The top 5 aren't in the cards, but one of these could work, maybe use that darn 3rd round pick?
6. JAKE HAENER, Fresno State (5-11 ½, 208, no 40, 3-4): “He reminds me of Case Keenum,” one scout said. “He’s kind of intriguing a little bit.” Sixth-year senior turned 24 last month. “He was the best quarterback at the Senior Bowl,” said a second scout. “Late pick.” Bolted Washington after two seasons when the Huskies named a transfer, Jacob Eason, as the starter shortly before the 2019 opener. Made 29 starts for the Bulldogs, finishing with a passer rating of 107.9. Rushed for minus-109 yards and eight TDs. “I see some of the guys that started games in the NFL and say, ‘Why couldn’t this guy?’” a third scout said. “Small guy, not real imposing, but he is tough. Against UCLA two years ago when they came back to beat them (40-37) in the Rose Bowl, they were blitzing him and he was taking shots in the face and he’s putting balls right where they have to be. Really accurate. Top-level leader. He got hurt this year (broken ankle) and missed five weeks. I think they went 1-4, and as soon as he came back they won every game and the conference championship (Mountain West). This kid has something to him. I like him better than (Taylor) Heinicke. If Sam Howell is a starter (in Washington) I like Haener better than Howell. He’s going to play for a long time, at least as a backup.” Scored 19 on the Wonderlic. Hands were 9 3/8. “You wanted to like him but he’s limited,” a fourth scout said. “Everything has to be on time. Just not a playmaker. Brock Purdy was 1,000 times better than this guy. That (Heinicke) is a good comparison. ‘Hey, get in there,’ but you keep losing.” From Danville. Calif.
7. CLAYTON TUNE, Houston (6-2 ½, 218, 4.63, 4-5): Impressive athlete with a solid 40, vertical jump of 37 ½ and a broad jump of 10-1. “Good athlete with an above-average arm,” one scout said. “He’s got some presence to him. He’s got personality and some clutch ability late in games. He’ll bring you back. He’s cleaned up some of the techniques since the season. He has to improve his accuracy (63.9%). He’s just been a streaky player. If he can even that out there’s definitely something there.” Posted 25 on the Wonderlic. Hands were 9 3/8. “Phenomenal kid,” said a second scout. “Great character. But he’s so far away mechanically. He’s tough as shit.” Finished with a passer rating of 100.4. Also ran for 1,248 and 17 TDs. “He can sling the ball,” said a third scout. “He may be a guy that rises from a No. 3 to a No. 2.” From Carrollton, Texas. Three-time captain.
8. DORIAN THOMPSON-ROBINSON, UCLA (6-1 ½, 206, 4.56, 5): Five-year starter with a record of 25-23. His 48 starts were a Bruins’ record. He rewrote the record book in Westwood. “Tough, competitive kid,” one scout said. “May turn into a decent backup because of his athletic skill set. He makes some poor decisions but he’ll do things that wow you as well.” Passer rating of 98.2, including a career-best 107.3 in 2022. Wonderlic of 18. “I will say he had a really, really good year this year,” a second scout said. “I give Chip (Kelly) a lot of the credit for that because they gave him nice, clean reads. Everything matched up. He has good arm strength. His running ability is key. I don’t think he’s an accurate enough passer to play at the next level. I say that knowing full well his completion percentage (69.6%) was really, really good this year. A lot of that was he stuck to playing to his strengths. I didn’t see him making a ton of pro throws. If he’s a backup he can run around and make something happen. He’s a smart kid and he’s played a lot of football. He won’t be shocked by anything.” Rushed for 1,826 and 28 TDs. Hands were 9 7/8. From Las Vegas.
9. AIDAN O’CONNELL, Purdue (6-3 ½, 210, no 40, 5): Sixth-year senior, three-year starter. “Smart pocket passer,” said one scout. “Accurate arm, good pocket presence, just lacked athletic ability. The game two years ago against Ohio State, he had a great game. I was holding on to that. He’s a No. 3, maybe a No. 2 just because he’s smart. A (40-yard dash) wouldn’t be good. He’s got a good agent, whoever told him not to run.” Paced the top 15 quarterbacks on the Wonderlic with 32. Hopes to become chaplain for an NFL team. Hands were 9 ¾. “He might (make it) if he goes to a West Coast team,” said a second scout. “He’s got a sense of timing. He’s tall. Good enough arm. Not very mobile. At all. He’s sort of a Mike White-type guy.” Finished with a passer rating of 96.0. A former walk-on, he rushed for minus-274 yards and two TDs. Will be 25 in September. From Long Grove, Ill.
10. MAX DUGGAN, Texas Christian (6-1 ½, 207, 4.55, 5-6): Began 2022 as the backup and ended it as runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. “He is a good college football player,” said one scout. “He’ll be like a Sam Ehlinger who plays for the Colts. You root for him. Not that big but a good athlete. Good arm strength. He’s mobile. He seemed to rally them in the fourth quarter. You’ll keep him on your team. I imagine he’ll be a coach some day.” Drove TCU to the national championship game. Finished with a passer rating of 95.4; rushed for 1,856 and 28 TDs. “More of an athlete than a quarterback,” a second scout said. “He’s gritty and will make some throws, but his accuracy (60.3%) is not very good.” Wonderlic of 19. Hands were 9 7/8. From Council Bluffs, Iowa.
11. TANNER McKEE, Stanford (6-6, 230, no 40, 5-6): After signing in 2018, he left immediately for a 21-month mission to Brazil. Backed up Davis Mills in 2020 before starting 21 games in 2021-’22. “What happened there?” one scout asked. “He just didn’t look like the same guy from 2021. He had a big game two years ago when they beat USC and ended up getting Clay Helton fired. He was back there ripping throws and he looked like a first-round guy. You turn on the stuff this year and it just wasn’t the same. His mechanics weren’t very good. Something happened. Honestly, he probably would have been better served coming back for another year, especially with the coach (Troy Taylor) coming in there. Somebody’s going to take a good shot on him and think they can really get something out of him. He’s got size and arm strength. He’s kind of how you draw them up.” Posted a passer rating of 94.0 in 2021 and just 84.9 in ’22 for a career mark of 88.6. Rushed for minus-86 and six TDs. Wonderlic of 31. Hands were 9 3/8. “If you want a statue,“ a second scout said. “When he gets four seconds to throw he is an accurate passer. Stanford had an awful season, and this guy was responsible for the season. He had decent receivers and a tight end that might have been best I saw.” From Corona, Calif.
12. STETSON BENNETT, Georgia (5-11 ½, 192, 4.63, 6-7): One of the most decorated and winningest college quarterbacks in recent times. Named MVP in all four playoff games as the Bulldogs won back-to-back national titles. “I really like to watch him because he made so many plays with so little talent,” one scout said. “Undersized, not a real strong arm, all he does is win. But off the field he is reckless. As soon as he got out of Athens, it exposed him. He got a DUI.” Led a circuitous road to the No. 1 job, including one season at a junior college and then a triumphant return to Georgia. “I’ll tell you what, the little sumbitch has the right nervous system, I’ll give him that,” a second scout said. “He wins football games but I wouldn’t trust him. Runs with the frat boys. Then he got picked up (in Dallas) for public intoxication. He f---ed up big-time. His positives are, he’s smarter than hell, he loves football and he’s got an excellent deep ball. He might have been 175 (pounds) his fall.” Finished with a passer rating of 108.6 while rushing for 530 and 14 TDs. Scored 28 on the Wonderlic. Hands were 10. From Blackshear, Ga.
13. JAREN HALL, Brigham Young (6-0, 206, 4.64, 6-7): Replaced Zach Wilson at the throttle in 2021 and had a prolific two-year run. “Not much less arm talent than Zach,” one scout said. “More mature. Character-wise, he’s all positive. You’re not going to get the crazy stories that you had with Zach. Just a different person, but he definitely has at least No. 2 quarterback traits. He can throw. Different arm slots, all that stuff.” Ran an impressive 40 and his short shuttle of 4.19 paced the quarterbacks (the top six didn’t participate at the combine or pro day). Finished with a passer rating of 110.0; rushed for 800 and nine TDs. His extensive injury history might knock him off some draft boards. “His was all system,” said a second scout. “He’s got one read and he knows where to go with the ball, and if he can get it there he’s good. But a small guy with an average arm. If it’s not on timing out of the pocket he just really struggles. No upside. Looks like he’s got enough to be a backup.” Turned 25 last month. Wonderlic of 24. Hands were 9 ½. From Spanish Fork, Utah.
6. JAKE HAENER, Fresno State (5-11 ½, 208, no 40, 3-4): “He reminds me of Case Keenum,” one scout said. “He’s kind of intriguing a little bit.” Sixth-year senior turned 24 last month. “He was the best quarterback at the Senior Bowl,” said a second scout. “Late pick.” Bolted Washington after two seasons when the Huskies named a transfer, Jacob Eason, as the starter shortly before the 2019 opener. Made 29 starts for the Bulldogs, finishing with a passer rating of 107.9. Rushed for minus-109 yards and eight TDs. “I see some of the guys that started games in the NFL and say, ‘Why couldn’t this guy?’” a third scout said. “Small guy, not real imposing, but he is tough. Against UCLA two years ago when they came back to beat them (40-37) in the Rose Bowl, they were blitzing him and he was taking shots in the face and he’s putting balls right where they have to be. Really accurate. Top-level leader. He got hurt this year (broken ankle) and missed five weeks. I think they went 1-4, and as soon as he came back they won every game and the conference championship (Mountain West). This kid has something to him. I like him better than (Taylor) Heinicke. If Sam Howell is a starter (in Washington) I like Haener better than Howell. He’s going to play for a long time, at least as a backup.” Scored 19 on the Wonderlic. Hands were 9 3/8. “You wanted to like him but he’s limited,” a fourth scout said. “Everything has to be on time. Just not a playmaker. Brock Purdy was 1,000 times better than this guy. That (Heinicke) is a good comparison. ‘Hey, get in there,’ but you keep losing.” From Danville. Calif.
7. CLAYTON TUNE, Houston (6-2 ½, 218, 4.63, 4-5): Impressive athlete with a solid 40, vertical jump of 37 ½ and a broad jump of 10-1. “Good athlete with an above-average arm,” one scout said. “He’s got some presence to him. He’s got personality and some clutch ability late in games. He’ll bring you back. He’s cleaned up some of the techniques since the season. He has to improve his accuracy (63.9%). He’s just been a streaky player. If he can even that out there’s definitely something there.” Posted 25 on the Wonderlic. Hands were 9 3/8. “Phenomenal kid,” said a second scout. “Great character. But he’s so far away mechanically. He’s tough as shit.” Finished with a passer rating of 100.4. Also ran for 1,248 and 17 TDs. “He can sling the ball,” said a third scout. “He may be a guy that rises from a No. 3 to a No. 2.” From Carrollton, Texas. Three-time captain.
8. DORIAN THOMPSON-ROBINSON, UCLA (6-1 ½, 206, 4.56, 5): Five-year starter with a record of 25-23. His 48 starts were a Bruins’ record. He rewrote the record book in Westwood. “Tough, competitive kid,” one scout said. “May turn into a decent backup because of his athletic skill set. He makes some poor decisions but he’ll do things that wow you as well.” Passer rating of 98.2, including a career-best 107.3 in 2022. Wonderlic of 18. “I will say he had a really, really good year this year,” a second scout said. “I give Chip (Kelly) a lot of the credit for that because they gave him nice, clean reads. Everything matched up. He has good arm strength. His running ability is key. I don’t think he’s an accurate enough passer to play at the next level. I say that knowing full well his completion percentage (69.6%) was really, really good this year. A lot of that was he stuck to playing to his strengths. I didn’t see him making a ton of pro throws. If he’s a backup he can run around and make something happen. He’s a smart kid and he’s played a lot of football. He won’t be shocked by anything.” Rushed for 1,826 and 28 TDs. Hands were 9 7/8. From Las Vegas.
9. AIDAN O’CONNELL, Purdue (6-3 ½, 210, no 40, 5): Sixth-year senior, three-year starter. “Smart pocket passer,” said one scout. “Accurate arm, good pocket presence, just lacked athletic ability. The game two years ago against Ohio State, he had a great game. I was holding on to that. He’s a No. 3, maybe a No. 2 just because he’s smart. A (40-yard dash) wouldn’t be good. He’s got a good agent, whoever told him not to run.” Paced the top 15 quarterbacks on the Wonderlic with 32. Hopes to become chaplain for an NFL team. Hands were 9 ¾. “He might (make it) if he goes to a West Coast team,” said a second scout. “He’s got a sense of timing. He’s tall. Good enough arm. Not very mobile. At all. He’s sort of a Mike White-type guy.” Finished with a passer rating of 96.0. A former walk-on, he rushed for minus-274 yards and two TDs. Will be 25 in September. From Long Grove, Ill.
10. MAX DUGGAN, Texas Christian (6-1 ½, 207, 4.55, 5-6): Began 2022 as the backup and ended it as runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. “He is a good college football player,” said one scout. “He’ll be like a Sam Ehlinger who plays for the Colts. You root for him. Not that big but a good athlete. Good arm strength. He’s mobile. He seemed to rally them in the fourth quarter. You’ll keep him on your team. I imagine he’ll be a coach some day.” Drove TCU to the national championship game. Finished with a passer rating of 95.4; rushed for 1,856 and 28 TDs. “More of an athlete than a quarterback,” a second scout said. “He’s gritty and will make some throws, but his accuracy (60.3%) is not very good.” Wonderlic of 19. Hands were 9 7/8. From Council Bluffs, Iowa.
11. TANNER McKEE, Stanford (6-6, 230, no 40, 5-6): After signing in 2018, he left immediately for a 21-month mission to Brazil. Backed up Davis Mills in 2020 before starting 21 games in 2021-’22. “What happened there?” one scout asked. “He just didn’t look like the same guy from 2021. He had a big game two years ago when they beat USC and ended up getting Clay Helton fired. He was back there ripping throws and he looked like a first-round guy. You turn on the stuff this year and it just wasn’t the same. His mechanics weren’t very good. Something happened. Honestly, he probably would have been better served coming back for another year, especially with the coach (Troy Taylor) coming in there. Somebody’s going to take a good shot on him and think they can really get something out of him. He’s got size and arm strength. He’s kind of how you draw them up.” Posted a passer rating of 94.0 in 2021 and just 84.9 in ’22 for a career mark of 88.6. Rushed for minus-86 and six TDs. Wonderlic of 31. Hands were 9 3/8. “If you want a statue,“ a second scout said. “When he gets four seconds to throw he is an accurate passer. Stanford had an awful season, and this guy was responsible for the season. He had decent receivers and a tight end that might have been best I saw.” From Corona, Calif.
12. STETSON BENNETT, Georgia (5-11 ½, 192, 4.63, 6-7): One of the most decorated and winningest college quarterbacks in recent times. Named MVP in all four playoff games as the Bulldogs won back-to-back national titles. “I really like to watch him because he made so many plays with so little talent,” one scout said. “Undersized, not a real strong arm, all he does is win. But off the field he is reckless. As soon as he got out of Athens, it exposed him. He got a DUI.” Led a circuitous road to the No. 1 job, including one season at a junior college and then a triumphant return to Georgia. “I’ll tell you what, the little sumbitch has the right nervous system, I’ll give him that,” a second scout said. “He wins football games but I wouldn’t trust him. Runs with the frat boys. Then he got picked up (in Dallas) for public intoxication. He f---ed up big-time. His positives are, he’s smarter than hell, he loves football and he’s got an excellent deep ball. He might have been 175 (pounds) his fall.” Finished with a passer rating of 108.6 while rushing for 530 and 14 TDs. Scored 28 on the Wonderlic. Hands were 10. From Blackshear, Ga.
13. JAREN HALL, Brigham Young (6-0, 206, 4.64, 6-7): Replaced Zach Wilson at the throttle in 2021 and had a prolific two-year run. “Not much less arm talent than Zach,” one scout said. “More mature. Character-wise, he’s all positive. You’re not going to get the crazy stories that you had with Zach. Just a different person, but he definitely has at least No. 2 quarterback traits. He can throw. Different arm slots, all that stuff.” Ran an impressive 40 and his short shuttle of 4.19 paced the quarterbacks (the top six didn’t participate at the combine or pro day). Finished with a passer rating of 110.0; rushed for 800 and nine TDs. His extensive injury history might knock him off some draft boards. “His was all system,” said a second scout. “He’s got one read and he knows where to go with the ball, and if he can get it there he’s good. But a small guy with an average arm. If it’s not on timing out of the pocket he just really struggles. No upside. Looks like he’s got enough to be a backup.” Turned 25 last month. Wonderlic of 24. Hands were 9 ½. From Spanish Fork, Utah.
