From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on UConn QB Joe Fagnano.
No. 2 Joe Fagnano/QB UConn – 6032, 225 pounds (Graduate Student)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Joe Fagnano 6032/226 9 1/4 31 3/8 N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
THE GOOD
– Efficient passer who consistently takes a profit
– Plays with good timing and rhythm
– Scans defense and gets to second read
– Generally plays from pocket
– Good placement on RAC throws on short/intermediate passes, especially slants
– Compact and quick release with good throwing motion
– Shined in key situational football (third down, red zone, late game) and made program a winner
– Shows toughness and willing to take hit as passer/runner
– Some experience under center and isn’t completely foreign to him
– Good command and control of offense
– Rare and impressive career TD/INT ratio
The Bad
– Below-average hand size with narrow base in pocket
– Deep ball is ineffective with poor accuracy, too many misses and underthrows
– Struggles to truly drive the ball with downfield velocity, throws get batted away and “pushes” ball when he has to ramp up
– Tends to miss high on deep in-breaking routes (15-plus yards)
– Ball often dies when throwing off-platform
– Enough mobility to take advantage of open field but isn’t fast enough to escape rush
– Accuracy falters against pressure
– Too many passes batted at LOS
– Old prospect whose experience and maturity gave him advantage in later years
Stats
– FBS Career: 64.7 completion percentage (654 attempts) for 5,252 yards, 48 touchdowns and six INTs; 223 rushing yards and 4 TDs with 86 sacks
– 2025: 69.0 completion percentage (513 attempts) for 3,448 yards, 28 touchdowns, and one INT; 3 rushing TDs with 16 sacks
– 2.53 second career snap to throw time (2.50 seconds in 2025)
– 2025: 3.2 percent “big-time throw” rate (82nd of 108 qualifiers) with 1.7 percent “turnover worthy” play rate (4th-best among qualifiers), per PFF
– 11 passes batted in 2025 (tied eighth-most)
– PFF: No. 16 offensive grade of any QB in 2025 (No. 18 passing, No. 10 rushing) of 108 qualifiers
– 1,433 career pass attempts, including time at Maine (46 TDs, 12 INTs while there, serving as team captain)
– Threw for over 4,300 yards and 42 TDs over HS career
Injury History
– 2021: right ankle sprain in September and missed most of year, returned in November for final two games
– 2023: season-ending shoulder surgery after September loss to Georgia State; initially lost starting job for 2024 but starter got hurt and Fagnano reentered lineup
Bio
– 26 years old and spent seven years in college (2019-2025)
– Spent 2019-2022 at Maine, 2023-2025 at UConn
– Zero-star recruit from Williamsport, PA; chose Maine over Bucknell
– Transferred to UConn, following Maine HC Nick Charlton who became UConn’s OC/QBs Coach
– Two older brothers, Jacob and Jared, played football; Jacob as S for Penn State, Jared as WR for Akron and Penn State (became first siblings of Bill O’Brien era)
– Father, Phil, is former 39th round pick of Phillies and spent two years as pitcher in their minor league system
– Shrine Bowl participant
– Named All-conference QB junior year of HS
– Played baseball and football in HS; third baseman who had career .291 average and four home runs senior year
– Earned MBA at UConn
– Opted out of 2025 bowl game
Tape Breakdown
Joe Fagnano is a popular draftnik super sleeper in this year’s class. Beginning his college football journey before COVID, Fagnano spent four years at Maine before transferring up to UConn. He became one of the FBS’s most efficient quarterbacks with a gaudy touchdown to interception ratio, throwing just one pick in 2025.
On tape, it’s easy to see why. Fagnano takes what the defenses gives him and doesn’t often put the ball in harms way. He’s a timing-based thrower who takes a profit and moves the stick. He still comes up large in key moments of situational football and routinely led game-winning drives for a Huskies’ program that soared under him. UConn won nine games in back-to-back years, something the program had never previously done.
He leads receivers with accuracy in the quick game, especially on slants, allowing them to run-after for extra yards. Fagnano also knew to get the ball to his playmakers like top target WR Skyler Bell.
Fagnano does a nice job reading and scanning the field and is capable of working to his second and third reads across the field.
But Fagnano has an average with a narrow base and below-average arm strength. He has trouble fighting the ball in truly tight windows like he’ll regularly see at the NFL level. He wasn’t picked off much but defenders were able to bat his passes away. In the second clip, you can see the ball die on an off-platform throw.
His deep ball is ineffective and inaccurate.
While he found success the past two years, as a 25-26 year old quarterback in his sixth and seventh college seasons, you’d expect him to handle the game well above-the-neck facing plenty of 21 year olds each week. He won’t have that advantage in the NFL.
Conclusion
Overall, Joe Fagnano is a smart and functional quarterback who makes good decisions and takes what’s there. He’s a winner and will be remembered well by UConn alum. There might be an NFL role for Fagnano but the ceiling is low.
My NFL comp is Easton Stick. His game is similar to my takeaway on Florida’s Graham Mertz last draft cycle, though Mertz had a longer injury history.
NFL Projection: Late Day Three-Undrafted
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 6.4 (Pure Backup)
Grade Range: 5.8-7.2
Games Watched: at Boston College (2025), at Florida Atlantic (2025), vs Duke (2025)
Recommended for you