You don't come across multi-tool long-snappers all that often, but USC's Jake Olson is breaking the trend.
Olson, as you might know, is blind. He was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer of the retinas, before his first birthday. He lost his right eye at the age of 12 and no longer has the sense of sight. However, he has turned his setback into one hell of a story and has made it as a member of the USC football team. His first snap came in last year's season opener against Western Michigan.
But he's not just a player of a singular talent. Olson is an avid golfer, and apparently, can even spin the football from behind center. Jokingly, Olson posted a highlight reel on Twitter of him making some throws in the hope of succeeding quarterback Sam Darnold in 2018.
Here's Olson's scouting video below ...
A few takeaways from the scouting report:
Olson has good pocket awareness. He can sense when pressure's coming and knows when to get rid of the ball, as well as when to slide up into lanes given to him. Those types of Spidey senses can take years to develop -- and some quarterbacks never develop that feel.
On top of that, his accuracy on the run isn't half bad.
Neither are his wheels. He's a better-than-advertised runner. Dogs are fast, y'all.
Every quarterback's footwork needs improving, but you can tell Olson is a tactician. This is an area he'll continue to get better at the longer he plays.
His overall touch on downfield throws could use some work but there's no denying the kid has a howitzer for an arm. His timing on shorter throws will benefit from that as he squeezes balls into tight windows.
Overall, Olson grades out as a four-star dual-threat, per CBS Sports' offseason rankings.