Quarterback Prospects
What was once thought to be a position with some depth in the 2012 NFL draft has become a bit shallower as Matt Barkley and Landry Jones have decided to return to school for their senior seasons. Both players likely would have been first round picks. With that said we are left with two sure fire first round picks at the position as opposed to four.
Andrew Luck, Stanford – Luck has been the top QB prospect for two years running now and would have been the top pick had he chosen to come out this past spring. Some say he is the best QB prospect to come along since John Elway others say Peyton Manning. Luck has a year of eligibility left, but all indications are that he plans to enter next year’s draft.
Possible Destinations – Whoever ends up with the top pick. It is looking like he will end up in Indianapolis.
Robert Griffin III, Baylor – After Andrew Luck, Griffin is the hottest name in draft discussions right now. Griffin the most athletic QB prospect for the 2012 draft and with Barkley dropping out of the draft he is the consensus favorite to be the second QB off the board in April. Scouts love his athleticism and his ability to throw the ball down the field.
Possible Destinations – For the time being he seems to have solidified himself as the #2 QB prospect in the 2012 draft class. He could go as high second or third to a team like Minnesota if they decide he is too good to pass up. He could also land in Cleveland or Jacksonville if those teams like him better than Colt McCoy and Blaine Gabbert. At this stage it is hard to imagine him lasting past the Redskins or Dolphins who are projecting to be picking somewhere between 8 and 10 as of right now.
Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M – Tannehill could go ahead of Griffin simply because he is the more traditional looking QB. However, his numbers did not improve like one would have thought they should this season. He seemed to struggle against tougher competition and he had 3 games with 3 interceptions this season.
Possible Destinations – Tannehill was a WR his first two years and converted to QB so he does not have as much experience as the other guys and he really impresses as a guy who is not quite ready to step in and win the starting job right away. However, with Matt Barkley and Landry Jones opting to go back for another year Tannehill could potentially go a lot higher than he otherwise would have. One thing that could potentially push his stock down is the reported broken foot he suffered at the end of the year. Will he be able to fully work out for teams prior to the draft? Most teams will be very leery about spending a first round pick on a QB that they cannot put through the paces ahead of time.
Nick Foles, Arizona – Foles presents a big target for opposing defenses in the pocket and is not terribly mobile back there. He has a strong arm but tends to break down when pressured. Had five multiple interception games this season and he tends to take some sacks.
Possible Destinations – Likely projects as a late second round, early third round pick. He will need to play on a team that does a good job at running the ball and does not expect him to win games.
Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State – For the most part Weeden is an efficient quarterback, however, there is nothing special about him physically. He is merely has an adequate skillset to play in the NFL. He lacks consistency and had four multiple interception games this year. Oklahoma State does not run a traditional pro offense so Weeden has a lack of experience taking snaps from under center which will push his stock down considerably.
Possible Destinations – Since there is likely to be a learning curve for Weeden while he adjusts to the pro game he is likely to be a mid-round selection.
Kirk Cousins, Michigan State – Cousins has decent arm strength and accuracy and led the Spartans to the Big Ten Championship game this year. He is not the ideal size and has adequate mobility.
Possible Destinations – If he throws well next spring he could be second or third round pick for a team looking to develop a guy who will be ready two or three years from now.
Brock Osweiler, Arizona State – He surprised a lot of people by declaring for the draft. He is tall and throws the ball fairly well and potentially could have worked his way up into being a top 5 QB prospect had he stayed in school for his senior year. The biggest knocks against him are going to be his lack of experience as a starter in college, he really only has one full year as a starter at ASU. He also had five games where he threw two or more interceptions and he does not escape the rush terribly well.
Possible Destinations – Unless he blows people’s socks off in his workouts he is looking at a third or fourth round selection at best. He probably could have moved up being a solid second or third rounder had he stayed in school.
Darron Thomas, Oregon – Thomas declaring for the draft is another surprising move. He has already graduated so his only other reason to stay is to hone his craft for another year at the college level. The positives on Thomas are he is a tremendous athlete and moves around well in the pocket. He has decent size but could probably stand to bulk up a bit. The biggest downside is he did not play in a conventional offense at Oregon and there is going to be a learning curve while he adapts to a pro style offense. He never really impressed me as a guy who is going to be a starting QB at the next level.
Possible Destinations – His predecessor, Dennis Dixon, was a fifth round pick when left Oregon and that was after his season ended due to a knee injury. Thomas will probably go slightly higher than that. My guess is fourth round, possibly third if he throws well in the pre-draft workouts.
Kellen Moore, Boise State – Moore strikes me as someone similar to Ty Detmer. He is an extremely efficient QB in a great college offense. However, he is nowhere near the size pro scouts like in their QBs nor is he athletic enough to make up for his lack of size. Moore is likely to be written off as a guy who is a product of the system he played in. Detmer had a a nice career as a backup in the NFL so there is no reason why Moore can’t.
Possible Destinations – It would not shock me if he goes undrafted, but it would not surprise me to see a team take a late round flyer on him either.
Ryan Lindley, San Diego State – He has a major league arm, it is just a question as to whether he can harness it or not. He appears to still be learning the nuances of the position. He struggled through a senior season that saw his numbers drop across the board rather dramatically.
Possible Destinations – Some team is likely to fall in love with his arm with the idea that they can coach him up on the subtleties of playing the position at the NFL level. He should be a mid to late round selection.
Case Keenum, Houston – Keenum is largely seen as a product of Houston’s system more so than his talent. He is seen as too small and does not tremendous arm strength. He is extremely accurate and threw only 5 interceptions all year. He is also a 6th year senior having red-shirted a year and being granted a medical red-shirt after suffering a knee injury last season.
Possible Destinations – He will be a 6th or 7th round pick if he gets drafted at all.
Russell Wilson, Wisconsin – There is a lot to like about Wilson’s game. He can get the ball downfield and threw just 3 interceptions. He is also mobile and athletic rushing for 22 TDs and catching a touchdown pass in his college career. The one thing not to like about him is his size, he will be lucky if he hits the 6-foot mark at the combine.
Possible Destinations – His athleticism and leadership skills will draw some interest from teams. He could earn a mid-round flyer from someone.
Jacory Harris, Miami (FL) – Harris is another wildcard in this class. There is a lot to like about him. He is tall, has a strong arm, and moves around fairly well. However, he is prone to making inexplicable mistakes for a senior quarterback who has started games all four years at Miami. He has the physical tools too play at the next level, it will be a matter of whether he gets it together mentally.
Possible Destinations – Someone is likely to fall in love with Harris’ physical talents to spend a mid-round pick on him.
[...] Quarterback Prospects [...]