He offered an anecdote to demonstrate Hall’s integrity.
“We set up a play for him in the combine interview where we knew his receiver ran the wrong route, and we were trying to give him a chance to say, ‘This player was wrong.’ All he was willing to say way, ‘I’ve got to make it right,’ ” explained Sholiton. “So that level of accountability and problem solving [stands out].
“He has that knack for turnover avoidance, that high touchdown to interception ratio, and just the efficiency he plays with are those types of qualities that we’re looking for,” Sholiton continued. “Obviously he has mobility. Not every play is blocked up perfectly. Not every route is run at the perfect depth and timing, so Jaren has a knack for making his teammates right.”
Hall started 24 of 31 games for BYU, completing 468 of 718 passes (65.2 percent) and 52 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. He rushed 181 times for 798 yards and nine touchdowns.
He said mobility will “always be part of who I am” on the football field.
“I think that’s what helps me. That’s one of my best assets, you know, being able to extend plays when they break down,” Hall said. “And I think until you get to the point where you understand the game like Tom Brady and Russell Wilson and some of the guys that really are some of the premier pocket passers, you’ve gotta use that ability as much as you can, without jeopardizing your health and your body, and that’s something I’ve gotten better at in my career.
“I think a lot of times early on, athletic quarterbacks use it a lot more because you’re still learning and you’re getting comfortable, and that’s just part of that process,” he added.
Hall watched a number of Vikings games during the draft process, he noted, and feels confident that his experience at BYU, which utilized pro style and spread offense “and everything in between,” will translate well to O’Connell’s system.
“I think naturally I just have some exposure to a lot of what Minnesota does, and I think the more time I spend with the coaches and the players and learn from guys that are there currently, I’ll get more comfortable and adapt to whatever it is they need me to do,” Hall said.
He’s quite familiar with Kirk Cousins’ NFL career, both as a Vikings and before then with Washington.
Hall, who also played two seasons of baseball at BYU, said he really started falling in love with NFL football around the time Cousins was drafted by Washington in 2012, and he’s excited to work with the veteran passer in Minnesota.