Quarterback Quick Hits
The ranking of the quarterbacks seems to be a big topic for this draft for obvious reasons. After looking at a lot of different publications, it seems that the top guy for everybody is wildly different. To that point, I figured I would do a QB ranking quick hit. I am going to do a top six here since I think that there are six QBs that could go in the first 42 picks. I am going to do a few different categories to make this a little more fun.
Straight up rankings
1. Josh Allen – Too much talent here and I think he is only going to get better with coaching. But he should not be thrown in right away. I know
2. Baker Mayfield – One of the things that makes Aaron Rodgers great is that he had to fight to overcome doubters, that is when he is at his best. Do not confuse cockiness with confidence, Mayfield is a winner.
3. Lamar Jackson – Jackson needs to get seasoning and everybody knows and understands that. If he goes to a team that fixes some of the ugliness while still allowing him to play his game, watch out.
4. Sam Darnold – He does a lot of things well and is a winner but sometimes he just seems all over the place with his decisions. I think he has a lot of bust potential and I am having a hard time seeing it with him.
5. Josh Rosen – I watched Rosen and I am just not quite getting it. I have a hard time even putting him at 5th but he has a lot of talent. I am just not sure.
6. Mason Rudolph – I think Mason Rudolph is going to make a team happy that they drafted him. He reminds me a little bit of Andy Dalton when Dalton came out in that I do no seeing him being a top QB, but one that always plays well. If I was an NFL GM, I would risk taking a good football player in the first round and hope I get Rudolph in the second over drafting Rosen and Darnold for sure and maybe even Allen and Jackson. For example, if I were the Giants and could get Barkley or Chubb in the first round and grab Rudolph in the 2nd, that is well worth it to me.
Safest to biggest risks
1. Baker Mayfield
2. Mason Rudolph
3. Josh Allen
4. Sam Darnold
5. Lamar Jackson
6. Josh Rosen
Mid to late round guys that I like
1. Luke Falk – I am not sure that he is an NFL starter but I think his floor is a reliable back-up and his ceiling is a guy that learns for a few years and then takes over. He may even surprise as coming in for an injured starter early in his career. Kyle Orton level of player, maybe a hair better.
2. Kyle Lauletta – When you hear so many coaches praising his character and competitiveness you have to take notice. His throws tend to be a bit more touch so I would worry about him being able to truly zip the ball into tight spaces. Still, he should be a solid game manager for a team and sometimes that is fine.
3. Mike White – Not a lot was said about him after the Senior Bowl, but I saw some great passes zipped into receiver’s hands during that game. I know there have been some knocks on his awareness in the pocket but that is something that can be improved upon to a degree.
Not getting enough press: John Wolford QB Wake Forest – I know there are some concerns here with his size and how he only had a breakout senior season, but my god, watch some of that senior season! He may not be for everybody but I could see him coming off the bench one day and stunning some poor defense. Somewhere between Matt Flynn and Case Keenum. At the very least he is fun to watch and might just make it.
Post-Free Agency Mock Draft to come soon!
