:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49154519/GettyImages-489135774.0.jpg)
Joe Licata is the first four year starter at Buffalo since Drew Willy who, like Licata, was thrust onto the field as a freshman mid way through the season. Both quarterbacks took the teams to a Bowl game, both had NFL caliber running backs behind them and both were passers you wanted in the pocket.
Licata's numbers at Buffalo eclipsed Willy and due to the fact he grew up a stones throw from the UB campus he was heralded as something of a hero when he took the helm. Last season a coaching change meant a new offence which somewhat blunted Licata's numbers but he has a solid enough resume to be on NFL radars.
| Year | C | A | YDS | % | YPA | LN | TD | INT | SK | RAT | QBR | AQR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 280 | 449 | 2969 | 62.4 | 6.61 | 78 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 123.0 | 54.0 | 51.9 |
| 2014 | 224 | 345 | 2647 | 64.9 | 7.67 | 92 | 29 | 11 | 16 | 150.7 | 67.1 | 51.2 |
| 2013 | 233 | 402 | 2824 | 58.0 | 7.03 | 62 | 24 | 8 | 19 | 132.7 | 52.9 | 45.4 |
| 2012 | 86 | 163 | 1045 | 52.8 | 6.41 | 44 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 117.1 | 32.1 | 25.4 |
Licata has the best record of any starting quarterback of the UB modern era.
On top of that he the UB career records for yards, touchdowns, completions, among others.
What made Licata so effective at Buffalo was his football IQ and composure in the pocket. He was able, many times, to stand in the pocket and deliver throws to his receivers under duress. While not anywhere near a dual threat quarterback he did show the ability to buy a little time with his feet.
Sometimes however he would seem to miss reads and be caught by surprise on a blitz or might hold the ball a bit too long waiting for something to open up.
| Licata | Combine | |
|---|---|---|
| 40 Yd | 4.93 | 17/20 |
| Vert | 31" | 8/18 |
| Brd | 09'00" | 15/19 |
| 3 Cone | 7.07 | 7/19 |
Licata's pro-day numbers show that while Licata is not an elite athlete among NFL quarterbacking prospects he certainly belongs among them and when looked at with a critical eye Licata stacks up far better athletically than most draft sites are giving him credit for.
Also during the Pro Day scouts from the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers watched Licata hit 37 of 40 passes.
As mentioned above Licata had scouts from the Bills and Steelers watch his pro day and shortly afterwards was invited to work out with the San Francisco 49ers.
Licata is getting enough attention that it's reasonable to think someone may consider him to be an under the radar steal. As such it's not unreasonable to think he could go in the 6th or 7th round. If not then he is almost certainly going to get a phone call right after the draft and at the very least a chance to prove his worth this spring.