer.
Projection: UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 6.3 – End of Roster/Practice Squad (7th Round)
Games Watched: vs Hutchinson (2024), at Texas (2022), vs West Virginia (2022), vs Ohio (2022)
