The Mitch Leidner bandwagon just keeps on rolling. The Gophers quarterback and Lakeville native was getting a lot of national media attention before the season even started about being one of the top quarterbacks in next year’s NFL Draft.
Now, after two games, he’s getting some more for the way he’s been playing.
Pro Football Focus says Leidner graded out as the best quarterback in the Big Ten after his first two games.
Top-graded Big Ten QBs so far
1. Mitch Leidner, MINN
2. C.J. Beathard, IOWA
3. Bart Houston, WISC
4. David Blough, PURD— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 16, 2016
Through two games, Leidner has completed 59 percent of his passes, while throwing for 425 yards with four touchdowns. Additionally he’s run for 85 yards and 2 more touchdowns.
“Drew [Wolitarsky] made a lot of big catches, but [Leidner] continues to throw the ball around to a lot of different people,” Gopher football coach Tracy Claeys told the Star Tribune earlier this week. “That tells me hat he’s going through his progressions the way he should to spread out the ball to whoever’s open.”
Scoring 58 points in one game? ☑
— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) September 16, 2016
But arguably the most impressive part about Leidner’s first two games has been that he’s been able to avoid throwing an interception – a major problem for him last season.
While Leidner did become just the second quarterback in program history to throw for 250 yards or more in four straight games last year, he often got himself in trouble with turnovers.
Leidner had three games last year, where he threw at least two interceptions. His ability to avoid those interceptions could go a long way towards the Gophers playing for a Big Ten Championship in December.
