The 17 most valuable Arizona Wildcats football players of 2017: No. 3

We’re down to the final three in our countdown of the 17 most valuable Arizona Wildcats of 2017. We’ll resume the series Monday and wrap it up Tuesday – taking you right into Pac-12 Media Days.

Before we proceed, some quick reminders:

“Most valuable” does not necessarily mean “best.” Rather, we’re defining it as the contributions and traits that most influence winning football. They include talent, leadership and projected role and production.

Newcomers were not eligible for the list. Although many might become major contributors this year, especially on defense, their roles are just too difficult to predict in June.

NO. 3: QB BRANDON DAWKINS

Ht/Wt/Yr: 6-3, 210, redshirt junior

Comment: As was the case with fellow quarterback Khalil Tate, it was difficult to determine exactly where to place Dawkins on this list.

If he were the clear-cut starter, Dawkins would be No. 1, no questions asked. But he isn’t, and therein lies the challenge.

Dawkins is the favorite to start. It might be by a 51-49 margin, but if you had to pick a Week 1 starter today, it’d be Dawkins. That makes him a rock-solid top-five MVP selection.

What’s keeping Dawkins from the top spot is precisely what precludes him from owning the job outright: It remains to be seen whether he can make significant progress as a passer.

Dawkins trended in the opposite direction last season, his first as the most-of-the-time starter. In his first three games – against Grambling State, Hawaii and Washington – Dawkins completed 61.7 percent of his passes, had a 3-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and averaged 7.72 yards per pass attempt. In his final seven games, those numbers dropped to 47.5, 5-5 and 7.16.

In his defense, Dawkins was banged up for much of the latter portion of the season. First he injured his ribs; then he suffered a concussion.

One of Dawkins’ main goals during the offseason was to get bigger and stronger to withstand the hits he’s bound to take as an ultra-aggressive runner. His speed and desire helped him average 94.4 rushing yards per game, the most by any quarterback in the Pac-12. Dawkins is a threat to score every time he takes off and runs. He’s also susceptible to injury because of his upright running style and disdain for sliding or going out of bounds.

Dawkins said and did all the right things in spring, acknowledging the areas where he needs to get better. Becoming a more adept pocket passer ranks atop that list.

On multiple occasions last year – as documented in the Star’s weekly review of each Arizona game telecast – Dawkins failed to locate open receivers. In most of those instances, Dawkins eschewed easy completions in favor of running.

That’s the area where he must improve. At the very least, Dawkins has to become adept at finding the No. 2 target in the progression of any given play. The question is whether that’s a skill he can learn or whether he lacks the vision most top passing quarterbacks possess.

The latter is the crux of the argument that Dawkins has peaked as a passer. Those who make it cite the fact that he’s been in the system for three years yet managed a tepid 53.8 percent completion rate in his first extended action, among other issues.

The counterargument is that last year was Dawkins’ first as a starter, he battled injuries, his backfield mates struggled to stay healthy and his protection was inconsistent. We know at least one of the above won’t apply in 2018; it’s possible none won’t.

If everything goes right, Dawkins certainly possesses the talent to become the most valuable Wildcat of 2017. There’s just too much uncertainty at this point to make that case.

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