BALTIMORE — As he sets and delivers during pre-game warmups, it seems only obvious that Christian Hackenberg could take a snap in the west end zone of M&T Bank Stadium and hit a receiver in stride three exits down the Beltway.
His throws leave his right hand on clotheslines. His footwork is precise, almost robotic. NFL scouts milling along the sidelines can only nod in approval, admiring a quarterback straight out of central casting — the square-jawed, strong-armed future star, possessor of physical gifts perhaps unrivaled by any prospect in his draft class.
Later, when warmups are replaced by live action, Hackenberg is a project.