Michigan Football: Shea Patterson can be the Big Ten’s best QB

Michigan football quarterback Shea Patterson used to be the No. 1 overall QB recruit and with a legit offensive coordinator, he could own the Big Ten.

When it comes to quarterbacks in the Big Ten, Nebraska’s Adrian Martinez is a trendy name and Justin Fields will be at Ohio State too. However, when 2019 rolls around, Michigan football might have the best quarterback in the Big Ten and his name is Shea Patterson.

For some reason, Patterson continues to be undervalued by Michigan football fans. I get that Patterson didn’t deliver against Ohio State, Florida or Notre Dame, but at the same time, there were mitigating factors such as a decades-old offensively philosophy.

The game plan against Ohio State was one of the most unimaginative I’ve ever seen. In my opinion, the Wolverines greatly overestimated their ability to physically overwhelm Ohio State. Jim Harbaugh wanted to win playing old-school football and it seems he finally learned he can’t.

So, Harbaugh hired Josh Gattis and certainly, no one was probably happier at that moment than Patterson, who could finally realize his full potential in a wide-open offense filled with run-pass options.

Looking back, Patterson wasn’t bad at all last season. He threw for over 2,500 yards and tossed 22 touchdown passes compared to seven picks. His numbers weren’t off the charts but in fairness to him, he wasn’t given that many chances.

In Gattis’ offense, hopefully, he will, because if Patterson is let loose and not treated like a game manager, he could easily be First-Team All-Big Ten next season.

Patterson has all the arm talent and when he does leave Michigan, it’s clear he will be drafted. If he was in the 2019 NFL draft, he would get picked, no doubt about it. He also has NFL-caliber wideouts in Donovan Peoples-Jones, Nico Collins and Tarik Black, plus some up-and-comers like Ronnie Bell, Oliver Martin and incoming freshman Cornelius Johnson, as well as Giles Jackson.

Yes, the Wolverines will have weapons galore and Patterson will be the maestro. Last season, most of Michigan’s passing concepts were working down the field and while UM will take plenty of shots, there should be some easier completions, to guys like Giles Jackson or even Chris Evans, who can take a short catch and turn it into a big gain.

Patterson also showed good touch on the deep ball and with another offseason to develop a rapport with Peoples-Jones, Collins and Black, the quarterback should be even better pushing the ball down the field.

The bottom line is that Patterson has always had the talent to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country, but now, he finally has the talent around him and the offensive system in place to make it happen.

And that’s why as good as some of these other, younger quarterbacks will be, if everything goes to plan next season, Patterson can still be better.