Page 1 of 1

Upcoming QB Draft Class

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:16 am
by Eric
This QB class is shaping up to be an all-timer. In addition to the common names, there are even a handful of guys from smaller schools who will be getting serious looks at by the pros this year.

Teddy Bridgewater is the current projected #1. He has crazy-good accuracy but hasn't been dominant against teams like Rutgers and Kentucky this year. I don't know how this may hurt his stock next May.

Tajh Boyd is a guy that some thought would be a first-round grade by the end of last year, but he has fallen off a bit, for whatever reason. One of the most impressive things about Boyd is his shiftiness in the pocket and his ability to get drilled and get back up. He might be the toughest QB in this class.

In the Pac-12, you have Mariota and Hundley. I think both are copies of each other. They have an almost identical skill set although I think Hundley is a slightly better passer with Mariota being a slightly better runner. NFL scouts love Mariota apparently which was surprising to me since I thought he fit more of the "spread option" "system" QB mold that NFL guys tend to shy away from. Both of these guys are wild cards because they may stay. As deep as this class is, they might be smart to do so.

Manziel is another wild card for the pros. He should be a lock to leave College Station, but how his skills translate to the next level is a big question. Is he durable enough to run in the NFL? Will his full-field sprints in open space work in the NFL? His time spent improving his passing game in various coaching sessions has really paid off. His accuracy has been laser-like whenever I've watched him.

Derek Carr, David Fales, and Jimmy Garrapollo of Eastern Illinois are some small-school guys I have my eye on. Carr could develop into a nice backup or spot starter in the league. Fales' calling card is his accuracy, but he has struggled with forcing some balls. He can put the ball wherever he wants it with no problems, but sometimes he has issues reading how the routes are developing and he winds up throwing interceptions. He has to read the defense better if he wants to be an effective QB. The book on Garappollo is that his release is the best in the class. I've seen him play once already this year, and that scouting report seems to be true. I think he's the true sleeper of this class, but I'm not sure if his ceiling reads "career backup" or "eventual starter."

Oh, right. And A.J. McCarron, Aaron Murray, Zach Mettenberger, and Stephen Morris :shock: