Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields throws as part of a drill during an NFL Pro Day at Ohio State University Tuesday, March 30, 2021 in Columbus, Ohio. Credit: Courtesy of AP Photo/Paul Vernon
Justin Fields rolled out to his left, contorted his hips and whipped a ball more than 60 yards through the air and into the hands of former teammate and wide receiver C.J. Saunders as he crossed over into the end zone.
The throw was met with “oohs” and “aahs” from those in attendance, but unlike the quarterback’s previous throws, it did not count for 6 points or move the Buckeyes down the field. Instead, the throw was the crown jewel of an array of throws that Fields displayed at Ohio State’s pro day in the hopes of improving his NFL draft stock.
Fields said he had an overall solid showing and felt the completion to Saunders was one of his best of the day.
“We were pretty much showing me escaping the pocket and getting my hips turned, but it was definitely one of my top throws of the day,” Fields said. “I was just seeing where C.J. was and putting it on him.”
Head coach Ryan Day, who played quarterback at New Hampshire, joked that he would have broken his hip trying to make that throw and described Fields as “the most accurate downfield passer [he has] seen.”
Day said he saw Fields put on a good performance that displayed the quarterback’s comfort level.
“Early on it’s always that kinda awkward quietness, but I thought he handled it well,” Day said. “I thought he threw the ball with accuracy, and then at the end, he really was just showing off I thought, just driving the ball down the field, unbelievable accuracy. Anybody who was here got to see it live and in color, just how talented he is.”
Prior to the throwing portion of his day, Fields posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.44 seconds — a time that put him in rarified air but came up shy of Fields’ own expectations.
“I think everybody knows my goal in that 40-yard dash was to at least be in the 4.3s, but of course I’m kinda mad about that,” Fields said.
Although his own pundit, Fields has also received criticism from outside evaluators throughout the process.
One of the critiques brought into question Fields’ ability to go through his progressions and make reads.
However, Fields said his decision making has always been about putting the team in the best position to win.
“We have some of the best receivers in the country, so if my first or second read is there, I’m not going to pass up that first or second read to get to the third, fourth or fifth read to prove I can read past my first or second read,” Fields said. “That’s not going to put my team in the best position to win.”
Fields also pushed back on the idea that the track record of Ohio State quarterbacks negatively predicts how his professional career will turn out.
The Georgia native said he has no control over the past and added that the only similarity between himself and former quarterbacks that didn’t make a successful transition from Ohio State to the NFL is the scarlet and gray jersey they donned.
Although looking to prove the negative perceptions wrong, Fields said his drive is not spurred by the outside noise.
“Of course there’s always going to be a chip on my shoulder, but I think my drive, my wanting to be great, my willingness to be great just comes from inside,” Fields said. “I try to not pay attention too much to the outside voices, because at the end of the day, they have their opinions but they really don’t know what’s going on inside of the building or inside of a certain offense.”
