Pac-12 Quarterback Freshman Evaluation: Shane Dillon, Colorado

Commitment: Colorado

Measurables: 6'5", 185 pounds

High school: Christian, El Cajon, CA

Shane Dillon oozes with upside. Oh that tantalizing term, upside. He's probably not ready yet, but he's showing all the flashes of being a quarterback you can count on to do his thing up top.

If there's anything that really stood out to the Buff scouts, it was probably how quick Dillon gets that football out of his hands. To me, Dillon's release is what really stands out. That thing is a laser. That ball gets out of his hand and into the receiver's arms in quick time. He does a good job of anticipating where his receiver is going to be and making the throw.

At least in his tape, Dillon is mostly doing one read stuff, but at least the throws here are delivered with confidence, giving him the ability to feel comfortable targeting the ball in small spaces to blanketed receivers. The quick release does help optimize his throws, but that ability to move the football quick will be his greatest ally from where he starts off. Dillon has proven he can move through multiple reads, but there are concerns he does tend to lock onto his favorite target, leading to miscues offensively.

Jack Follman was quick to mention in his look of Dillon's tape that Shane can be a great improviser, as he really has a feel for what to do when the play breaks down. He can also improvise when things break down in the pocket, a key attribute to have.

However, from what I've seen of his tape, he still needs a lot of refining before he's ready to really manage a West Coast Offense. Jack mentions that Dillon looks a bit stiff in his mechanics, particularly drop and motion. Those issues of precision, mechanics and accuracy, all need to be refined before Dillon is ready to take over the reins at quarterback.

Physically, Dillon needs to put on weight though. 6'5", 185 is slight (Jack notes the same thing, saying that "Dillon looks thin upon first glance and will need to put on weight to stay healthy in the Pac-12."). But if he can pack on the pounds, Dillon can be ready to handle the starting load in short time.

This is a high school profile on the El Cajon native.

"He’s our trigger man," Christian offensive coordinator David Beezer said of Dillon. "He can make three reads on every play — that gives us more options than most teams have."

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Gaines should help take the pressure off Harris, who will be consistently double-teamed by Christian’s opponents after leading the East County in receiving last year.

"Shane looks kinda like a freak because he always has his hair spiked," Gaines said. "That’s really important to him. But when it comes to throwing the football he knows his stuff. His throws are almost automatic, and that surely will be the case this year."

Here was Scott Kennedy's take (courtesy of Ralphie Report):

Dillon is a tall, thin quarterback that has a quick release and a live arm. Despite his lack of size, he shows toughness and the ability to stand tall in the pocket, release the ball, and take a hit. He has good footwork and is an adequate runner. He doesn't have a rocket for an arm, but because of his release, the ball arrives quickly. Needs to take less chances when he's under pressure as he'll throw into traffic at times - Scott Kennedy.