After a long career with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, quarterback Ian Book was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. Now, Book is scheduled to make his first career start on Monday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins. Before he takes the field, let’s take a look at what led him to this point, and whether or not he has a chance to lead the Saints to victory.
Ian Book’s journey to the NFL Draft
For Book, it started in El Dorado Hills, California. There, he boosted his image as a prolific high school passer, earning a three-star billing in the 2016 recruiting class. He had a host of offers from schools out west like Washington State, Boise State, Nevada, and Eastern Washington. He also fielded interest from Ivy League colleges Yale and Harvard.
Book initially committed to the Washington State Cougars — then coached by Mike Leach. But the three-star QB was drawn to the pedigree of Notre Dame football. After taking a visit to South Bend, he de-committed from Washington State and signed with the Fighting Irish.
After redshirting in 2016, Book began his playing career as a backup to Brandon Wimbush in 2017. When Wimbush started playing poorly in 2017, however, it opened the door for Book to take over the position. He was shuffled into the lineup midseason, getting his first extended action against Wake Forest. From there, Book would not relinquish the starting job for three seasons.
Over his time at Notre Dame, Book completed 728 of 1,141 passes (63.8%) for 8,948 yards, 72 touchdown passes, and just 20 interceptions. He also amassed 1,517 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground. Book left South Bend as the winningest QB in Notre Dame history. He helped the Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoff in both 2018 and 2020 (both appearances would be first-round losses).
Ian Book’s NFL Draft outlook was modest
Despite his statistical success, Book was never considered more than a Day 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was the quintessential “good college QB,” but many evaluators found that his physical traits might not translate in a full-time starting role at the NFL level.
In the 2021 offseason, PFN’s Tony Pauline documented Book’s “arm strength limitations” and made note of those limitations during Book’s showing at the Senior Bowl. However, despite lacking arm strength, Book brought some redeeming qualities as well. Here’s a segment from the conclusion of Book’s 2021 NFL Draft scouting report.
“As a 2021 NFL Draft prospect, Ian Book likely shouldn’t be selected before Day 3. His inconsistency with processing and limited arm strength serve as mitigating factors for his upside.
“Despite this, Book has a lot of appeal as a long-term backup. His escapability gives him tools to withstand adversity, and as a two-time team captain, he has the leadership ability NFL teams look for. He was able to show that off at the Senior Bowl, establishing chemistry with his teammates well.”
Simply put, while Book’s lack of arm strength limits his upside, his mobility, experience, and status as a two-time captain made him an appealing QB to add as a backup in the NFL. That’s ultimately what Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints did.
Book’s status with the New Orleans Saints
Longtime starting QB and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees retired after his 2020 season with the Saints. That left New Orleans with questions under center. The Saints signed former division rival Jameis Winston to a one-year prove-it deal, and they had Taysom Hill in the wings as a versatile, experienced backup. New Orleans also signed Trevor Siemian to a futures contract in January.
Book was part of the Saints’ draft class, selected in the fourth round with the 133rd overall pick. Entering a room with so many veterans, Book was never meant to be more than added depth and insurance early on. His fourth-round value reflected the security that he provides with his leadership and athleticism.
Nevertheless, things haven’t played out as intended for the Saints in 2021. Winston had his moments early on, but he was placed on injured reserve in November with an ACL injury. After Winston, Hill and Siemian were next in line.
But as the Dolphins game approaches, both QBs are on the COVID-19 list — leaving Book as the only viable option. The Saints did sign Blake Bortles as temporary security. However, Book is more established in the scheme and entrenched as the emergency starter.
Can Book give the Saints a chance against Miami?
We’re not in the business of selling false hope here. Book is in a QB-friendly system. Still, he’s not necessarily in a QB-friendly situation. The Saints’ overall lack of weapons has restricted the team’s production this year. Additionally, with injuries on the offensive line starting to pile up, Book may not have his best protection unit against a formidable Dolphins pass rush.
Book’s mobility will help lift him a bit. In fact, he’ll likely make at least a couple of plays given his ability to go off-script and produce on the ground. But in Book’s first NFL action, it’s just as likely that his processing inconsistencies and limited arm strength hinder him to a similar degree. Mobility is a trait that young QBs can use to flash. But odds are, it’ll take more than that to win a four-quarter football game against a Dolphins team that needs a win to stay in the playoff hunt.