2020 NFL Draft Evaluation: Quarterbacks

The NFL Draft and the preparation leading up to the draft might just be my favorite part of the NFL. This year my excitement is even more amplified by the fact that my favorite team (the Cincinnati Bengals) is currently in position to hold the no.1 pick, a pick I think they'd likely spend on a Quarterback. So in honor of the Bengals currently holding the no.1 pick and in my pure love for the NFL Draft, here is my top 10 Quarterbacks who SHOULD be in the 2020 NFL Draft.

*These rankings are not based off of any big boards, these are who I think the best Quarterbacks are entering the draft.

1) Justin Herbert, Oregon. Senior.

Positives: Arm strength, vision, mobility, decision making.

Negatives: Poor patience in the pocket, accuracy.

Current NFL QB comparison: Cam Newton.

-Herbert has been my favorite QB of this draft class for as long as I can remember. He has the size and pure arm talent that you just can't teach. His negatives, luckily you can teach. Herbert may be a year project before becoming a reliable NFL starter. Patrick Mahomes, the NFL's strongest armed QB was also a year project before getting to start regularly in the NFL. Herbert isn't Patrick Mahomes, but he has similar arm strength and compares well to a young Cam Newton.

2) Joe Burrow, LSU. Senior.

Positives: Footwork within the pocket, accuracy, velocity, mobility, pocket presence, reads defenses well, decision making.

Negatives: Arm strength is worst of the top 3 QB's in this class, only one year of solid production.

Current NFL QB comparison: Jared Goff

-Joe Burrow has risen up draft charts all years, now to the point where he's the projected no.1 pick on nearly every Mock Draft I've see. All of this has been aided by a Heisman worth campaign that has seen Burrow boast a 78.6 completion percentage, 3,687 yards, 38 Touchdowns, and only 6 interceptions. There's a lot to like about Burrow as he enters the next level. To me he is the safest pick of all the Quarterbacks in the draft class, and is the most NFL ready of the bunch. I know the Jared Goff comparison may not tickle some people, but this is merely just a comparison of which NFL QB he looks like most on tape. I full expect Burrow to be the first Quarterback taken in the 2020 NFL Draft.

3) Tua Tagovailoa QB, Alabama. Junior.

Positives: Arm strength, mobility, accuracy on deep balls, throwing on the run.

Negatives: Health, very quick to leave the pocket.

Current NFL QB comparison: Josh Allen

-I had Tua Tagovailoa listed as the third best Quarterback in this draft class prior to the broken hip he suffered on Saturday, and I'm going to keep him here even after the injury. It's unfair for me to assume he won't heal up from this injury, but it's not unfair for me to say he's a risk because of it. Add the ankle issues on top of this hip injury and Tua is potentiall a scary draft pick for any NFL team. However, Tua's tremendous play in college when healthy will likely leave him remaining as a first round pick. Tua gives Justin Herbert a run for his money on which QB has the strongest arm in this Draft class, but there's no question Tua throws the prettier deep ball. Despite his injury history I think Tua has the potential to be a Franchise Quarterback, it's just a matter of getting and staying healthy at this point.

4) Jordan Love, Utah State. Junior.

Positives: Arm strength, mobility, mobility in the pocket, throwing on the run.

Negatives: Turnover ratio, accuracy, decision-making, plays against lesser talent.

Current NFL QB comparison: Dak Prescott

-Love is one of those QB prospects that you fall in love with while turning on the highlights, then you dig further and slowly begin to fall out of love with. He's got a strong arm, he's got phenomenal footwork in the pocket, can throw on the run, he's everything you'd look for in an option QB. Then you look up his stats and realize he has 13 touchdowns to 14 interceptions, completes only 61.7% of his passes, and does this all in the Mountain West conference. Some people would probably question how I could possibly have Love so high in this QB class? It's complicated. I love *no pun intended* Love's size, I love his arm, I love the mobility, and I think he's a phenomenal fit for the modern day NFL Quarterback. He's most certainly a risk, even more so a project. If you take Love, you should definitely have another QB ready to start so Love can learn. Love is the definition of raw talent, coaching will most likely determine whether or not he's a Franchise QB at the next level.

5) Jake Fromm, Georgia. Junior.

Positives: Good with Play Action, pocket presence, always gives his receivers a chance at the ball, reads defenses well.

Negatives: Arm talent, mobility, throws too many 50-50 balls/decision-making.

Current NFL QB comparison: Philip Rivers

-Entering this years College Football season it looked like Fromm was a sure fire bet to go in the first round of the 2020 draft. Now, it's looking unlikely that Fromm will go in the first round. Fromm has the traits of a solid pocket passer, until he starts making bad decisions and gets bailed out by his receivers. He doesn't have an overpowering arm but in the right shceme that may not matter much. Fromm could benefit from learning under a veteran QB for a year, but it wasn't that long ago he looked like a potential top 10 pick. Will this lead him to return to Georgia for his Senior season? I don't know, but it will certainly be interesting to watch.

6) Jacob Eason, Washington. Junior.

Positives: Arm strength, footwork, pocket presence.

Negatives: Mobility, accuracy, decision-making.

Current NFL QB comparison: Jameis Winston

-Eason has the 3rd strongest arm in this draft in my opinion, behind Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert. The difference between Eason vs. the top 3 guys in this draft? 4 interceptions and much less mobility. His 63.7% completion percentage isn't stellar and neither is his decision-making. Lucky for Eason his size and arm talent alone will ensure he goes in the first two round this year. I worry that him not having the legs to make up for his accuracy issues could destroy him at the NFL level. Eason's another guy who could benefit from sitting under a veteran for a year, or could just opt to go back to Washington for his Senior season. Much like Jordan Love, coaching could determine whether Eason succeeds at the NFL level or not.

7) Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma. Senior.

Positives: Footwork in the pocket, mobility, athleticism, reads defenses well, decision-making, accuracy, big game experience.

Negatives: Arm strength, pocket presence, plays in a strictly college system.

Current NFL QB comparison: Kyler Murray

-There's one thing that nobody else on this list but Hurts can say, "I've started a National Championship game." In 2017 and 2018 Hurts started the National Championship(s) for the Alabama Crimson Tide, losing the first and being benched for Tua Tagovailoa in the latter. After Tagovailoa took over as the starter for Alabama last season Hurts transferred to Oklahoma. A decision that has seemed to be a great one for Hurts. Hurts is now in an offense that shows off all of his best talents, the only issue is that Oklahoma's offensive scheme is not similar to that of many NFL offenses. However, the fact that Hurts has been able to learn two different offenses in college gives me some faith he could learn an NFL offense rather easily. Hurts isn't your typical NFL Quarterback and the jury is out on Oklahoma Quarterbacks at the next level after Baker Mayfield has played so poorly for the Cleveland Browns this year. It may take some learning time for Hurts to become a quality NFL QB, however, I think Hurts is a safer bet than the Quarterbacks listed 4-6.

8) Nate Stanley, Iowa. Senior.

Positives: Arm strength, avoids sacks, pocket presence.

Negatives: Accuracy, decision-making.

Current NFL QB comparison: Kirk Cousins.

-After Jalen Hurts the talent of this QB class falls off astronomically. Stanley is the first person I have listed on here that I don't think has Franchise QB potential and is likely a mid-round pick. Stanley's tape shows a guy with the arm strength to make 95% of the NFL throws, and the poor decision-making that could lead a QB to a three interception performance. Still, his improvisation and arm talent is enough for me to call him the best non-Franchise QB prospect in this draft.

9) Sam Ehlinger, Texas. Junior.

Positiveness: Leadership, competitiveness, mobility, throwing on the run.

Negatives: Arm strength, accuracy, spends a lot of time outside of the pocket.

Current NFL QB comparison: Baker Mayfield.

-With Ehlinger at the helm, Texas football has seen somewhat of a re-birth. His leadership is second to none and he never gives up, not on a play, not on a game, never. There's no game Texas is out of with Ehlinger at QB. However, I don't think Ehlinger has the potential to be a solid NFL QB. He's the personality traits you'd look for in an NFL QB, minus the talent. Ehlinger should find himself a spot as a backup in the NFL.

10) Shea Patterson, Michigan.

Positives: Arm strength, mobility, throwing on the run.

Negatives: Accuracy, quick to leave the pocket, under performs in biggest games.

Current NFL QB comparison: Baker Mayfield.

-After spending about two hours just trying to find out who I thought the 10th best QB in this class was, I came to the realization that it is Patterson. Patterson's arm strength is probably in the top half of this list but in terms of being an NFL prospect, he stands no real shot at starting. His completion percentage is barely under 60% (59.7%), he won't stay in the pocket to save his life, and he transferred from Ole Miss to Michigan in hopes of winning the big games and improving his draft stock, so far he's done neither. Maybe Patterson will find success as a backup QB in the NFL.