Next men up: Top QB talents in CFB pipeline

[Florida_Ram]

By Chad Reuter
Draft analyst
Published: May 4, 2017

Next men up: Top QB talents in CFB pipeline for 2017

While three quarterbacks ended up coming off the board within the first 12 picks of the 2017 NFL Draft, there was plenty of talk this spring about how teams were much more excited by the prospects who could be in the 2018 draft class than they were about this year's group.

Indeed, there is plenty to be excited about. However, much can change in a year. A year ago, the conventional wisdom was that Deshaun Watson would be the 2017 NFL Draft's No. 1 overall pick. He, of course, ended up going 12th overall to the Texans as the third QB picked.

With an eye on the future, I've grouped the top college passers in talent tiers to differentiate their abilities, though all of them have a chance to make it at the next level.

Elite

» Lamar Jackson, junior, Louisville (6-foot-3, 200 pounds)
» Sam Darnold, redshirt sophomore, USC (6-4, 225)
» Josh Allen, junior, Wyoming (6-5, 233)
» Josh Rosen, junior, UCLA (6-4, 220)

Allen has the attention of NFL teams due to his arm strength, attitude and athleticism. Rosen can bounce back from an injury-plagued season to battle Darnold for NFL scouts' eyes and the Pac-12 crown. Of course, scouts are concerned about Jackson's slight build and decline late in the 2016 season, but for now, his rocket arm, toughness and playmaking skills keep the Heisman Trophy winner in this category.

Potential for greatness

» Baker Mayfield, senior, Oklahoma (6-1, 218)
» Luke Falk, senior, Washington State (6-4, 225)

Mayfield's lack of size might hinder him in scouts' minds. However, if he continues to operate the Sooners' offense in an efficient manner, it will gain him fans among NFL teams and potentially earn him comparisons to Russell Wilson. Falk's an "Air Raid" offense quarterback, but he has the ability to do more at the line of scrimmage.

Worth the price of admission

» Mason Rudolph, senior, Oklahoma State (6-5, 230)
» Trace McSorley, junior, Penn State (6-0, 205)
» Jake Browning, junior, Washington (6-2, 205)

All three of these passers have a shot to become NFL starters someday. McSorley and Browning should have great seasons in 2017 as leaders of their their teams. Rudolph and his top target, receiver James Washington, returned for their seniors years to make a run at the Big 12 title and increase their value to NFL scouts.

Underrated, for now

» Jalen Hurts, sophomore, Alabama (6-2, 214)
» Deondre Francois, redshirt sophomore, Florida State (6-2, 205)

Hurts has to grow as a pocket passer to be considered a top NFL prospect, but he has time to do so. Francois also has the tools to succeed at the next level, and should become more consistent as he matures. Their progression in 2017 will be fun to watch.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...p-qb-talents-in-cfb-pipeline-for-2017[/quote]

 

[Riverumbbq]

JMHO, but i'm far more interested in WR, LB & CB critiques going forward ...

 

[Florida_Ram]

JMHO, but i'm far more interested in WR, LB & CB critiques going forward ...

I completely agree with you Riverum but I posted this because of the annual fascination and impact the next line of QB's will have on the NFL like it does every year.

The post had nothing to do with us Rams Fans. We have our franchise quarterback

 

[jrry32]

McSorley and Browning should be replaced with other QBs. Blake Barnett, Nick Fitzgerald, Jarrett Stidham, Keller Chryst, and Daniel Jones are much more intriguing prospects. And if we're including a true sophomore like Hurts, Jacob Eason should be included as well (and maybe Jake Bentley).

 

[jrry32]

JMHO, but i'm far more interested in WR, LB & CB critiques going forward ...

OL too. I'm excited to see Antonio Callaway in 2017 with hopefully better QB play.

 

[DaveFan'51]

By Chad Reuter
Draft analyst
Published: May 4, 2017

Next men up: Top QB talents in CFB pipeline for 2017

While three quarterbacks ended up coming off the board within the first 12 picks of the 2017 NFL Draft, there was plenty of talk this spring about how teams were much more excited by the prospects who could be in the 2018 draft class than they were about this year's group.

Indeed, there is plenty to be excited about. However, much can change in a year. A year ago, the conventional wisdom was that Deshaun Watson would be the 2017 NFL Draft's No. 1 overall pick. He, of course, ended up going 12th overall to the Texans as the third QB picked.

With an eye on the future, I've grouped the top college passers in talent tiers to differentiate their abilities, though all of them have a chance to make it at the next level.

Elite

» Lamar Jackson, junior, Louisville (6-foot-3, 200 pounds)
» Sam Darnold, redshirt sophomore, USC (6-4, 225)
» Josh Allen, junior, Wyoming (6-5, 233)
» Josh Rosen, junior, UCLA (6-4, 220)

Allen has the attention of NFL teams due to his arm strength, attitude and athleticism. Rosen can bounce back from an injury-plagued season to battle Darnold for NFL scouts' eyes and the Pac-12 crown. Of course, scouts are concerned about Jackson's slight build and decline late in the 2016 season, but for now, his rocket arm, toughness and playmaking skills keep the Heisman Trophy winner in this category.

Potential for greatness

» Baker Mayfield, senior, Oklahoma (6-1, 218)
» Luke Falk, senior, Washington State (6-4, 225)

Mayfield's lack of size might hinder him in scouts' minds. However, if he continues to operate the Sooners' offense in an efficient manner, it will gain him fans among NFL teams and potentially earn him comparisons to Russell Wilson. Falk's an "Air Raid" offense quarterback, but he has the ability to do more at the line of scrimmage.

Worth the price of admission

» Mason Rudolph, senior, Oklahoma State (6-5, 230)
» Trace McSorley, junior, Penn State (6-0, 205)
» Jake Browning, junior, Washington (6-2, 205)

All three of these passers have a shot to become NFL starters someday. McSorley and Browning should have great seasons in 2017 as leaders of their their teams. Rudolph and his top target, receiver James Washington, returned for their seniors years to make a run at the Big 12 title and increase their value to NFL scouts.

Underrated, for now

» Jalen Hurts, sophomore, Alabama (6-2, 214)
» Deondre Francois, redshirt sophomore, Florida State (6-2, 205)

Hurts has to grow as a pocket passer to be considered a top NFL prospect, but he has time to do so. Francois also has the tools to succeed at the next level, and should become more consistent as he matures. Their progression in 2017 will be fun to watch.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...p-qb-talents-in-cfb-pipeline-for-2017[/quote]

I'm not ready to start looking at the 2018 Draft quite yet! 2017 just happened!!

 

[Memento]

Where the hell is Drew Lock on this list? I guarantee you that he's more talented than the vast majority of those quarterbacks mentioned (with the exception of the big four in Jackson, Darnold, Rosen, and Allen). He operated a top ten offense (not SEC, but in all of Division I football) while missing Nate Brown (one of our top receivers) for the entire season. He has a hell of an arm, poise in the pocket, can make every throw in the NFL with accuracy, even while getting hit, his mechanics are quite clean for a quarterback coming from Mizzou's system, and he's a grounded kid (unlike, say, Maty Mauk).

 

[DrHavenstein]

If in 10 months we're looking at this again, we've had a terrible year and Goff had a equally bad year.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I don't think McSorley will ever be an NFL starter. He doesn't have the arm, he isn't very big, his accuracy is erratic. The PSU offense put up a lot of points and McSorley is a great leader and finds ways to make plays, but that make up usually isn't enough at the next level.

 

[dieterbrock]

Brandon Wimbush from Notre Dame will be on this list by the end of the season.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Brandon Wimbush from Notre Dame will be on this list by the end of the season.

What makes you say that? Wimbush was a highly sought after recruit, who was believed to get a chance to be an early starter. But, he has been buried on the Notre Dame depth charts since his arrival there. He has had very little time on the offense and only was getting scout team reps last year. Plus he is a Jr. so isn't it likely with the late start he stays another season? Or will he be beat out by 5 star Avery Davis in 2018?

 

[dieterbrock]

What makes you say that? Wimbush was a highly sought after recruit, who was believed to get a chance to be an early starter. But, he has been buried on the Notre Dame depth charts since his arrival there. He has had very little time on the offense and only was getting scout team reps last year. Plus he is a Jr. so isn't it likely with the late start he stays another season? Or will he be beat out by 5 star Avery Davis in 2018?

Wimbush is a beast. He was dinged up in spring practice when he was a Frosh which is why he was behind Kizer. He's only a Sophomore. Wimbush killed it in spring practice this year and will be better than Kizer
And Davis is more likely to play RB/WR than QB

 

[LACHAMP46]

What about Williams from Utah?

 

[Yamahopper]

Keep it local guys.

 

[spamlord]

McSorley and Browning should be replaced with other QBs. Blake Barnett, Nick Fitzgerald, Jarrett Stidham, Keller Chryst, and Daniel Jones are much more intriguing prospects. And if we're including a true sophomore like Hurts, Jacob Eason should be included as well (and maybe Jake Bentley).

Jrry, I'd like to hear you take on Clayton Thorson from Northwestern, if you've had a chance to evaluate him.

 

[Florida_Ram]

McSorley and Browning should be replaced with other QBs. Blake Barnett, Nick Fitzgerald, Jarrett Stidham, Keller Chryst, and Daniel Jones are much more intriguing prospects. And if we're including a true sophomore like Hurts, Jacob Eason should be included as well (and maybe Jake Bentley).

Agree jrry... some adjustments can easily be made on Reuter's overall list but his Top 4 Rated QB's on this premature list are well within the ball ball park/consensus of most draft pundits.

» Lamar Jackson, junior, Louisville (6-foot-3, 200 pounds)
» Sam Darnold, redshirt sophomore, USC (6-4, 225)
» Josh Allen, junior, Wyoming (6-5, 233)
» Josh Rosen, junior, UCLA (6-4, 220)

As you well know, nobody can predict if all of these QB's will be entering the 2018 NFL Draft or how their stock will rise or fall after their 2017 seasons conclude.

I remember when this time last year under the same premature discussions and criteria.....,Deshaun Watson was ranked #1 and Brad Kaaya was a heavy favorite to be selected in the Top 3 for the 2017 draft class. We seen first hand how that consensus prediction worked out.

Trubisky and Mahomes (hardly on anyone's radar) were selected before Watson and Kaaya slid to the 6th round.

 

[jrry32]

Jrry, I'd like to hear you take on Clayton Thorson from Northwestern, if you've had a chance to evaluate him.

No idea. I don't catch Northwestern games often. I don't think I've seen him play. The extent I can talk about guys from next year's class is the extent I caught games of theirs last year. I know from watching Browning and McSorley that they both lack the physical tools to be NFL starters.

That's generally the easiest way to weed guys out at this point in time.

 

[dolphinlover123]

Luke Faulk

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Wimbush is a beast. He was dinged up in spring practice when he was a Frosh which is why he was behind Kizer. He's only a Sophomore. Wimbush killed it in spring practice this year and will be better than Kizer
And Davis is more likely to play RB/WR than QB

Wimbush was a big get for PSU a few years ago. Many felt he could start as soon as Hackenberg left. Then his Notre Dame alum, high school coach started pushing hard for Wimbush to go to Notre Dame and got him to flip. There is something wrong there when a grown man uses his influence over a kid to get him to do what he wants. Wimbush was happy to stay close to home, originally. I have to admit he was a prospect to get excited about.

But, in the last year I read a lot of PSU fans basically saying he isn't cutting it. Must be sour grapes. I looked him up and the site I saw said he was a junior. It would make sense because Tommy Stevens was PUSs constellation prize that year and he is a Jr. Incidentally he has better tools than McSorley. He's bigger, faster, more accurate, stronger arm, etc...but I guess he doesn't have the moxie.