Quarterbacks: Plenty of prospects, no sure thing

M

Mark Eckel

Guest
Third of a nine-part series previewing the NFL draft. Today: quarterbacks.

By BOB McGINN

Those decision-makers across the NFL who catch themselves fretting about the flaws of the quarterbacks available in this draft ought to go back and revisit what some of their scouting brethren endured five years ago.

Compared to the wasteland of 2013, the class this year represents an embarrassment of riches for teams seeking a quarterback.

Personnel men consistently have said there isn’t a safe pick in this group to rival John Elway in 1983, Troy Aikman in ’89 or Peyton Manning in ’98 as the first overall pick. At the same time, one can reasonably expect two, three, perhaps even four or five more starting quarterbacks from this draft to join the 13 that have entered the league from the last four drafts.

“I don’t know that it’s not that good of a group,” an AFC personnel director said. “There just aren’t any sure bets. But there are some great traits.”

In 2013, five clubs with a serious desire to draft a quarterback owned top-10 picks. Kansas City GM John Dorsey owned the No. 1 pick and wanted a quarterback, as did Oakland GM Reggie McKenzie at No. 3, Philadelphia coach Chip Kelly and GM Howie Roseman at No. 4, Buffalo GM Doug Whaley at No. 8 and New York Jets GM John Idzik at No. 9.

Not only wasn’t there any quarterbacks, there also weren’t many blue-chip players. It’ll go down as one of the poorest drafts ever.

After Dorsey ended up selecting tackle Eric Fisher of Central Michigan with the first choice, Jacksonville took tackle Luke Joeckel and McKenzie traded down nine spots with Miami.

Whaley traded back as well, enabling St. Louis to move up eight places. Then, at No. 16, the Bills took quarterback E.J. Manuel, a considerable reach.

Eleven quarterbacks were drafted, and not a single one became a starter. The best player might have been Mike Glennon, who’s already on his third team.

A personnel man for a team with an established starter at the position recognized some of the current angst. Then he looked at a board with Southern Cal’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and Wyoming’s Josh Allen at the top and had many more positive thoughts than negative ones.

Don’t even suggest that he might be happy not to be in position of having to draft a quarterback next week.

“You know, you can say that every year,” the NFC executive said. “It’s kind of a copout. I wouldn’t be worried. At least you have some good candidates.”

So good, in fact, that this might be the first draft in which four quarterbacks are selected in the first 10 picks. It’s also possible that this could be the second draft since 1971 (Jim Plunkett, Archie Manning, Dan Pastorini) in which quarterbacks were plucked 1-2-3.

“My guess is these guys will be fine,” said another AFC personnel director. “If they go to the wrong systems, yes, they have potential to bust. But I wouldn’t be scared of any of them.

“You have aspirations and hope for them. You like what you see on tape. But there’s always a risk factor.”

A poll of 14 personnel people reflected the lack of consensus. Each scout was asked to rank his best quarterbacks from 1 to 5, with a first-place vote worth 5 points, a second-place worth 4 and so forth.

Darnold drew seven firsts compared to five for Rosen, one for Allen and one for Mayfield. In a separate poll that asked 14 scouts to name the best player in the draft regardless of position, Mayfield’s one vote was the only one that went to a quarterback.

“He dominates against everybody,” said the scout that went all in on Mayfield. “He makes everybody better. There’s no fatal flaw.”

Nonetheless, Mayfield fared no better than fourth in the point totals.

Darnold led with 59 points, and was followed by Rosen with 55, Allen with 43, Mayfield with 35, Louisville’s Lamar Jackson with nine, Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph with eight and Washington State’s Luke Falk with one.

Two of the 14 declined to answer which of the six leading players had the best chance to bust. The 12-vote results showed five bust votes for Allen, four for Jackson and three for Mayfield.

“I think all of the quarterbacks are overhyped and overrated,” said one of the pessimists in the profession. “Allen’s inconsistent accuracy, Darnold’s turnovers, Mayfield’s height and demeanor, Rosen’s know-it-all attitude and Jackson’s ability to learn are all negative factors.

“In two years, Allen could be the best one. This weekend, Mayfield could probably go out there and play.”

His ballot, in order, was Allen-Darnold-Mayfield-Rosen-Jackson.

“If you asked me this a month ago it probably would have been different,” the executive said. “Two months ago it’d have been different. Next week it would probably be different.

“Honestly, I have no idea.”

He wasn’t alone. An NFC scout conceded that Mayfield, whom he rated fourth, might turn out to be better than Darnold, his first choice.

The last time five quarterbacks were drafted in the first round was 1999. In order, they went off Tim Couch (1), Donovan McNabb (2), Akili Smith (3), Daunte Culpepper (11) and Cade McNown (12). As we know now, Couch, Smith and McNown were busts, McNabb was selected for two Pro Bowls and Culpepper made one.

Jerry Angelo, at the time director of player personnel for Tampa Bay, predicted there would be two or three busts.

He was correct although, in a poll of 19 scouts that year, the majority didn’t have the order right. Asked to guess who would be the biggest bust, McNabb, Culpepper and Smith all received five votes whereas Couch and McNown each had two.

Of the so-called Big Four, Mayfield is a fifth-year senior, Allen is a fourth-year junior, Rosen is a third-year junior and Darnold is a third-year sophomore.

Listen in as one personnel man went stream-of-consciousness regarding the top prospects.

“Is Mayfield Johnny Manziel? I don’t think so,” the executive said. “Is he Drew Brees? I don’t think so, either. He’s somewhere in-between.

“Some of the stuff Mayfield has done, whether it’s getting in scuffles when he was younger or grabbing his crotch, you want those guys competitive, you want those guys arrogant.

“Josh Rosen … is he Jay Cutler? You can draw your own comparisons.

“Is Sam Darnold refined enough to understand NFL systems and coverage?

“Is Lamar Jackson just an athlete? I think he’s more than that.

“Staying healthy is No. 1 for Josh Allen. He’s got a really strong arm. Is he ‘Big Ben’ (Roethlisberger) or is he (Brock) Osweiler?”

The influx of quarterbacking talent since that awful draft of 2013 leaves only half a dozen teams in need of a starting quarterback. With most of those clubs congregated near the top of the draft, the passer will move fast.

“There are five guys but we’re not going to see any of them,” said a decision-make for a team in the lower third of the first round. “I like a lot of the guys but they all have slight holes.

“It’s a pick ‘em, really. Depends on what hole you’re willing to accept.”

RANKING THE QUARTERBACKS

1. SAM DARNOLD, Southern California (6-3 ½, 219, 4.86, 1): Bypassed two seasons of eligibility; won’t turn 21 until June. “He’s Mr. Cool under pressure,” said one scout. “Nothing rattles the kid. He’s a gamer. No situation is too big for him. He’s at his best in the big-time situations. In the clutch.” Completed 64.9% of 846 passes for an NFL passer rating of 103.4. “He needs to clean up some footwork and taking care of the ball,” said another scout. “But he’s going to be a player. He’s got some (bleep) you can’t coach. He’s the opposite of (Josh) Rosen. He’s a great kid. I think he’s a better locker-room guy. He has a very good arm. I was at the workout in the rain and it was impressive.” Didn’t fare as well statistically in 2017 as he did in ’16. Finished with 21 fumbles and 22 interceptions in just 24 starts. “I love the makeup and the character,” a third scout said. “He has play-making ability. He has toughness and poise. The turnovers are a major concern. He’s so jittery … scattered in the pocket. He’s not going to be able to keep getting away with that.” Scored 28 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test. Ran for 332 yards and seven touchdowns. “He’s Andrew Luck when Luck was a sophomore,” said a fourth scout. “He’s 100% football. He’s got hitches in his motion. Great athlete, strong arm. He makes some bad decisions.” From Capistrano Beach, Calif. “His arm’s not like (Brett) Favre’s but he has a little bit of that in him,” a fifth scout said. “He makes some throws on the move. Not real natural in the pocket yet. Best on the move.”

2. JOSH ROSEN, UCLA (6-4, 221, 4.91, 1): Widely regarded as the best pure passer in the draft. “Rosen is as classic a passer as you could have,” one scout said. “His mechanics are impeccable. He’s got arm strength. He reads the field. Whether he’s the leader or not is the question.” Completed 60.9% of 1,170 passes for a rating of 93.6. “He looks the part when he throws the ball but lacks the rest of the assets you need to be a winning quarterback up here,” another scout said. “Off the field he doesn’t have the profile you want for someone leading your team. If everything’s clean and he can just sit back and throw it, he looks good. If it’s not, he’s not very effective. In the NFL, things aren’t clean. Against pressure he’s not very good. He’s been hurt. Those are big concerns.” Missed half the ’16 season because of a right shoulder injury that required surgery. Missed two games last year with two separate concussions. “He’s the best pure passer I’ve seen since Drew Brees,” another scout said. “Only thing that worries me is his body. He’s slightly built and he gets hurt. He also has not improved since his freshman year. When he was a freshman the guy was fantastic.” Comes from an academic family in Manhattan Beach, Calif. His father is an orthopedic surgeon and his mother is an heiress of a publishing house. Wonderlic of 29. “He’s a thinker, an intellectual,” another scout said. “He’s inquisitive. Very bright kid. Personable. More on the quiet side when it comes to his leadership.” According to one scout, one of Rosen’s former coaches at UCLA told him Rosen was three things: smart, talented and spoiled. “Football’s not his life,” the scout said. “He doesn’t go around with the guys. If Rosen’s mentally into the game and dedicated he certainly has the mechanics and accuracy.” The Bruins went 17-13 with Rosen as the starter. He might have become a pro tennis player, too. Two scouts compared his abrasive attitude to Aaron Rodgers coming out of Cal. “He’s a smart ass,” said one. “He’s probably smarter than the quarterback coach. You have to challenge him intellectually. He’s worldly. He’s got a lot of things he wants to do in life.”

3. BAKER MAYFIELD, Oklahoma (6-0 ½, 215, 4.84, 1): Fifth-year senior walked on at Texas Tech, started seven games and departed with Davis Webb and Patrick Mahomes on the roster to walk on at Oklahoma. First walk-on to win Heisman Trophy (2017). First player since Georgia RB Herschel Walker to finish among the top four in Heisman voting three times. “In my heart of hearts I think Mayfield has a great chance,” said one scout. “I like him the best but he’s got that short thing going. If he were two inches taller he’d clearly be the best one.” The most efficient passer in NCAA history, he finished with an outrageous passer rating of 131.1 and completion mark of 69.8% for his 40 games at Oklahoma. “Quick delivery, accurate, big arm,” said a second scout. “But he is best late in the down. You’ll have to tailor your offense to his strengths. He’s little, and looks to bail too early. Really good at making plays outside the pocket. He benefits from a lot of one-read throws in their system so it’ll be an adjustment to play in a pro-style offense.” Has been arrested and suspended for various offenses. Often compared to Johnny Manziel (5-11 ½, 207, 4.65), who had a Wonderlic of 32 but flopped as a first-round pick in Cleveland. “Same antics, same background,” a third scout said. “He’s got a stronger arm than Manziel but can’t run as fast. I see too much Manziel. Most of his game is outside the pocket and those guys get hurt. When he runs he doesn’t slide.” Having interviewed Mayfield, another scout said: “He’s not half-cocked. He’s humble. I think he’s an outstanding competitor.” Cried as he gave his Heisman acceptance speech, calling himself a chubby, non-athletic kid growing up in Austin, Texas. “He’s a cocky little (bleep),” another scout said. “I think it will get him in trouble a little bit. He’s a little bit too full of himself. Now he is a hard worker and he loves football. I’m playing the percentages. Not many of those 6-foot quarterbacks work. Joe Theismann. Doug Flutie. Michael Vick. Russell Wilson. Drew Brees. That’s it.” Wonderlic of 25. Added one scout: “Guys have his back. He’s a little bit obnoxious but he’s very high energy. If he’s on the other team you (bleep) hate him. If he’s on your team you love him.”

4. JOSH ALLEN, Wyoming (6-5, 234, 4.77, 1): Led all QBs in a stunning six categories: the 40, Wonderlic (37), vertical jump (33 ½), broad jump (9-11), arm length (33 ¼) and hand size (10 1/8). “Looks like Carson Wentz on the hoof … or Troy Aikman,” one scout said. “He is the biggest and best physical specimen of all of them. He’s just not as far along.” One scout drew four parallels between Allen and Aaron Rodgers: both hailed from small California towns (Firebaugh for Allen), both grew late and weren’t recruited out of high school, both spent one year in junior college and both landed scholarships when colleges coaches noticed them by accident while recruiting other players. Missed most of 2015 with a broken collarbone and two games in ’17 with right shoulder damage. Completed merely 56.3% of 649 passes for a rating of 90.6. “The wonder boy,” said another scout. “There’s been nobody that’s been good with his poor stats, his lack of dominance, the low percentage and the lack of winning. I just don’t think he has a good feel for the game. That’s his problem. And this guy is not in the SEC or the Big Ten. This guy played in a terrible level of competition (Mountain West). Even the good players from small schools (Eastern Illinois) like Jimmy Garoppolo, those guys dominated. When you start making excuses for a guy, it’s over with. You should stop right there. You do it or you don’t.” One of his coaches said he can throw a ball 89, 90 yards. “I’m not saying his arm is Terry Bradshaw’s but it’s as good an arm as you’d want,” another scout said. “Those kids at Wyoming couldn’t hang on (to his passes). Ten years from now you’ll think this kid was the best kid in the class. I think he’ll have a long and storied career.” Another scout compared Allen’s accuracy issues to Jake Locker, who hit 54% at the University of Washington before the Titans drafted him with the eighth pick in 2011. That scout also compared Allen to Tim Couch (6-4, 224, 4.89). Several times, another scout brought up Blake Bortles (6-5, 230, 4.91) as the best comparison. “Can throw through a wall,” one scout said of Allen. “Man, does he have some accuracy issues that I cannot see getting better. He’s got a big arm but there have been a lot of quarterbacks like that that have failed.”

5. LAMAR JACKSON, Louisville (6-2, 214, no 40, 2-3): Became the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy in 2016 before finishing third in ‘17. “Defensive coordinators are going to be scared to death to play against him,” said one scout. “The dynamic athletic ability doesn’t even need to be talked about. What he doesn’t get enough credit for is the type of passer he is and the (pro-style) system he runs. When he’s in the pocket he stays in the pocket. When he gets out of trouble he still looks to throw. He’s not just running around when he doesn’t have to. He isn’t careless with the ball.” One of the greatest running QBs in NCAA history, finishing with 4,132 yards (6.3) and 50 TDs. Completed merely 57% of 1,086 passes for a rating of 95.1. “You’ll have to build what you do around him,” said a second scout. “There’s not a lot of NFL offensive coordinators that want to throw out the playbook and start over and do it differently. There will be somebody that does, though.” Besides accuracy, the chief hesitation on Jackson is mental aptitude. Just nine quarterbacks in the last 15 years were drafted with a Wonderlic of 15 or less, and Jackson scored 13. Those that made the NFL were Vince Young, Tyrod Taylor, Seneca Wallace, Josh Johnson and Troy Smith. Those that never played in a game were Zac Robinson, Nate Davis, Andre Woodson and Josh Booty. “He didn’t even know how to call the plays the right way when he was a freshman,” said a third scout. “In our room, he did better talking about his offense. He’s a neat kid. Loves football. But if you look at every Super Bowl-winning quarterback there’s not one guy like Lamar Jackson. Athletic, run-around quarterbacks don’t win Super Bowls.” Teams won’t ever have a 40 time on Jackson because he refused to run on two occasions. One scout bet he would break 4.3. “He’s like Bo Jackson was in his day athletically but he is not an NFL-winning quarterback,” the scout said. “He’s a one-read guy, his accuracy is inconsistent and he holds the ball forever. I’ve love to have ‘LJ’ on our team. I’d give him a package at quarterback, I’d put him in the backfield, I’d (use) him at wide receiver and make him a punt returner. I want him to get the ball.” From Pompano Beach, Fla.

6. MASON RUDOLPH, Oklahoma State (6-4 ½, 231, 4.92, 2-3): Led a fourth-quarter comeback to beat Oklahoma as a true freshman in 2014 and went on to start 41 games. “He reminded me of Matt Ryan,” one scout said. “He’s calm, cool, collected, accurate. He’s faster than Ryan. Pocket passer. High three-quarters delivery. Excellent deep-ball accuracy. Good enough athlete. Not a runner. People are down on him but all he does for four years is win. People say that’s where Brandon Weeden came from. They’re not even close.” Completed 63.2% of 1,447 passes for a rating of 107.7. “He could be kind of a Kirk Cousins,” said another scout. “If he’s your starter you’re an 8-8 kind of team. He’s not going to take everybody to the next level but he’s going to do the right thing and be a game manager.” Improved from 20 to 28 on his second crack at the Wonderlic. “I think Rudolph is better than Weeden but he would scare me,” a third scout said. “He throws pretty well but he had a bad combine workout. Little bit stiff as an athlete. Seems to me he had to have a clean pocket. There’s a ton of easy reads in that OSU offense.” From Rock Hill, S.C.

7. LUKE FALK, Washington State (6-3 ½, 215, no 40, 3): Walked on with Cougars coach Mike Leach and started the last 40 games of his career. “I’d take him over (Lamar) Jackson any day,” said one scout. “He plays well. Got to be that short-intermediate type.” Completed 68.3% of 2,054 passes for a rating of 99.8. Not a runner. “I think he’ll be a 10-year backup,” a second scout said. “He’s not athletic enough to ever start but Colt McCoy has been a backup for how many years?” The answer is eight. Falk, who had 29 on the Wonderlic, will need developmental time because he didn’t take a single snap under center last year in Leach’s Air Raid attack. “He’s a product of the system,” a third scout said. “He’ll be like all the Texas Tech guys. He’s nothing special.” From Logan, Utah.

8. KYLE LAULETTA, Richmond (6-2 ½, 220, 4.82, 4): MVP in the Senior Bowl after completing eight of 12 passes for 198 yards and three TDs. “He’s got the face, the body type, the maturity,” said one scout. “You automatically like him. There’s some real substance to this kid. I don’t know if he’s got enough arm, truly. But if he gets in a timing system where it doesn’t require explosive arm strength … he had four different coordinators in four years. You got a chance this year to see him do everything. That’s a rarity nowadays. His dad and brothers all played quarterback. He just grew up around it.” Completed 63.5% of 1,194 passes for a rating of 99.7. Suffered a torn ACL in late 2016 but returned in time for 2017. His career record was 24-12. “Everybody wants to love him because he’s smart and affable,” a second scout said. “He’s a coach’s dream. But, physically, he doesn’t have the talent.” Wonderlic of 29. From Exton, Pa.

9. MIKE WHITE, Western Kentucky (6-4 ½, 222, 5.14, 4-5): Started 15 games at South Florida in 2013-’14 before transferring. Sat out one year, then started all 27 games the past two years. “Beautiful throwing motion,” one scout said. “Throws a really tight spiral and a catchable ball. When Jeff Brohm was head coach they were in this wide-open vertical deal and this kid thrived. It was a little more West Coast dink-dunk this year. He’s accurate. He protects the ball. Only problem is he’s not very nimble of foot. He’ll have some problems avoiding pressure. He’s very smart (Wonderlic of 27). Gets rid of the ball quick. If you give this kid time he will carve you up. He’s a sleeper starter who, at worst, is a great backup.” Completed 62% of 1,393 passes. His rating was 65.1 at USF and 109 at WKU. “Better passer than Lauletta,” another scout said. “He doesn’t have the quarterback pedigree that Lauletta has. He can spin a nice ball.” From Pembroke Pines, Fla.

10. CHASE LITTON, Marshall (6-5, 230, 4.95, 5-6): Third-year junior with 34 starts. “Big, strong arm. Athletic, accurate, still developing,” said one scout. “He could be the super sleeper of the group.” Departed a year early after a checkered off-field history of suspension and arrest. Completed 60.7% of 1,197 passes for a rating of 91. Wonderlic of 24. “He has all the talent,” a second scout said. “Watch their game against North Carolina (Sept. 9). I gave him a first-round grade based on that game. Has a really nice throwing motion. He’s mobile. Probably a better pure passer than Josh Allen.” From Tampa.

11. RILEY FERGUSON, Memphis (6-3, 213, no 40, 6-7): Fractured his tibia while redshirting at Tennessee in 2013 and bolted school, sat out ‘14, surfaced at a junior college in ’15 and started 25 games at Memphis in 2016-’17. “When he was a freshman at Tennessee he was their best quarterback among (Josh) Dobbs and (Nathan) Peterman,” said one scout. “They admitted it. He’s got the ability. He’s not afraid to chuck it and take shots. His biggest thing is maintaining weight and that shoulder (injury) he has had to deal with in the past. Not a big-framed guy. Little bit of a loopy delivery. I think he developed it compensating for the shoulder injury. He has to mature.” Completed 63.1% of 884 passes for a rating of 107.6. Wonderlic of 21. “He reminds me of a very poor man’s Brett Favre in terms of being a gambler,” said another scout. “He totally turned his life around. He’s skinny and kind of a schoolyard player.” From Matthews, N.C.

12. KURT BENKERT, Virginia (6-2 ½, 216, 4.97, 6-7): Missed all 2015 with a knee injury before starting 23 games in 2016-’17. “He’s so sporadic,” said one scout. “You never know where the ball’s going.” Completed 57.5% of 925 passes for a rating of 83.5. Went 8-15 as a starter, going 1-6 down the stretch last season. “People are trying to sell him?” said a second scout. “What did they have? Two wins? One win?” Actually, the Cavaliers finished 6-7. Wonderlic of 37. From Cape Coral, Fla.

OTHERS: Tanner Lee, Nebraska; Logan Woodside, Toledo; J.T. Barrett, Ohio State; Nic Shimonek, Texas Tech; Brandon Silvers, Troy; Brogan Roback, Eastern Michigan.

THE SKINNY

UNSUNG HERO

J.T. Barrett, Ohio State: Went 38-6 as a starter (4-0 vs. Michigan) en route to breaking Big Ten records set by Drew Brees for passing touchdowns and total yards. His passer rating was 105.8 and he ran for 3,263 yards. Barrett (6-1 ½, 225, 4.73) tested poorly and scored 19 on the Wonderlic. “His accuracy is not there,” said one scout. “Phenomenal kid. I’d almost think about trying to make the guy a linebacker.”

SCOUTS’ NIGHTMARE

Tanner Lee, Nebraska: At 6-4 and 217, with 4.95 speed and a Wonderlic of 26, this fourth-year junior has tools. He also has a powerful arm. Plagued by inaccuracy (55.2% career) and a slew of poor decisions. “He’s interesting,” said one scout. “He’s just so inconsistent.”

PACKERS’ PICK TO REMEMBER

Scott Hunter, QB, Alabama: Sixth-round draft choice in 1970. Started all 14 games on a division-winning 10-4 team in 1972, attempting just 14.2 passes per game and completing 6.1. Split time and ultimately lost his job to Jim Del Gaizo and Jerry Tagge in ’73. Released in ’74, Hunter started 13 of 29 games for the Bills, Falcons and Lions from 1974-’79. His career passer rating was 55.0 and his record was 21-18-3.

QUOTE TO NOTE

NFL personnel man: “People get all excited about the juniors. The seniors become boring. You’ve watched them a long time. Those guys that come back, they make a mistake. People will watch you the next year and find flaws.”

The post Quarterbacks: Plenty of prospects, no sure thing appeared first on Bob McGinn Football.

Continue reading...
 
SAM DARNOLD is not the #1 QB in this class... it's Rosan and Allen then Darnold and Mayfield. When it comes to QB rankings McGinn and company have been way off the past few years... nice little run down but flawed in my opinion.
 
McGinn mentions Manning, Aikman, Elway... Well no s*** there isn't a QB to rival them. There is a reason they are HOFers... They are rare... As is the Arod and Brady type of QB who have the rare combo of self-driven, committed, and intelligence to teach themselves by watching others. Arod had Favre to look up to and Brady had Bledsoe (who until injury was on a HOF trajectory).. Not to mention time to learn on the bench....

One thing that continually gets lost in the hand wringing and "oh whoa is the state of the college QB" is that while we see a drop off in QB talent coming out of college, we also see a big drop off in coaching and front office ability at the NFL level... The NFL used to have the coaches and staff that could teach a kid.. Now they don't get that option really. It's "hey welcome to CLE come save the team, and if you can't then it's because you suck"....

Belichik is no doubt a HOF coach.. But even as your resident Pats fan I have to also admit that BB probably seems better than he is because so many of the other coaches in the NFl suck...

Remember when we had coaches like Shula, Walsh, Johnson, Parcells, Levy et al all coaching at the same time? And further follow their staffs and how many of their staffs became SB winning coaches as well? NFL coaching trees nowadays are pretty bare..

The NFL is ridiculously unfair to kids coming out of college these days. Sure they don't have the skill set that QBs did. But I think alot of talent is wasted with bad coaching and limited teaching.
 
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Your probably right in terms of talent Mark, but it very well could turn out that Darnold is the first guy drafted of the group. It seems like he's got fewer questions about him. Rumors are all over the place about the first few picks in this draft.

Of the later group I'd take a flier on Litton. The off-field stuff is concerning, but he seems like he has the physical ability to outperform where he'll be drafted. The other guys seem more like back-ups and game manager starters, at best.
 
SAM DARNOLD is not the #1 QB in this class... it's Rosan and Allen then Darnold and Mayfield. When it comes to QB rankings McGinn and company have been way off the past few years... nice little run down but flawed in my opinion.

I think the problem with a lot of draft ratings is they seem to put too much stock in how good a QB is right now. And not enough in how much potential they have. TD/INT/Yards blahblah in college is not a great measure...
 
I think the problem with a lot of draft ratings is they seem to put too much stock in how good a QB is right now. And not enough in how much potential they have. TD/INT/Yards blahblah in college is not a great measure...
I think a ton of teams are over/under rating guys and being vocal on it just to move their guy on the board. I take very very little to heart that's written the month before the draft...smoke and mirrors.
 
I think a ton of teams are over/under rating guys and being vocal on it just to move their guy on the board. I take very very little to heart that's written the month before the draft...smoke and mirrors.

Agree though I would love if 5 and even 6 QBs wold go before the Packers pick as that would just push another quality defensive player down the board.
 
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