Your Guide to the NFL Draft: Top 5 Quarterbacks
Winston and Mariota
In these set of articles I will be running down the top five quarterbacks coming into the 2015 NFL Draft. I will also be prognosticating where they may end up and which round. To lead us off, its non-other than the short list of talented quarterbacks.
Jameis Winston-Florida State-Tampa Bay Buccaneers-1st round 1st pick
Jameis Winston
Jameis Winston is the best quarterback in the 2015 class, he went to a school in Florida, and is looking to be hired. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the worst team in the NFL class, are located in Florida, and are needing to hire a quarterback. Seems too perfect to me to pass up.
Measurables
6’4” height
231 pounds
32” Arm Length
9 3/8” Hands
Positives
Winston has a capability that most players lack coming into the NFL, and that is knowing how to scan the field and go through progressions. Which means he won’t be a turnover machine like Geno Smith. He also played in a pro-style system at Florida State, giving him a good head-start coming into the NFL. The biggest things I see in Winston is that he can make all the throws, and he trust his team to rebound, as much as they trust in him to get the job done on the field. These are talents that can’t be taught, they have to be earned. He has great drive on the ball, which can get in front of safeties, he is also very calm and poised in the pocket, and can step into the hole to make the correct throw. Very self-confident. Displayed his great arm and accuracy during the throwing competition drill at the combine
Negatives
Can make bad decisions, which can be surprising considering he has the intelligence to not make those kind of decisions. My belief is he believe too much in his arm, and that over weighs his critical thinking skills. He also is not very mobile out of the pocket, he isn’t going to move forward, as an Andrew Luck or Aaron Rodgers would be able to. He seems more like a Ben Roethlisberger type, someone that can move around the pocket to avoid the rush, but is not going to gain any yardage. His footwork also lacks, as his weight transfer will cause him to sail the football. Of course, his immaturity will not transfer well on the field or in the locker room at the NFL level, he has a lot of growing to do, and will need to mature in a hurry to get respect on the field. We all saw how quickly people changed when discussing Johnny Manziel. In the individual skill timed drills he really didn’t show much promise.
Combine Results
40-yard 4.97
Vertical 28.5
Broad Jump 103 inches
3-cone 7.10
20 yd. shuttle 4.36
Marcus Mariota-Oregon-New York Jets-1st round 6th pick
Marcus Mariota
The second rated quarterback seems to continue to impress. The Tennessee Titans have a chance to grab him, but I really don’t think they will, which means he slides to the next team that needs a quarterback and that the New York Jets. By the end of the season, he will either be on the list for Rookie of the Year, or be maligned in the same breath of Geno Smith and Michael Vick…ouch!
Measurables
6’4” Height
32” Arm Length
222 Weight
9 7/8” Hands
Positives
Could be the most versatile athlete coming into the draft. When dropping back to pass, he has great release, and hardly makes mistakes. In 41 career games he only threw multiple interceptions three times. He has solid accuracy, and is able to take off from the pocket. Very keen to Colin Kaepernick, and can get rid of the ball quickly. Can roll-out and pass the ball while looking very smooth doing it. His balance and feet can get him out of tough jams while being in the pocket. Even though he has the feet to run with the ball, shows he would rather pass. He is humble but confident, and is a family first type of mind-set. Has a willingness to play hurt, and is extremely coachable. When it came down to the combine he was amazing. Every timed drill he was a top leader in, and he showed great attributes when it was time to show off the intangibles.
Negatives
We really don’t have an idea what he can do in the NFL. He was truly a system quarterback, which is not meaning he can’t play outside the system, but it also doesn’t mean he can either. There has been a big push by the Eagles to grab Mariota, is because of the system they run in Philadelphia, and the fact that he was under the guidance of Chip Kelly. He needs to work on his feet, as he has trouble resetting himself in the pocket. Mariota seems like he is more prepared to run than pass, as he will move quickly on the slightest pass rush, and will drop his eyes in attempt to run, instead of using them to step-up in the pocket. This leads to more sacks, and less positive plays. He does not do a very good job in reading his progressions, and his throws are not particularly accurate, even though he has the arm strength to make those type of throws. Fumbled 27 times in his career, and obviously that needs to improve.
Combine Results
4.52 40 yd. Dash-1st
36 inch Vertical-3rd tied w/Brett Hundley
121 inch Broad Jump-3rd tied w/Bryce Petty
6.87 3-Cone drill-1st
4.11 20 yard shuttle-3rd
Garrett Grayson-Colorado State- Buffalo Bills-Second Round-Pick 18
Garrett Grayson
The Bills are in the market for a quarterback, no-way EJ Manuel is a starting quarterback on any team. So, if they don’t bring one in as a free-agent, they need to dip into the draft. By the time they pick in the first round, both Winston and Mariota will be gone, meaning when the pick in the second round they get the third best quarterback available in Garrett Grayson.
6’2”
30” arm length
213 pounds
10” hands
Positives
Grayson can throw a nice deep ball and put some touch to it, and it is accurate. Will put air under the ball to have good lift. The ball always seems to be catchable when he is tossing it, and he will use his weight and body transfer well when throwing. This drives the ball, and has good zing to it. When outside the pocket he can square his shoulders to throw, and is poised. Stubborn when back to pass as he is willing to absorb the blows from defensive line-men. Not afraid to challenge safeties and will attack man-to-man defense, or on press coverages. Has worked in pro-system that features the pistol, under-the-center, or shot-gun. He has size, production, and growth under his wing.
Negatives
Slow release, which will get him killed in the NFL. The catch-run system he was running at Colorado inflated his numbers. He can be inconsistent on his reads and needs to use his progressions faster, he thinks too much. Grayson will lock-in on a primary target, and defenses won’t fear him running outside the pocket. He seems to shy away from his windows, and when he does throw into them, they are short, especially in zone coverage. His arm is also not something to be championed by.
*Did not compete in the combine
Brett Hundley-UCLA-Tennessee Titans-Round Four 1st pick
Brett Hundley
The Titans are not desperate for a quarterback, which makes Brett Hundley a great selection. Hundley can learn the system, and when it’s time for him to go out there, he will have a year or two under his belt, which he really needs to be NFL ready.
6’3”
32 1/8 arm length
226 pounds
10 ½ hand size
Positives
Hundley has a sturdy frame, and does go through his progressions really well. Will stand strong and a take a hit, he has good maneuverability inside the pocket, and is poised while being in there. His foot work is above average and can be a dual-threat quarterback, which many teams crave.
Negatives
His internal clock is a mess, as he has little anticipation skills, and lacks reading the defense formations, also can be slow going through progressions. He has been sacked 125 times in three years. His lack of foot balance leads to overthrows and slow velocity. He can be inaccurate and ineffective when leaving the pocket, he has the lowest completion rate in the Pac-12 when scrambling (32.6). Might be a quarterback that is hard to get a grasp on, as 83% of his passes have been six-yards or less, 29 percent come from behind the line of scrimmage.
40-yard dash 4.63 tied with Cody Fajardo for 4th
36 inch vertical tied with Marcus Mariota for 3rd
120 inch broad jump 5th place
6.93 3-cone drill 3rd
3.90 shuttle 1st place
Bryce Petty-Baylor-Washington Redskins-5th round 5th pick
Bryce Petty
Washington has the fragile Robert Griffin III as the starting quarterback, because that is the only player legitimate enough to be a starting signal caller. This means that they can ride Griffin for a couple years and develop a quarterback for the future. Who better than former teammate Bryce Petty. Griffin will be a great mentor as they both attended Baylor, and when his contract is up, he can get out of Washington, and the Redskins have a face of the franchise in Petty.
6’3” height
31 7/8 arm length
230 pounds
10” hands
Positives
He is NFL sized, tough, smart, and a competitive leader. Played through pain as he had a back injury in his senior season, and he has quality arm strength. He has worked on and improved his accuracy on the deep ball year after year. He has the ability to alternate between a touch pass and fast ball, and has a quick release. He is also does a good job at making sure in tight quarters that only the wide receiver can get to the ball.
Negatives
He could be a product of the system. He is able to extend the play but won’t turn that play into much once he does. Will make mistakes if he doesn’t go with his first read. Will struggle when he feels defenders near his feet, and if he has a bad start to the game, it seems like he has difficulty bringing himself out of his rut. Struggles to go through his progressions, and will need to learn a system, so is better suited as a back-up for a few years. He does have the intelligence and intangibles to fit into a new system, he just needs time.
4.87 40-yard-8th
34” arm length
121” 3rd tied with Mariota
6.91 3-Cone tied for 2nd
4.13 shuttle-4th
