1. Carson Wentz 6’5’’ 237 Lbs. 4.77 40-time North Dakota State RS Senior Age 23 – 6.6
Has the prototypical stature and delivery you look for in a franchise QB. Has great arm strength and can make all the throws. Played in a pro-style offense. Has great footwork and moves well in the pocket. Holds the ball high and tight and has a laser quick release. Throws the ball with zip, can also take something off and change arm angles. Is an accurate passer but mistakes will be magnified in the pros. Not always consistent with his accuracy, especially deep. Seemed to not put everything he has into every throw. Will need to work on his deep ball and be focused on every play to reach his full potential. The only questions about Wentz is the level of competition he played against and how long it will take him to adjust to the pro game. He certainly has all the tools needed to be a franchise QB.
2. Jared Goff 6’4’’ 215 Lbs. 4.82 40-time California Junior Age 21 – 6.45
Polished passer who can make all the throws necessary. Has good footwork, a high quick release and very nice touch on his deep ball. Is accurate and has great velocity when he is able to set his feet and really get his whole body into the throw. Shows great mechanics when he has time. Has the ability to create time in the pocket or get outside of it if he needs to. Shows good arm strength but does not have an elite arm. That shows up more when he is under pressure and can’t set his feet. Didn’t play well against UCLA when he was under constant pressure. Looks skinny and may have a tough time taking the pounding at the next level. Has small hands. Will need to learn how to play under center. Goff has the arm talent and mental makeup to be a franchise QB but he needs to work on his accuracy and bulk up. I’m not sure he deserves to be drafted in the top 2. A team that takes him there won’t be disappointed if they develop him right.
3. Paxton Lynch 6’7’’ 244 Lbs. 4.86 40-time Memphis RS Junior Age 22 – 6.3
HUGE QB prospect with great feet and scrambling ability. Very raw and didn’t play in a pro-style system. Threw a lot of screen passes at Memphis. Elite arm strength and above average accuracy. Lynch may have the strongest arm in this draft. Is a long strider and has a bit of a wind up. That said the ball does come out quickly and he can really rip it. Does show inconsistency with his velocity and the ball will flutter on him at times. Not as polished or ready as Goff, Wentz or a few othetr at the position. Played great against #13 Ole Miss but then was humbled by Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl. Lynch has top 5 talent and potential but is a project. The team that drafts him will need to be patient with him but they could have a special player on their hands. It wouldn’t shock me to see a team fall in love with him and take him over Goff or Wentz.
4. Connor Cook 6’4’’ 217 Lbs. 4.79 40-time Michigan State RS Senior Age 23 – 5.65
Cook played in a pro-style offense and against top competition at Michigan State. He played to mixed results but was a top player in college. I don’t think he has the upside as some of the other QB’s in this class. He has the size and arm strength to get the job done. Very good pre snap diagnosis. Has good footwork, a very quick and tight delivery but doesn’t hold the ball quite as high as you would like. Can throw it into a tight window. Seems to short arm a lot of throws. Didn’t have a high completion % in college. Throw’s with accuracy and velocity when throwing to his #1 option. Struggled with his accuracy when going through his progressions. Inconsistent with his footwork under pressure but held his own and has been in much bigger games than most prospects. As NFL ready as you can get from a competition standpoint. His leadership and passion for the game have been questioned. Not a team captain despite being a 3 year starter at QB. Cook is a bit of an odd case. You would think a player with his pedigree would be a warrior whose heart isn’t questioned. Cook is likely to be over drafted. He's a bit of a reach in the 1st or at the top of the 2nd Round. I see him being a great back up to solid starter in the NFL but not someone you can build your franchise around.
5. Christian Hackenberg 6’4’’ 223 Lbs. 4.78 40-time Penn State Junior Age 21 – 5.55
Physical prototype who was the top ranked recruit coming out of high school. Never panned out in college. Wildly inaccurate passer who does show the ability to make all the throws on film. Has great velocity on short throws but arm strength seems to fade down the field. Played in a pro-style offense and is good at reading through his progressions. Has a quick release and good form but mechanics are inconsistent. Under immense pressure in college taking 104 sacks over his 3 year career. The pressure may have gotten to him and may already be stuck in his head. Held the ball too long too often. It’s unclear how much of his struggles were due to the lack of talent around him. Durable, never missed a start despite the pounding. It would serve him well to sit for a year or 2 and be completely re-wired mentally. Boom or bust type prospect who is probably worth a look in the late 2nd to 3rd round due to his franchise QB upside.
6. Jacoby Brissett 6’4’’ 231 Lbs. 4.94 40-time North Carolina State RS Senior Age 23 – 5.45
Big strong armed quarterback who can also make plays with his legs. Has good arm strength and accuracy on short to intermediate routes. Struggles with his accuracy when throwing deep but does show touch. Has taken a lot of hits in college and feels pressure that isn’t there. Will carry the ball away from his body when scrambling. Throws a sinking ball and has a long delivery. Played in a pro-style offense but is still learning the pre-snap portion of the game. Doesn’t have great recognition or break down defenses well. Hard worker who should improve greatly. Brissett is a potential sleeper in this draft. A projected mid round pick who could become a solid starter if coached up properly.
7. Dak Prescott 6’2’’ 226 Lbs. 4.79 40-time Mississippi State RS Senior Age 22 – 5.45
Prescott is an intriguing prospect who is moving up a lot of draft boards. He is a great leader, a very strong and physical player. He has adequate arm strength and the quick snap of the wrist you like to see. At times will show the ability to stand confidently in the pocket and throw with good mechanics. He improved a lot from 2014 to 2015. Especially his decision making and delivery. Accurate thrower in the pocket and on the run. He got away with a lot of bad footwork in college. Must improve in the pros. His accuracy is even more impressive considering his poor footwork. He drops his elbow on a lot of throws which really hurts him on deep balls. He was arrested for DUI shortly after his pro day which could hurt his draft stock. Dak could go anywhere from the 2nd to 5th round. I see a lot of upside in him. The thing you have to like is that his flaws are correctable. The ability and intangibles are already there.
8. Brandon Doughty 6’3’’ 213 Lbs. 5.22 40-time Western Kentucky RS Senior Age 23 – 5.45
You can almost throw out his impressive college numbers because of the system he played in. He will not find things so easy in the NFL. There are things to like about him on film. When he has time he shows incredible accuracy and pillowy soft touch. Has a good enough arm to play in the NFL and throws a nice deep ball. Holds the ball high, has good footwork and mechanics in a clean pocket. Can read a defense and go through progressions better than most QB’s in this draft. He is a completely different QB under pressure. Does not seem to have the arm or patience to be a star in the NFL. Footwork is poor under pressure. Will need to learn how to play under Center. Not a good athlete and lacks the ability to get out of the pocket. Not a creative playmaker. Looked like Joe Montana vs Louisiana State but Joe Schmo under heavy pressure in the rain vs LSU. Doughty is flying under the radar but has a chance to stick in the NFL. He could be something special if he can correct his flaws under pressure.
9. Brandon Allen 6’1’’ 217 Lbs. 4.84 40-time Arkansas RS Senior Age 23 – 5.4
Allen burst on the scene in the second half of the 2015 season after starting for 3 years at Arkansas. He led Arkansas to wins in 6 of their final 7 games. Throwing for 20 TD’s against 4 INT’s. At first glance you see a guy who is too small and not talented enough to make it in the NFL. Upon further review you see a scrappy, clever athlete who may have just enough talent to get the job done. Has adequate arm strength and a quick release. Throws very well on the run. Allen played in a pro-style, play action offense. He did not have to go through progressions very often. Has very small hands 8 7/8’. He is far from a sure thing but has improved to the point where he is worth a look in the later rounds. Allen has been drawing a lot of comparisons to guys like Brian Hoyer and Case Keenum. I think those comparisons are fair.
10. Kevin Hogan 6’3’’ 218 Lbs 4.78 40-time Stanford RS Senior Age 23 – 5.35
Hogan’s mechanics may be broken beyond repair but you could say the same thing about Philip Rivers. He has a little zip on his short and intermediate passes and has experience running a complex pro-style offense. Got better every year and is a proven winner. Doesn’t throw the deep ball well. It’s hard to picture a guy who throw’s like that being successful in the NFL. Hogan does have the mental makeup to adapt and overcome. I wouldn’t bet against him. He should be picked on day 3 and could surprise teams down the line.
11. Cardale Jones 6’5’’ 253 Lbs. 4.81 40-time Ohio State RS Junior Age 23 – 5.35
Had a magical 3 game run when called upon to end the 2014 season. As a businessman he should have come out then. In the long run it was probably better for him to go back to school. That allowed him to show teams the flawed prospect he really is. Has as good of an arm as you’re going to see. He and Paxton Lynch have the strongest arms in this draft. Jones is a good runner and surprisingly nimble in the open field. He will run defenders over. 2015 showed that he isn’t ready to play in the Big 10 let alone the NFL. He needs to develop his footwork and ability to read defenses. Is not consistent but has shown the ability to make all the throws with accuracy. Has a quick release for a QB his size. Size makes it easy for him to see over the D-Line and gun the ball into tight windows. Cardale is as raw as it gets but has a very high ceiling. That probably puts him in the 3rd to 5th round range. Jones could be anything from a star to out of the league in a few years. He will probably end up somewhere in the low middle of that range.
12. Jake Coker 6’5’’ 236 Lbs. Alabama Age 23 – 5.3
Coker was the backup to E.J. Manuel and Jamis Winston at Florida State before transferring to Alabama. Ended his career with a great post season run and a National Championship. Probably got himself drafted with his late season heroics. Did not look like much of a pro prospect before then. He has a slow delivery that will cost him in the pros. What he showed in the post season was poise, leadership, decent accuracy, solid mechanics and a strong arm. He may never amount to more than a backup but will likely get a shot to play due to size and track record in big games. Coker is likely to go late in the draft and has the tools to be a useful player.
13. Cody Kessler 6’1’’ 220 Lbs. 4.89 40-time USC RS Senior Age 22 – 5.2
Kessler put up huge numbers in college but appears to be a game manager at best. He does not take risks and throw the ball down field enough. Stats were mostly the result of superior talent at USC. Has a quick release, can read defenses and go through progressions. Settles on the check down too often. Does not appear to have the arm strength to start in the NFL. Interception in the 1st quarter of the Washington game is a great example. Kessler should be drafted late and has a chance to stick around the league for a while as a backup.
