Pro Football Focus (PFF) put out their ranking of all 70 Power Five starting quarterbacks on Wednesday and Badger quarterback Tyler Van Dyke was actually ranked fairly high despite a tough 2023 season.
The Wisconsin signal-caller landed at 15th on the list, ahead of other big name quarterbacks like Florida State's DJ Uiagalelei and former Badger Graham Mertz. Here's what PFF had to say about Van Dyke.
After a rollercoaster ride at Miami that oscillated between stardom and struggle, Van Dyke brings his bazooka arm to Madison. He doesn’t move much, but when he is protected, he can make any throw on the field from the pocket. If Van Dyke can avoid streaks of bad ball security, he can substantially raise the ceiling of the Badgers’ offense.
It's a bit surprising that PFF mentioned that Van Dyke doesn't move well since the indications at camp is that he has looked good running read-options and just overall with his pocket mobility. The knock on his ball security is a little more valid, as Van Dyke threw 10 interceptions over a four game stretch last year. But with his big arm and underrated movement, Van Dyke may become the best quarterback the Badgers have had in a long time.
Hopefully the Badgers get the version of Van Dyke that looked more like a first round pick or even Heisman candidate than the one that was benched. Consistency will be key for him, and it looks like PFF thinks he can be that top guy once again.