I really like Shaw and think USC will really miss him next year. I'm very glad he will be gone by the time A&M plays USC to start the season, at least with both teams breaking in new QB's we have a chance.

The NFL is just a different story though. Lots of great college QB's that didn't have games that translated to the NFL and unfortunately Shaw has a lot of the characteristics that say he won't make it as anything but a backup in the NFL. The biggest issue is he doesn't have a plus plus skill to overcome his weaknesses other than the "toughness/winner" variable that is so hard to quantify.

He's undersized at 6'1/210. With the rate that NFL QB's get hurt and have to see over a line of 6'6 guys this is an issue he has to answer for.

Average arm strength. Not a negative but not a positive either. Not a super quick release either.

Injury history. This feeds into the size dynamic.

Average speed/elusiveness. He has run for good yardage in college but isn't an elite athlete, just a smart and instinctive player.

So in the end you have a guy that is very unlikely to ever start in the NFL. That means you are looking at backup jobs. If you are looking at backup jobs then he has to beat out established former starters or projects that an NFL team is developing. Shaw might be better than another QB but his ceiling is limited and thus he is more likely to get cut. His margin for error is very small.

I will root for the guy and hope he makes it but the odds are stacked pretty heavily against unless he can show a plus plus skill.