QBs in the draft thread 2

[zn]

The first qbs in the draft thread is here:

Three & Out: An Early Look at 2016 QBs

I moved the Senior Bowl stuff about qbs into this one.

[zn]

Well I finally got to watch Dak Prescott in the Senior Bowl.

He looked good. I liked it.

I can see why Rams fans here and there like him.

.,

[zn]

zn wrote:

Well I finally got to watch Dak Prescott in the Senior Bowl.

He looked good. I liked it.

I can see why Rams fans here and there like him.

.,

But actually……having watched more of the game……I liked this guy better.

===

Arkansas’ Brandon Allen Worth Investing in at the Senior Bowl Despite Hand Size

Eric Galko

Arkansas' Brandon Allen Worth Investing in at the Senior Bowl Despite Hand Size

The 2016 Senior Bowl, in all of its fanfare, is an amazing and complicated resource for NFL scouts to evaluate prospects. As is true throughout the process, evaluating quarterbacks is especially unique, where every measurable is thoroughly discussed, and every throw is heavily scrutinized.

For Brandon Allen, the NFL draft process is still in its infancy. But after just a few short days in Mobile, Alabama, NFL teams have already learned so much about the Arkansas quarterback, both good and bad.

After starting 37 of Arkansas’s last 38 games and finishing his senior season with a 30-touchdown and eight-interception performance, Allen’s college career can be looked back on with optimism for an NFL future.

A strong-armed passer who helmed an offense that worked through its running game, play-action passing and utilizing his tight end (Hunter Henry) and running back (Alex Collins) in the passing game, Allen’s college film offers plenty for NFL teams to extract NFL readiness and tools to further develop at the pro level.

But scouting quarterbacks for many NFL evaluators start off as a meeting of thresholds. Across the NFL scouting industry, there are a handful of key measurable minimums that prospects need to meet to prevent size from harming their draft value. For quarterbacks, there are two key numbers: height, in which 6’2″ is generally the preferred minimum and hand size, in which 9 ½” is the general threshold.

Arkansas’s Brandon Allen didn’t meet either one of those thresholds at the 2016 Senior Bowl weigh-ins. Allen measured in at 6’1 ½” tall, the second-shortest quarterback in Mobile, and with 8 ½-inch hands, he was the smallest of any passer in the three major all-star games.

Hand size has become a buzzword in the scouting industry, especially each year around Senior Bowl week. And while college team fans and supporters of a prospect’s college career will try to dismiss it, hand size can be a key indicator of a quarterback’s ability to gather the ball off the snap quickly, control it throughout their release and possess overall ball security at a position that touches the ball on each and every play.

For Brandon Allen, it’ll be a question he’ll have to answer to NFL teams throughout the process, and even then, it might not be enough to quell concerns from decision-makers when it comes time to finalize their draft boards.

But on film, Allen’s hand size is simply not a problem. Allen received his fair share of quick snap-to-throw situations, spun a consistently tight pass with ample velocity and didn’t have fumble issues at Arkansas. Allen seems ready to prove to NFL teams that his hand size won’t be an issue.

“I’ve never had a problem during my college career,” Allen stated in an interview during the Senior Bowl’s annual Media Night. “I think part of that is my baseball background. Growing up, I always worked on grip strength for both baseball and football. I’ve never had an issue with fumbling or anything throughout my career, and I think I can actually throw tighter passes and control the ball better than most quarterbacks with bigger hands here [at the Senior Bowl].”

Based off just a day of practice, Allen appears to be living up to that. On a South roster that features North Carolina State’s Jacoby Brissett, Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott and Alabama’s Jacob Coker, Allen clearly displayed the most velocity of any of the quarterbacks. He spun the most consistently tight passes and finished quick throws with plus placement and control throughout practice.

While developing chemistry with receivers in a few snaps is next to impossible, Allen seemed to be the most comfortable of the four passers in anticipating route breaks and delivering high-velocity yet catchable passes to his weeklong teammates.

Building off a successful first day, Allen should continue to impress as the week progresses. Along with having the best velocity of the group, Allen appears to be the most natural passer of the group, adjusting his mechanics for different types of throws and working off the move effectively. He does possess a slightly sidearm release from the pocket, something scouts will have to determine if that’s a detriment at all or, more importantly, if he uses that to better control the ball in his release.

Like in college, Allen should display efficiency in his placement on interior and quicker outside throws, while really taking advantage in team drills and on game day with vertically stretching opportunities. He’ll be one of the favorites to finish the Senior Bowl as game MVP, especially considering how quickly he’s become comfortable with the receivers on the South roster.

Height and hand size will be the two-buzzword phrases that Allen will be battling for the next three-and-a-half months. And to make matters worse, there aren’t a whole lot of quarterbacks with smaller hands who haven’t had fumbling problems to some extent in the NFL.

But in today’s NFL, quarterbacks who have ample velocity and can step in early in their career and play efficiently have become highly valued. Unlike quarterbacks such as Dak Prescott and Jacoby Brissett, Allen doesn’t need more time to develop before an NFL team can feel comfortable throwing him into the fire.

Allen’s NFL readiness is a huge plus in a draft class in which most of the top passers appear to need a full year before any team can genuinely trust them to lead its offense.

Brandon Allen didn’t meet the measurable thresholds that NFL teams covet, but in a quarterback-driven league where adequacy at the position has begun to grow few and far between, Allen can provide that and more. His performance as a passer during the process, at the NFL Scouting Combine and in film reviews for NFL teams should build toward a mid-round draft selection.

Compared to some of the other quarterbacks in Mobile, Allen is playing a bit of catch-up, recouping his draft value on the field rather than the measuring stick. It only takes one NFL team to overlook measurable numbers and give Allen a chance to be his team’s key backup quarterback and allow him to develop.

A strong Senior Bowl performance could do wonders to ease decision-makers’ concerns moving forward and land him as an early to mid-round drafted quarterback.

[InvaderRam]

well they’re both sec guys which gives them a leg up as far as snead is concerned.

the thing that appeals to me about prescott is his running ability. the rams are not going to be a big passing team under fisher so it’s vital that they make the running game as dynamic as possible. prescott in combination with gurley and austin would give defenses the types of problems that seattle would give teams.

but i also like what i read about prescott’s mental makeup. seems like a high character guy and a natural leader. he’s tough and smart, and i bet it makes up for whatever deficiencies he might have as a passer. i also am betting that he hasn’t come close to reaching his potential as a passer. i see a tebow type athlete but with better passing skills. i think he’d work in this type of offense. in another offense maybe not but i think he’d be maximized under fisher.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by InvaderRam.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by zn.

[Agamemnon]

Dak Prescott, QB
School: Mississippi State | Conference: SEC
College Experience: Senior | Hometown: Haughton, LA
Height/Weight: 6-2 / 226 lbs.
Projected Ranking
Overall Position Proj. Rnd.
113 6 3-4

Player Overview
After serving as running complement to pocket passer Tyler Russell for two seasons, Rayne Dakota Prescott emerged as one of the SEC’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in 2014.

The frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy in 2014 before his play leveled off in SEC play, Prescott is a true dual-threat quarterback with the mobility and size to power through would-be tacklers, along with the arm talent to push the ball downfield through the air. He needs to improve his consistency and ball placement, but in the right system could have a future at the NFL level.

Prescott owns 38 school records (15 career) and was a two-time All-American, two-time first-team All-SEC in 2014 and ’15 after winning MVP of the 2013 Liberty Bowl.

Tim Tebow is the only SEC player who had 60 TD passes, 40 TD runs, 8,500 yards passing and 2,000 rushing yards. Head coach Dan Mullen — who coached Tebow — called Prescott the best player he ever coached, praised his leadership and community leaders lauded his involvement and volunteerism while at Mississippi State.

Although the Tebow comparisons are often overused, Prescott has similar size, skill set, composure and leadership as the former first-round pick.
Strengths Weaknesses
STRENGTHS: Scouts are most impressed with his development above the neck, showing above average awareness as a passer, recognizing things quickly and working through his progressions to easily load and fire.

Displays an ability to use his eyes and hold defenders and has a quick memory to move on from mistakes and not let the negative plays linger. Overall, he has a much more natural feel in the passing game than in 2013 and appears in complete control of that offense.

When he does step into his throws, Prescott can deliver strikes. He’s a very dangerous runner, combining aggression, agility and the power to break arm tackles.

WEAKNESSES: Work in progress as a passer but has a live arm and good field vision. His footwork is inconsistent and he loses accuracy when his feet are not set.

Tends to predetermine some throws and relies on a lot of back shoulder patterns, something that got him in trouble against Auburn and Alabama. Has not shown the consistency to lead his team through the air in tough road environments when the ground game is shut down.

COMPARES TO: Tim Tebow, ex-Broncos, Jets, Patriots – It is the natural comparison, beyond just the connection to Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen, who was Florida’s offensive coordinator when Tebow was in Gainesville. Although Prescott has a slightly better arm and more consistent mechanics, he and Tebow grade similar in several categories, including composure, mobility, power and leadership.

IN OUR VIEW: Evaluators knew he was a bruising runner, using his size, quickness and toughness to run over defenders, but Prescott has shown a much improved feel in the passing game, displaying anticipation, decisiveness and above average awareness to recognize things quickly and react accordingly. He deserves credit for the positive steps he has taken, but a lot of evaluators aren’t sold quite yet as Prescott tends to predetermine his throws and has the bad habit of locking onto his targets, missing open reads downfield.

–Rob Rang and Dane Brugler (4/28/15)

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1824864/dak-prescott

They have started to compare him to the midget, except he is bigger. 😉

Does he pass the hands test, Dak?

Agamemnon

[InvaderRam]

he does in fact pass the hands test. 9 7/8″.

ideally i’d spend the first two picks on wr and de. then i’d seriously think about taking dak with that second second round pick or third rounder.

[zn]

From just the little bit I’ve seen, I would say Allen looks more pro ready than Prescott. The hands thing doesn’t bother me.

…

[Agamemnon]

There appears to be twice as many draftable QBs this year than last year. That makes a lot of choices possible. I think it is most likely that the Rams will draft Cook at 15.

Agamemnon

[zn]

Agamemnon wrote:

There appears to be twice as many draftable QBs this year than last year. That makes a lot of choices possible. I think it is most likely that the Rams will draft Cook at 15.

I don’t know about Cook at this point, but, the fact that this is a deep though not top-heavy qb draft is interesting.

[zn]

Mayock: Cowboys, Browns, Chargers could strike for QB in draft

By Chase Goodbread

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000630393/article/mayock-cowboys-browns-chargers-could-strike-for-qb-in-draft

Video at the Link..

The situations are different, but the compelling need could be the same.

And with quarterback being the most important position on the field, the timing could be right for the Cleveland Browns, San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys to invest a high first-round draft choice in the position, according to NFL Media draft expert Mike Mayock.

“If you’re looking for a quarterback in that top 10, (picks) two, three and four have got to be locked in,” Mayock said on Saturday during the NFL Network’s broadcast of the Reese’s Senior Bowl. “Two with Cleveland, three with San Diego. Philip Rivers is one of my favorites of all-time, but remember they took Rivers when they had (Drew) Brees. And No. 4, Dallas has got to be looking, also.”

The Browns, of course, have continuously misfired drafting quarterbacks for decades, and new coach Hue Jackson could be looking to correct that just two years after the club chose troubled, high-maintenance quarterback Johnny Manziel in the first round. While the Browns are looking to fill a gaping void, the Cowboys and Chargers would merely be looking to soften the eventual departures of the aging Rivers and, for the Cowboys, Tony Romo.

“I look at Dallas at No. 4 and as much you love Tony Romo, three years in a row he’s not been able to play 16 games,” Mayock said. “He’s 36 years old. At what point — you’re not going to be drafting that high again — at what point do you pull the trigger? San Diego, same thing. Cleveland’s got to get a quarterback. Philadelphia’s sitting there at (pick) No. 13 saying ‘My guy might not get to me anymore.'”

Whether any quarterback in the 2016 NFL Draft merits a top-five pick is a slightly different question.

NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah rates North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz as the top quarterback in the draft, and the No. 7 overall prospect. He did nothing to worsen that standing during Senior Bowl week. Cal’s Jared Goff and Memphis’ Paxton Lynch are also strong first-round possibilities at the position.

“There aren’t 12 franchise quarterbacks in the whole league,” Mayock said. “If you can draft one, you have to.”

And the sooner, the better.

[InvaderRam]

zn wrote:

Agamemnon wrote:

There appears to be twice as many draftable QBs this year than last year. That makes a lot of choices possible. I think it is most likely that the Rams will draft Cook at 15.

I don’t know about Cook at this point, but, the fact that this is a deep though not top-heavy qb draft is interesting.

not exactly sure about cook either. i’m wary of drafting any qb in the first round. i like wentz but it’s looking like he’ll be gone before the rams pick.

[zn]

Brandon Allen Senior Bowl Highlights

http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/brandon-allen-senior-bowl-highlights/

MOBILE, Ala. – Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen made the most of his time on the field at the 67th Reese’s Senior Bowl, helping the South squad to a 27-16 win on Saturday. In his two drives in the third quarter, Allen completed 7-of-10 passes for 106 yards.

Allen entered the game at the start of the third quarter with the South leading 17-3 and promptly completed his first two passes for 30 yards. The drive resulted in a field goal and a 20-3 lead with teammate Sebastian Tretola playing right guard.

The final drive of the game for Allen started with four straight completions, highlighted strikes of 32 and 22 yards, respectively. The 32-yard completion down the seam saw Allen step up in the pocket to avoid the pass rush en route to firing a perfectly placed pass.

GO TO LINK TO SEE VIDS

============

Cowboys QB Dark Horse: Arkansas Brandon Allen

http://www.scout.com/nfl/cowboys/story/1638401-cowboys-qb-dark-horse-arkansas-brandon-allen

MOBILE, Alabama — With Dallas possessing the fourth overall pick in April’s NFL draft along with questions about aging franchise quarterback Tony Romo’s durability, draftniks have the Cowboys taking a quarterback in the first round. Meet a quarterback Dallas could have their eye on if Jerry Jones and the brain trust decide to use fourth overall to address another position on the team.

Things really clicked for Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen in his senior year for the Razorbacks. The 23-year-old Fayetteville, Arkansas native went 7/10 for 106 yards in Saturday’s Reese’s Senior Bowl.

“We only had two series, but had a chance to get two scoring drives and had a two-minute drill, threw a couple of nice balls,” Allen said. “Overall, I was pretty happy with it.”

One of the big question marks Allen had to overcome at the Senior Bowl was his hand size, 8.5 inches, the smallest of any of the invited quarterbacks. Allen was set out to prove to NFL scouts that his hand size wouldn’t be a factor playing pro football.

Said Allen: “I think from the weigh-ins one of the question marks was my hand size. I wanted to prove it all week and today that my hand size hadn’t affected me before and it won’t affect me now. I can still spin it with the best of them, and I was hoping to prove that today.”

Allen had a better outing for the South squad than did North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, who led the North in the first quarter going 6/10 for 50 yards. Still, one game doesn’t “win” the draft for any one player. Whichever among the eight invitees stood atop the quarterback mountain in Mobile would still have to produce more impressive NFL scouting combine showings and pro timing day results to catapult to the head of the draft class.

In other words, junior standouts Jared Goff from Cal and Paxton Lynch from Memphis have yet to arrive to the party. When they do at the NFL scouting combine later this month in Indianapolis, the prospect rankings will be even more jumbled.

If the Cowboys aren’t able to use their fourth overall pick to take a blue-chipper at quarterback, or opt to upgrade another position with that premium pick, and they don’t like the quarterbacks available early in the second round when Dallas picks 34th overall, the Cowboys would consider using a later pick on Allen. Reports indicated the Cowboys took heavy interest in Allen at the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 23.

CowboysHQ has learned Dallas also interviewed the Hogs quarterback down in Mobile, though Allen was assigned to the South coached by the Jaguars staff.

Coming from Bret Bielema’s pro style offense at Arkansas, Allen believes he wouldn’t have much of a learning curve to overcome to contribute to an NFL squad.

“I think coming from a pro style offense is really going to help me translate well,” said Allen. “A lot of guys nowadays don’t huddle, don’t call plays in the huddle, don’t go under center. I think me being a in a pro style offense will really help my chances of adapting well there. And I think I can throw the ball accurately with a lot of velocity on it. I’ve seen a lot of guys throw the ball accurately. I can throw it just as far and just as strong as those guys.”

If the Cowboys were to take Allen, he would come in immediately and compete with incumbent backup Kellen Moore, veteran Matt Cassel, and practice squader Jameill Showers for a spot on the roster. His smarts, maturity, decisive reads, and accuracy, traits Allen claims he has, would have to elevate to an NFL level to make the team. Taking Allen in the 2016 draft would be Dallas signaling they haven’t found their franchise quarterback, their successor to Romo, but rather another interesting prospect they hope will grow into a competent backup role or trade bait.

For now, Allen will go to Boca Raton, Florida and train with XPE Sports Academy headed up by Tony Villani to work on his speed and keep the arm fresh for the combine. Aside from the drills in Indianapolis, Allen recognizes that acing the meetings is another integral component which he is intent upon proving.

“I think the combine is going to be a lot of what you do in meetings. I want to show how football smart I am. And, again, when I’m out there throwing the ball, they’re going to put in a lot of routes that a lot of NFL guys want to see. And I want to show them I can make all the throws and hand size has never been an issue for me. And along with show them a little bit of athleticism and test well.”

[zn]

Note: previous post is on Brandon Allen. This one is on Prescott… both from post-senior bowl material

—

Video: Dak Prescott Senior Bowl Highlights

http://www.forwhomthecowbelltolls.com/2016/1/31/10879008/senior-bowl-highlights-video-dak-prescott

Dak Prescott won Most Outstanding Player at the Senior Bowl Saturday after completing 70 percent of his passes and throwing for a touchdown.

The video shows the perspective of one of the fans in attendance (via Caedon Malone’s Youtube).

[zn]

Rams land Paxton Lynch in Todd McShay’s latest mock draft

Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/26540/rams-land-paxton-lynch-in-todd-mcshays-latest-mock-draft

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Los Angeles Rams fans should probably get used to seeing their favorite team connected to any and all available quarterbacks this offseason.

After the Rams finished at the bottom of the league in most major passing categories, a franchise signal caller is undoubtedly the team’s top need entering this offseason. So whether it’s a veteran free agent, a possible trade or, yes, the NFL draft, the Rams are going to be linked to all of them until they make a move.

On Tuesday, ESPN NFL draft analyst Todd McShay released his second mock draft and first since the draft order took more of a clear shape (it won’t be official until after the Super Bowl).

In his first mock draft, McShay sent Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell to the Rams with the 10th overall pick. That was before the season ended and the Rams played their way into the No. 15 spot.

This time around, McShay went with a quarterback, sending Memphis’ Paxton Lynch to Los Angeles. It’s worth noting that Lynch has fallen in McShay’s eyes after he sent the Memphis quarterback to Cleveland with the second pick in his initial mock.

In the time since, McShay has upgraded California’s Jared Goff and North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz to spots above Lynch in the pecking order. He sent Goff to Cleveland with the second pick and Wentz to Dallas with the fourth choice in this mock draft.

After that, Treadwell went off McShay’s board to San Francisco at No. 7, leaving the Rams well out of the reach of the top two quarterbacks and top wideout in the draft.

As for Lynch, it would make sense if the Rams took a long, hard look at him. It’s not outrageous for a top quarterback to be drafted 15th overall but in this day and age, any quarterback falling out of the top 10 comes with obvious warts. In Lynch’s case, the early read on him features questions about his accuracy and decision making.

That means the Rams would be getting a potential long-term solution but not necessarily an immediate one in Lynch. Under coach Jeff Fisher, a sense of urgency hasn’t exactly been prevalent so we can’t rule out the possibility they’d take a project quarterback in the first round. But at some point, you’d think winning now would become the team’s top priority which could leave the Rams looking a different direction come April.

[Agamemnon]

Lynch has been linked to the Rams. Here is a video of him.

Agamemnon

[Agamemnon]

5 QBs go in the first round. Which one is a Rams?

Agamemnon

[JackPMiller]

[zn]

2016 NFL Draft Prospects: Quarterbacks

Feb. 4, 2016.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2016QB.php

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/NorthDakotaState_logo.gif

Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
Height: 6-5. Weight: 233. Arm: 32.38. Hand: 10.
Projected 40 Time: 4.85.
Projected Round (2016): 1.
2/4/16: Sources have said they think Wentz could be the best quarterback prospect in the 2016 NFL Draft. In order to help make that happen, Wentz had an excellent Senior Bowl showing off his big arm, ball placement, field vision and athleticism. Teams believe he will continue to rise in the lead up to the draft.

Multiple teams have told me they gave Wentz a first-round grade and think that he is the real deal. They say that Wentz has a good arm, size and athleticism, plus they love him off the field. They also like his pocket presence, field vision, experience under center, ability to make play calls in the huddle, and potential to grow in the NFL. They believe that he will fill out his frame in a NFL strength and conditioning program. The big challenge for Wentz, in their view, will be the drastic change in the speed of the game coming from North Dakota State’s opponents compared to the NFL. He also will need to mature into a leadership role.

On top of his good arm, mobility, pocket presence, field vision and accuracy. Wentz operated in a pro-style system with play calls in the huddle and working under center. In 2015, he completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,669 yards with 16 touchdowns and two interceptions while missing almost half the year with a broken wrist. Wentz also had four rushing touchdowns.

As a junior, Wentz completed 64 percent of his passes for 3,111 yard with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also had six touchdowns on the ground. Wentz was a backup as a freshman and sophomore.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/California_logo.gif

Jared Goff*, QB, California
Height: 6-4. Weight: 210.
Projected 40 Time: 4.71.
Projected Round (2016): 1.
2/4/16: In 2015, Goff completed 64 percent of his passes for 4,719 yards with 43 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He beat up on weak competition early in the season, but he didn’t play as well against quality opponents like Utah, UCLA and USC. Goff bounced back to close out the regular season well against Stanford and Arizona State.

Still, Goff demonstrated his strong, accurate arm and quality field vision. He also has functional mobility to avoid rushers and pick up some yards on the ground. Goff needs to add weight for the NFL and also could have some issues with getting rattled and handling the rush at the next level.

Goff’s stats were inflated by a college offense that has a lot of instant passes, and coming from that system, he will need development for the NFL with field vision, working under center and holding up in the face of a pass rush. Goff displayed good mechanics at times, but also had some issues maintaining that when faced with a lot of pressure, and that led to some bad habits of throwing off his back foot. He has said he is working to correct those problems.

Some scouts said that Goff has been overhyped. One scouting director said that Goff was a good player, but he didn’t feel he was “top of the draft” worthy right now. Another scout said they were lukewarm on Goff as a pro quarterback.

In speaking to another general manager from a team that is among the best at evaluating and developing quarterbacks, he felt that Goff was the best of the draft-eligible signal-callers. Obviously, there isn’t a real consensus about Goff among NFL evaluators.

8/8/14: Goff enjoyed a breakout 2014 season. The sophomore completed 62 percent of his passes for 3,973 yards with 35 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Goff displayed some pocket-passing potential while playing with a less-than-ideal supporting cast. He struggled against USC’s good defense taking sacks and had a few interceptions dropped. Goff needs to perform better against top competition. He became the starter as a freshman in 2013 and completed 60 percent of his passes for 3,508 yards with 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Memphis_logo.gif

Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
Height: 6-7. Weight: 245.
Projected 40 Time: 4.78.
Projected Round (2016): 1-2.
2/4/16: In 2015, Lynch completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,778 yards with 28 touchdowns and three interceptions. He has a good skill set, but is raw and needs development. Lynch has an arm that can make all the throws for the pro game, and he flashed the ability to pass accurately and beat good coverage with precise completions into tight windows. Lynch also has the athleticism to make plays with his feet and or throws on the run.

However, there is a lot of work that Lynch needs. His footwork and field vision are the primary areas to improve. Lynch was inconsistent with passing accurately and working through his progressions. He needs to become more consistent with the ability to thrive as a pocket passer as well. His eye movement and working through his progressions need to be faster and more consistent. According to sources, his head coach Justin Fuente said that Lynch needs to mature on the field with his football I.Q. and needs to mature off the field to handle being a franchise quarterback. Fuente coached Andy Dalton at TCU, and he told NFL evaluators that Dalton was far ahead of where Lynch is coming out of college.

In his previous seasons as a starter, Lynch used his running ability more. As a sophomore, he ran for 321 yards with 13 touchdowns while completing 63 percent of his passes for 3,031 yards with 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Lynch completed 58 percent of his passes for 2,056 yards with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a freshman.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/MichiganState_logo.gif

Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
Height: 6-4. Weight: 218.
Projected 40 Time: 4.60.
Projected Round (2016): 1-3.
2/4/16: Sources say that Cook has good height, weight and delivery, but a number of evaluators don’t really like him. They think he’s too inaccurate and question his lack of leadership with his team not voting him a team captain. If one highly touted quarterback prospect slides like others have in years past, Cook could be the prime candidate. He made a big mistake turning down his Senior Bowl invitation and the opportunity to address some of these concerns.

In 2015, Cook connected on 56 percent passes for 3,131 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He played well against Oregon, but wasn’t overwhelming against some mediocre opponents, though he had a prolific game against Rutgers. The Spartans have admitted their play calling was overly conservative at times and needed to let Cook throw more often. Late in the regular season, he played with an injured shoulder.

Cook has athleticism, good size, experience in a pro-style system and a strong arm that can make some beautiful throws downfield into tight windows. However, he isn’t a quarterback who drops back and throws 50 times a game while dominating a defense. His accuracy needs improvement as well. Cook was more of a game-manager for Michigan State, and that could be his future in the NFL.

8/8/15: Cook completed 58 percent of his passes in 2014 for 3,214 yards with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. League sources identified Cook as a potential high first-round pick. He needs to improve certain aspects of his game to meet that grade though, mainly accuracy. Cook has proven to NFL evaluators that he has a big arm, pocket presence, the mobility to avoid rushers and roll out, and the ability to make the occasional precision throw. Cook plays in a pro-style system and has shown steady improvement with his ability to function out of the pocket while working through his progressions.

Cook has often thrown the ball better than his numbers illustrate. He can make some amazingly accurate throws into extremely tight windows for completions downfield, but also has some inconsistency with his accuracy on the routine passes and when going deep down the middle. Cook has to improve his footwork, which in turn will help his accuracy.

2013 was Cook’s first year as the full-time starter, and he got off to a slow start before coming on strong in the second half of the season to help lead the Spartans to a Big Ten title and victory over Stanford in the Rose Bowl. Cook completed 58.7 percent of his passes for 2,755 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions for the year. He had great games against Ohio State (24-40 for 304 with 3 touchdowns, 1 interception) and Stanford (22-36 for 332 yards with 2 touchdown, 1 interception) to close out that season.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/OhioState_logo.gif

Cardale Jones*, QB, Ohio State
Height: 6-5. Weight: 250.
Projected 40 Time: 4.75.
Projected Round (2016): 2-3.
2/4/16: In 2015, Jones displayed his big arm and great skill set, but must get better at reading the field and with his passing technique. He was undefeated in his 11 starts in college, but with so little playing time, needing development is understandable. Jones entered the 2016 NFL Draft rather than return to Ohio State.

Jones completed 63 percent of his passes in 2015 for 1,460 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Aside from his right-arm cannon, he also displayed his running ability and how difficult he is to sack with his huge size. Jones is very physically gifted, but he’s raw and needs to gain experience.

8/8/15: Jones put on a display in 2014 after entering the starting lineup behind Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett. Jones has great size and a cannon for an arm. In his three starts, he completed 61 percent of his passes for 860 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Jones has a lot of upside and it will be fun to watch him in 2015, assuming he wins the starting job over J.T. Barrett.

Jones needs to improve his ability to throw while under heat. He also needs to get faster working through his progressions, moving his eyes and getting rid of the ball. Jones can hold onto the ball too long when plays start to break down on him. When Jones has a clean pocket, he displays the ability to make any throw the NFL asks for. While Jones is a pocket passer, he will take yards on the ground when available and has some athleticism as a runner. Jones can be tough to bring down for defenders in or out of the pocket.

Sources from multiple teams said that they view Jones as having a first-round skill set and if performed for an entire season the way he played in his three starts, he would be a first-rounder. Teams have questions about Jones’ football I.Q. and off-the-field maturity, so his pre-draft interviews will be important to address those questions.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/PennState_logo.gif

Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State
Height: 6-4. Weight: 234.
Projected 40 Time: 4.87.
Projected Round (2016): 2-4.
2/4/16: In 2015, Hackenberg completed 54 percent of his passes for 2,525 yards and 16 touchdowns with six interceptions. He had terrible games against Rutgers and Temple, but good outings against Buffalo, San Diego State, Indiana and Illinois.

Clearly, Hackenberg needs to improve his accuracy and decision-making, but the junior was playing in a bad situation with a weak offensive line and receivers. Over the last two seasons, Hackenberg routinely made some beautiful throws that are dropped by his receivers, but also missed too often on routine completions. He is a pro-style quarterback who was forced to play in a college spread offense that didn’t fit him well at all. Sources say that Penn State head coach James Franklin beat Hackenberg down and handled him terribly.

In speaking with sources, some teams grade Hackenberg on the third day of the 2016 NFL Draft as a fourth-rounder, but others have graded him in Round 3. Even the teams that graded him after the third round expect him to be selected in the second or third round. One general manager said Hackenberg has just average accuracy and is a statue in the pocket. There also was reports about Hackenberg being disliked in the locker room and not a leader, but in speaking with Buccaneers left tackle Donovan Smith – a former Nittany Lion – and Penn State defensive end Carl Nassib, they both dismissed that, saying Hackenberg wasn’t a finger pointer and did everything asked of him. Nassib was shocked to hear of those reports and said that Hackenberg was a great teammate.

8/8/15: Hackenberg completed 56 percent of his passes in 2014 for 2,677 yards with 12 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He played better than the numbers indicate as his supporting cast was a huge liability, including an awful offensive line. Hackenberg closed out the 2014 season with a huge comeback overtime win over Boston College, completing 34-of-50 for 371 yards and four touchdowns.

In terms of a skill set, Hackenberg has what the NFL is looking for with a size, pocket presence, field-vision potential and a strong arm that can push the ball downfield. James Franklin’s offense didn’t help Hackenberg develop much as a NFL pocket-passer prospect last season as so many of the play calls were instant throws because of a weak offensive line that couldn’t maintain its blocks. Hackenberg needs to improve his ball placement and decision-making in some areas, but his supporting cast really hurt him last year. At times, Hackenberg makes some brilliant throws downfield after working off his first read, and if he does that regularly as a junior, he could be a high first-rounder.

Hackenberg was the star recruit for Bill O’Brien and proved the hype legit during an impressive freshman season that saw him named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Hackenberg completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,955 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2013. He also ran for four touchdowns. Sources in the NFL feel that Hackenberg could end up being an elite quarterback prospect.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/NCState_logo.gif

Jacoby Brissett, QB, N.C. State
Height: 6-3. Weight: 236. Arm: 32.88. Hand. 9.5.
Projected 40 Time: 4.83.
Projected Round (2016): 3-4.
2/4/16: In 2015, Brissett completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,662 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. Sources with teams say that Brissett is a sleeper quarterback who they’re keeping an eye on. As we reported in the rumormill, some east coast scouts rate Brissett ahead of other more highly touted prospects like Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg. Other sources aren’t fans of Brissett. He had a decent week at the Senior Bowl, but didn’t light a fire under his draft stock.

8/8/15: 2014 saw Brissett complete 60 percent of his passes for 2,344 yards with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. He showed potential as a pocket passer. Brissett was on fire against a lot of weak competition even before he lit up Florida State (32-of-48 for 359 yards with three touchdowns). Brissett sat out the 2013 season per NCAA rules after transferring from Florida. He spent 2012 as Jeff Driskel’s backup. Brissett played a little as a freshman backup during the 1-year tenure of Charlie Weis as Florida’s offensive coordinator.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/MississippiState_logo.gif

Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
Height: 6-2. Weight: 226. Arm: 31.38. Hand: 9.88.
Projected 40 Time: 4.69.
Projected Round (2016): 4-6.
2/4/16: Prescott completed 66 percent of his passes in 2015 for 3,793 yards with 29 touchdowns and five interceptions. On the ground, he totaled 588 yards with 10 scores. Sources say they view Prescott as Tim Tebow 2.0 from playing in the same offense, though Prescott has better throwing mechanics and functions better out of the pocket than Tebow did entering the draft. They think Prescott needs to become a better pocket passer, but they numerous teams loved him in the Senior Bowl meetings. They were impressed with his football I.Q. and his leadership skills to be captain in a NFL locker room.

8/8/15: Prescott completed 61 percent of his passes in 2014 for 3,449 yards with 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry for 986 yards with 14 scores on the ground. Prescott underwhelmed against Alabama, but that was really the only game of the season in which he struggled.

Prescott’s play has been somewhat reminiscent of Tim Tebow at Florida because Prescott is playing in the same offense for Tebow’s former offensive coordinator, Dan Mullen, the Mississippi State head coach. Like Tebow, Prescott needs to improve his pocket passing and accuracy for the NFL.

In 2013, Prescott completed 58 percent of his passes for 940 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Stanford_logo.gif

Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford
Height: 6-2. Weight: 217. Arm: 32. Hand: 10.13.
Projected 40 Time: 4.79.
Projected Round (2016): 4-6.
2/4/16: As a senior, Hogan completed 68 percent of his passes for 2,867 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. In his good games, he looked like an early-rounder; in his bad games, he looked like an undrafted free agent. Hogan has a good enough skill set to play as a pro, but looks more like a backup-caliber signal-caller in the NFL. Sources said they like Hogan’s intelligence to become a quality backup quarterback.

8/8/15: In 2014, Hogan completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,792 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He had five rushing touchdowns, too. Hogan was still streaky as a passer, looking inept at times and throwing excellent passes on other attempts. He needs to become more consistent in order to rise as a senior.

Hogan wasn’t as good as expected in 2013 as Stanford’s passing attack was underwhelming. For the year, he completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,630 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Hogan averaged 4.5 yards per carry for 314 yards on the ground with two touchdowns, too.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/USC_logo.gif

Cody Kessler, QB, USC
Height: 6-1. Weight: 224. Arm: 32. Hand: 9.88.
Projected 40 Time: 4.85.
Projected Round (2016): 4-6.
2/4/16: In 2015, Kessler threw for 3,536 yards with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 67 percent of his passes. If he had a better physical skill set, he would be rated higher, but he is undersized. Kessler’s lack of arm strength looks like a real weakness for the NFL. He did not impress at the Senior Bowl. Kessler looks like a game-manager backup quarterback in the NFL.

8/8/15: Kessler completed 71 percent of his passes in 2014 for 3,505 yards with 36 touchdowns and four interceptions. He was an effective game-manager for the Trojans. Kessler is undersized and could be lacking in his physical skill set to be a starter for the NFL. He needs to prove that wrong as a senior. Kessler was considering entering the 2015 NFL Draft, but decided to return to USC.

It took some time, but Kessler eventually won the starting quarterback spot for USC to replace Matt Barkley, and Kessler has improved as he gained experience. Kessler completed 65 percent of his passes in 2013 for 2,968 yards with 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Indiana_logo.gif

Nate Sudfeld, QB, Indiana
Height: 6-5. Weight: 240.
Projected 40 Time: 4.90.
Projected Round (2016): 5-7.
2/4/16: Sudfeld completed 61 percent of his passes this season for 3,184 yards with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has good size and a strong arm, but he needs to get faster in his delivery. Sudfeld also has to improve his accuracy, ball placement, field vision and play faster. He had a quality week at the East-West Shrine and is a late-round developmental candidate.

8/8/15: Sudfeld missed half of the 2014 season over a season-ending shoulder injury. 2013 saw him complete 60 percent of his passes for 2,523 yards with 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Oregon_logo.gif

Vernon Adams Jr., QB, Oregon
Height: 5-11. Weight: 200.
Projected 40 Time: 4.67.
Projected Round (2016): 6-FA.
2/4/16: Adams had a solid senior year for Oregon, completing 65 percent for 2,643 yards with 26 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has a quality arm, athleticism, touch on his passes and nice field vision. The lack of size is the huge negative for Adams. While he has some similarities to Russell Wilson, the odds of Adams panning out like Wilson are extremely remote. Prior to playing for Oregon, Adams played at Eastern Washington.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Arkansas_logo.gif

Brandon Allen, QB, Arkansas
Height: 6-1. Weight: 214. Arm: 30.5. Hand: 8.5.
Projected 40 Time: 4.91.
Projected Round (2016): 6-FA.
2/4/16: Allen was a game-manager quarterback for Arkansas the past few seasons, but as a senior, he produced some big plays, leading the Razorbacks to overtime wins over Auburn and Ole Miss. In 2015, Allen completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,440 yards with 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He became a nice college quarterback, but he doesn’t look like he has a starter’s skill set for the NFL.

Allen had a respectable week at the Senior Bowl, and sources say they liked him as a late-round or undrafted free agent to compete for their third quarterback spot.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/BowlingGreen_logo.gif

Matt Johnson, QB, Bowling Green
Height: 6-0. Weight: 219.
Projected 40 Time: 4.83.
Projected Round (2016): 6-FA.
2/4/16: Sources say that Johnson is a Case Keenum-type quarterback prospect. Johnson has a decent arm and is a gamer, but limited for the next level. The redshirt senior completed 67 percent of his passes this season for 4,946 yards with 46 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Johnson missed almost all of 2014 with an injury, but completed 64 percent of his passes the year before for 3,467 yards with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Alabama_logo.gif

Jacob Coker, QB, Alabama
Height: 6-5. Weight: 236. Arm: 31.38. Hand: 9.88.
Projected 40 Time: 4.88.
Projected Round (2016): 6-FA.
2/4/16: Coker had a rocky start to the year, but played better to help lead Alabama to a National Championship. He completed 67 percent of his passes in 2015 for 3,110 yards with 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Coker has good size and a strong arm, but looks like a project for the NFL. He has a long windup in his delivery and lacks athleticism in the pocket. Coker didn’t impress at the Senior Bowl. As one source said, “Coker is a poor man’s Mike Glennon.”

8/8/15: Coker was Blake Sims’ backup last season. Coker has a good skill set, but he needs to be the starter and effective to rise.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/WesternKentucky_logo.gif

Brandon Doughty, QB, Western Kentucky
Height: 6-3. Weight: 220.
Projected 40 Time: 4.86.
Projected Round (2016): 6-FA.
2/4/16: Doughty has some vocal fan supporters based off his production and video-game stat line, but in speaking with sources, they haven’t mentioned Doughty as a pro prospect who they’re impressed with. He doesn’t have an NFL arm and was unimpressive at the East-West Shrine.

In 2015, the senior completed 72 percent of his passes for 5,055 yards with 48 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Doughty completed 68 percent of his passes in 2014 for 4,830 yards with 49 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/LouisianaTech_logo.gif

Jeff Driskel, QB, Louisiana Tech
Height: 6-3. Weight: 230. Arm: 32.5. Hand: 9.75.
Projected 40 Time: 4.69.
Projected Round (2016): 7-FA.
2/4/16: Driskel has the skill set to be a quality NFL starting quarterback. He is big, athletic, and has the arm strength to make all the throws. However, Driskel doesn’t have the mentality of a pro signal-caller. While at Florida, Driskel was a disaster with turnovers, poor accuracy, and taking an offense that had pro talent and making it inept.

In 2014, Driskel had future NFL running backs (Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor), wide receivers (Demarcus Robinson), and offensive linemen (D.J. Humphries and Max Garcia), yet still struggled to move the ball. Driskel completed 54 percent of his passes that season for 1,140 yards with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Driskel transferred to Louisiana Tech and beat up on the weak competition in 2015, completing 62 percent of his passes for 4,033 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. At the Senior Bowl, his skill set flashed at times, but he didn’t play well enough to undo the damage done by his play at Florida. Sources say that they’ve given Driskel an undrafted grade.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Utah_logo.gif

Travis Wilson, QB, Utah
Height: 6-6. Weight: 240.
Projected 40 Time: 4.85.
Projected Round (2016): 7-FA.
2/4/16: In 2015, Wilson completed 65 percent of his throws for 2,095 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He has big size and an arm, but isn’t a NFL passer.

8/8/15: Wilson completed 60 percent of his passes in 2014 for 2,012 yards with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. He was in and out of the lineup on top of being benched at times. Wilson has a good size and a nice arm but has to get more consistent. He completed 56 percent of his passes in 2013 for 1,827 yards with 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions across nine games.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Michigan_logo.gif

Jake Rudock, QB, Michigan
Height: 6-3. Weight: 208.
Projected 40 Time: 4.91.
Projected Round (2016): FA.
2/4/16: Rudock played at Iowa for a few seasons before transferring to Michigan for his senior year. He had a solid final season and was a functional game-manager for Jim Harbaugh. In 2015, Rudock completed 64 percent of his passes for 3,017 yards with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He was a smart quarterback, but lacks the arm or athleticism to be rated higher.

Rudock did not impress at the East-West Shrine practices. He wasn’t horrible, but he looks like an undrafted quarterback who will compete as a training camp to be a team’s third quarterback.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Wisconsin_logo.gif

Joel Stave, QB, Wisconsin
Height: 6-5. Weight: 219.
Projected 40 Time: 4.86.
Projected Round (2016): FA.
2/4/16: Stave has some size to him and occasionally makes nice throws, but he was never consistent in college and had some rough slumps. That was reinforced at the East-West Shrine.

In 2015, Stave completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,687 yards with 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His best season came in 2013 when he completed 62 percent for 2,494 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Stave had Jared Abbrederis at wideout and Melvin Gordon in the backfield that season.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/FloridaState_logo.gif

Everett Golson, QB, Florida State
Height: 6-1. Weight: 185.
Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
Projected Round (2016): FA.
2/4/16: In 2015, Golson completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,778 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. He had some ugly struggles for the Seminoles. Golson didn’t play against Syracuse and Clemson because of a concussion and backup Sean Maguire kept the job afterward.

8/8/15: Golson landed at Florida State after leaving Notre Dame. 2014 was Golson’s return to football after being suspended for the 2013 entire season for cheating on an exam. Perhaps the year away was good for him; he occasionally looked improved with his passing skills. However, Golson had problems with turnovers. The senior completed 60 percent of his passes for 3,445 yards with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He had eight touchdowns on the ground.

Golson previously led Notre Dame to the National Championship game in 2012. The first-year starter completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,405 yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for 415 yards and six touchdowns that season.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Illinois_logo.gif

Wes Lunt, QB, Illinois
Height: 6-4. Weight: 215.
Projected 40 Time: 4.82.
Projected Round (2016): FA.
2/4/16: This year, Lunt completed 56 percent of his passes for 2,761 yards with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions.

8/8/15: Lunt completed 64 percent of his passes in 2014 for 1,763 yards and 14 touchdowns with three interceptions. He missed five games with injuries and played in a running offense.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/Hawaii_logo.gif

Max Wittek, QB, Hawaii
Height: 6-4. Weight: 235.
Projected 40 Time: 4.79.
Projected Round (2016): FA.
2/4/16: In 2015, Wittek completed 47 percent of his passes for 1,542 yards with seven touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

8/8/15: Wittek didn’t play in 2014 after transferring from USC. He was a backup as a Trojan and didn’t beat out Cody Kessler to replace Matt Barkley.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/UtahState_logo.gif

Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State
Height: 6-2. Weight: 200.
Projected 40 Time: 4.65.
Projected Round (2016): FA.
2/4/16: Keeton missed most of the regular season with a sprain of the MCL. He completed 52 percent of his passes for 1,006 yards with four touchdowns and seven interceptions in his seven games.

8/8/15: Keeton went out for the year with a knee injury early in 2014. He completed 55 percent of his passes in his three-game season for 426 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Keeton started the 2013 season off well by completing 69 percent of his passes for 1,388 yards with 18 touchdowns and two interceptions. On the ground, he averaged 4.4 yards per carry for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Keeton injured his knee against BYU and was out for the rest of the year.

Keeton had a breakout sophomore season and was the 2012 First-Team All-WAC quarterback. He completed 68 percent of his passes that year for 3,373 yards with 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions that year. Keeton also ran for 751 yards (619 net) with eight touchdowns.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/CentralFlorida_logo.gif

Justin Holman*, QB, Central Florida
Height: 6-4. Weight: 213.
Projected 40 Time: 4.69.
Projected Round (2016): FA.
2/4/16: Holman completed 51 percent of his passes this season for 1,379 yards with seven touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He fractured his right index finger in Week 2 and missed three games.

8/8/15: Holman replaced Blake Bortles for Central Florida last season and had a solid debut, completing 57 percent of his passes for 2,952 yards and 23 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. Holman flashed at times, but he needs to improve his accuracy and cut down on interceptions as a junior.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/TexasTech_logo.gif

Davis Webb, QB, Texas Tech
Height: 6-4. Weight: 195.
Projected 40 Time: 4.78.
Projected Round (2016): FA.
2/4/16: Webb was relegated to backup duty behind Patrick Mahomes.

8/8/15: In 2014, Webb completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,539 yards with 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He missed the final four games with an injury. Webb has to prove he is more than a college-system quarterback.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/OklahomaState_logo.gif

J.W. Walsh, QB, Oklahoma State
Height: 6-2. Weight: 205.
Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
Projected Round (2016): FA.
2/4/16: Walsh was the backup quarterback to Mason Rudolph.

8/8/15: Walsh only played two games in 2014, completing 56 percent of his passes for 233 yards with a touchdown and interception. He broke his foot in the second game and missed the rest of the season. Walsh earned playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2012 after backing up Brandon Weeden in 2011. Walsh flashed some passing and running ability during his playing time in 2012, completing 67 percent of his passes for 1,564 yards with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. He ran for 320 yards (290 net) and seven touchdowns, too. In 2013, Walsh completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 1,333 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions.

image: http://walterfootball.com/college/TCU_logo.gif

Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU
Height: 6-2. Weight: 205.
Projected 40 Time: 4.71.
Projected Round (2016): FA.
2/4/16: In 2015, Boykin completed 65 percent of his passes for 3,575 yards with 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His season ended slightly early – a few days before TCU’s bowl game – when he was arrested following a bar fight and assaulting an officer. That pretty much ended any shot the senior had at getting drafted. Boykin doesn’t display the traits of a pro pocket passer and lacks the size of the vast majority of NFL quarterbacks.

Boykin was a college quarterback who is more of a third-day-caliber prospect – before the arrest at least. He should be one of those signal-callers who is being discussed as switching positions to wide receiver, running back or cornerback.

8/8/15: Boykin did a lot of damage with his arm and legs last season. He ran for 707 yards with eight touchdowns while completing 61 percent of his passes for 3,901 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Boykin has to improve as a pocket passer to improve his NFL stock.

[SunTzu_vs_Camus]

agreed, zn….

Brandon Allen impresses me and so does Prescott – as guys we can get in the 3rd round…2nd even.
I like the passing styles of Goff, Cook, CardaleJones as the upper level group that I would take early(1st round).

I am not crazy bout the passing of Paxton Lynch or Wentz.. long/lanky too slow and not twitchy enough in their movements for the NFL
…they’re fine for college…but the NFL is SO FAST…that we need quik twitch QBs. imo

IMO – based on BPA…I think the value lies at DL/CB/LB in the 1st.
and with the 2 2nd rounders, I’d draft a WR and QB(Cook, Cardale)…or just wait until the 3rd and draft Dak or Brandon Allen.
I see Dak as an intriguing version of lesser Russell Wilson (not Tebow at all).

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by SunTzu_vs_Camus.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by SunTzu_vs_Camus.

"I should have been a pair of ragged claws...
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas."

[zn]

Jared Goff “confident” he’ll be best quarterback in draft

Josh Alper

Jared Goff “confident” he’ll be best quarterback in draft

The Scouting Combine gets underway next week, kicking off the pre-draft evaluation process for all 32 teams.

Given the importance of quarterbacks to success in the NFL, the top players at that position will get close scrutiny from any team in need of one. That group is made up of Cal’s Jared Goff, North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz and Memphis’ Paxton Lynch right now and Goff explained to Peter King of TheMMQB.com why he thinks he’s the right choice for a team looking for a long-term solution.

“I think my accuracy is as good as it gets at this level,” Goff said. “I think my pocket presence and my ability to extend plays speak for themselves. I’m confident I’ll be the best quarterback in the draft.”

Goff is working with former Cardinals and Colts quarterback Ryan Lindley as he prepares for the combine, where he said he plans to take part in all of the drills. Any team taking Goff will hope that his talent proves more formidable than what Lindley’s displayed during his time in the league and that will be especially true if the Browns, who pick second, decide to hitch Goff to new coach Hue Jackson. The Browns don’t have the best history with drafting quarterbacks, but Goff says he’s not intimidated by the possibility of being the next would-be answer to the team’s prayers.

“I’m not worried about it,” Goff said. “I’m excited about it. Whatever team I go to, I’ll be excited to go. I want to be the future of a franchise. I think I can be a guy who can make an impact right away.”

The Browns could use such a guy, which should make all three of the quarterbacks of great interest to Cleveland over the coming weeks.

[zn]

How Paxton Lynch went from overlooked recruit to potential top QB pick in NFL draft

Eric Adelson

Yahoo Sports

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/qb-paxton-lynch-commands-a-room-with-his-size-but-went-largely-unnoticed-running-the-wing-t-045414770.html

DELTONA, Fla. – Paxton Lynch woke up on the morning of the Central Florida high school football all-star game in 2011 and figured there was no reason to be nervous.

“I thought the all-star game was gonna be possibly my last game,” Lynch said last Friday. “I thought of it like that. I went out and enjoyed myself.”

.Paxton Lynch’s throwing hand measures nearly a foot across from pinkie to thumb. (Yahoo Sports)

A little more than four years later, Lynch is a likely NFL first-round pick, and possibly destined for a top-three spot depending on what teams see in him over the coming weeks.

Lynch is 6-foot-7, hoping to run a sub-4.7 40-yard-dash later this month at the NFL scouting combine, and he has a massive throwing hand that measures nearly a foot. “I’m trying to blow people away with my size and athletic ability,” he says, and he just might do that.

So how did Lynch fall completely off the radar in the recruiting-crazy state of Florida? Why was he a week removed from signing day in 2012 and preparing himself for a post-college life of “probably working with my dad”?

What makes his story even more odd is that Florida, UCF and even Florida State could have used Lynch last season. None of these schools are overrun with quarterbacks. It got to the point during Lynch’s senior year of high school that a local sportswriter who covered the team regularly asked himself, “What can I do to get Paxton noticed?”

Deltona is a small, working-class suburb of Orlando, along Interstate 4 about halfway from downtown toward Daytona. Not too far off the highway is a religious school of about 600 kids called Trinity Christian Academy. It graduated its first class, of eight students, in 1987. By the time Paxton Lynch arrived after being home-schooled as a child, most of the K-through-12 grades had around 40 students.

“We’re a tiny, tiny, tiny school,” says athletic director Buddy Shacklette, who wrote for the Daytona News-Journal before coming to the academy. “We actually are known for baseball.”

It’s hard to believe the school is known for any sport, as the weight room is converted from an old band room and still has wooden boards on the wall to muffle the sound of music. Behind the school sits the athletic department, which is a trailer left over from I-4 construction. Inside, a helmet sits on top of a washing machine in the team meeting room, and the coach’s office has a floor made from an old basketball court. The football team does not have space to practice, so it regularly busses 10 minutes down the road to a community park, where it works out in a field near a playground. Hundreds of quarterbacks in Texas have facilities that rival college and even professional programs, and a potential No. 1 NFL pick comes from here.

“We probably need to track down his jersey,” Shacklette says.

.Here’s the headquarters of Trinity Christian Academy’s athletic department. (Yahoo Sports)

There was still another obstacle to Lynch getting discovered: the Trinity offense. It ran the Wing-T while he was there, which more or less turned him into a dual-threat passer with only one threat. Lynch was a good athlete, and a good runner, but he also had a strong arm (as does his brother, Evan, who played baseball), which he seldom used.

“We always wondered as reporters,” Shackette says, “Why wouldn’t you turn this kid loose?”

Lynch found himself wondering the same.

“I always looked at other teams’ stats, and they’re throwing the ball 25, 30 times a day,” he says. “Why aren’t we doing that?”

The frustration bubbled when Lynch went to camps and still received little attention. It didn’t help that he bruised his knee before his senior season and missed time, but that didn’t explain it fully. He was a three-star Rivals prep and his only interest, he says, came from Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M and Florida Tech.

“We went to the camps,” says Paxton’s father, David. “Everyone had a chance to see him. They were just worried about the small school.”

The Lynches stayed with Trinity anyway, even though many families would have headed for a bigger stage. They liked the education, and even liked the Wing-T, as Paxton enjoyed running the football. They figured it would all work out somehow.

“We just kept trusting in God, that he was going to put him in the right position,” David Lynch says. “It was hard for him sometimes. He knows he’s good enough; why doesn’t anybody believe the same thing?”

The all-star game was more or less the last shot, even though Paxton figured the last shot might already have passed. “It was an all-star game,” he says now. “People really don’t care.”

People started to care after Lynch won MVP honors, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another. Still, not much materialized. Then Florida offensive coordinator Charlie Weis showed strong interest, but he took the head job at Kansas. Brent Pease, the ensuing offensive coordinator, picked up the thread, but he seemed to prefer Skyler Mornhinweg, the son of long-time NFL offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.

“They were gonna wait to see what he was going to do and I wasn’t going to sit around waiting on y’all,” Lynch says. “He ended up committing and I don’t know what he’s doing now.” (Mornhinweg transferred to Columbia.)

That left the door open for Memphis, which found out about Lynch because an assistant athletic director read a recruiting story about overlooked prep players.

.Paxton Lynch blossomed enough at Memphis to be considered a potential Day 1 draftee in the NFL. (AP)

“Someone said there was a kid in Florida,” says Justin Fuente, then at Memphis. “We sent a coach down there, met with him. We tried to scare up as much video as we could. We scoured the Internet. We had some footage from the all-star game and that was about it. It was a quick evaluation.”
Fuente offered without ever seeing Lynch throw live.

Lynch visited on the last possible day, and committed.

Then, on signing day, UCF lost top quarterback recruit Jonathan Wallace to Auburn. Then coach George O’Leary asked offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe if he had a Plan B, and Taaffe rushed to call Lynch. By then it was too late.

Lynch starred for Memphis, even entering the Heisman conversation at one point last year. Fuente is now Frank Beamer’s replacement at Virginia Tech, and UCF’s O’Leary resigned in October.

Had Taaffe called a week sooner, “I’d probably still be there,” he says with a half-laugh.

Taaffe has seen something similar before: Blake Bortles was also an overlooked prep in this area. Many college coaches saw him as a tight end, if that. He committed to Taaffe and UCF, won a BCS bowl game and became a top-three NFL pick. “There are a lot of parallels,” says Taaffe, who is now training Lynch for the combine at D1 training center in nearby Lake Mary. It’s notable how in a world of social media and YouTube and the constant search for the franchise quarterback, some of the top passing prospects – including Carson Wentz of North Dakota State – are all but completely missed.

“He’s a product of early recruiting,” Fuente says of Lynch. “There are so many early offers now. Coaches get filled up and they can’t offer even if they like him. It’s a classic example of a guy who hasn’t reached his peak as a junior in high school.”

Another possible bonus for would-be NFL teams is that prospects like Lynch and Wentz “aren’t catered to” in the words of Taaffe. They aren’t presumptuous and they often like to learn. Lynch, like Bortles, intends to throw at the combine in the hopes of impressing rather than maintaining some preconceived level of hype.

There is a downside, though, and it’s especially so in Lynch’s case: inexperience. He had almost no passing game in high school, and the system he ran at Memphis is not all that similar to what he’ll be using in Cleveland or Dallas or Houston or wherever he lands.

“[There are] things Paxton didn’t do a lot of in college that he’s going to be required to do in the NFL,” Taaffe says. “Which is playing under center, both in the run game and the pass game. He didn’t do much of those things at all at Memphis and that will be a transition for him. He very rarely was in the huddle. Everything was up-tempo, look over to the sidelines to get the play. They don’t do that on Sundays.”

So a big part of Lynch’s pre-combine learning curve is classroom work. When he’s not doing cardio or weights, he is breaking down tape.

.An NFL dream might be realized this spring for David and Paxton Lynch. (Yahoo Sports)

“I really didn’t know that much about football in high school,” he says. “Then I learned everything in college.”

He will have to learn everything again in the months to come. Taaffe says Lynch’s football IQ is “outstanding,” but he struggled in Memphis’ bowl game, where Lynch threw for 104 yards, no touchdowns and had an interception against Auburn, which took a lot of his trusted screen passes away.

“They kind of got after us a little bit,” Lynch says. “It was a bad note to end on.”

He’ll have to be patient, and his new fan base will have to be too. Even Bortles played in a college offense more suited to the NFL, and he had to learn a lot of his footwork in his first summer as a pro. It’s been only a little over three years since Lynch was playing quarterback and safety on a team of 22 kids who dressed for games in a trailer; now the Auburn defense will look slow compared to what he’s about to see. He just turned 22 on Friday.

“It’s crazy, but it’s enjoyable,” he says. “Whenever I feel like I’m overwhelmed, I need to relax, I sit back and think about how blessed I am to be here.”

Lynch’s father says that one of his son’s goals for his first pro year is to start a camp for two-star players who might have been overlooked. Regardless of his success after getting drafted, he is a shining example for late-bloomers and small-school stars. For every Cam Newton and Peyton Manning, there’s a Paxton Lynch, waking up on the day of a big high school game and wondering if anyone out there will ever notice him.

[Agamemnon]

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Connor Cook is ready to put doubts to rest at NFL Combine
The Michigan State QB heads to Indianapolis with an impressive resume but expecting to face questions about leadership and other intangibles

http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/michigan-state-spartans-connor-cook-ready-for-nfl-combine-022016

Connor Cook is eager to get back to Indy. It’s the place where he led Michigan State to two Big Ten titles, but next week at the NFL Combine he’ll get a chance to compete with other quarterback prospects and let the NFL personnel folks get to know him better. Cook told FOX Sports on Friday that he played the final three games of the 2015 season in a shoulder brace around his passing arm. He said the shoulder got back to 100 percent about two weeks ago.

“It’s been gradually getting better and better each week,” Cook said. He relocated to San Diego about a month ago to train for the draft with George Whitfield and long-time NFL coach Jimmy Raye “I took it easy the first week or so (in California) just because that was my first throwing without the brace. I didn’t want to jump out going gangbusters and have any setbacks. I wanted to get a feel for throwing again without the brace because obviously that’s allowing my shoulder to have full range of motion.”

Last month, Cook declined an opportunity to play in the Senior Bowl, which he said was due to trying to get his sprained shoulder healed up.
“Obviously, I wasn’t 100 percent playing against Penn State, Iowa and Alabama,” Cook said. “After the season, I talked to my agent Joel Segal and we felt like the best option was to go to California to start training and rehabbing, so that I’d be 100 percent for the Combine and Pro Day and that stuff.
“I am a competitor, and any time I get a chance to compete against anyone, I want to take it. So (having to skip the Senior Bowl) did kinda sting, but we just did what my agent thought was the best option.”

Cook sustained the shoulder injury Nov. 14 against Maryland. He said it didn’t affect his accuracy but it did hinder his velocity. The injury kept Cook out of MSU’s win at Ohio State. He returned a week later for a win against Penn State and then over No. 4 Iowa in the Big Ten title game, but the Spartans lost to Alabama 38-0 in the Playoff.

“I’ve never been one to make an excuse for how I played. Everyone else is out there playing hurt as well.”

Cook isn’t blaming the defeat on his shoulder. “We lost fair and square,” he said. “I was out there giving it my 100 percent. I’ve never been one to make an excuse for how I played. Everyone else is out there playing hurt as well. We have linemen dinged up all year. They weren’t complaining or making any excuses, so I wasn’t going to either. It’s a game. You gotta play through it and keep on keeping on.”

The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder from Ohio leaves Michigan State as the school’s all-time winningest quarterback, going 34-5 as a starter. He earned first team All-Big Ten honors in 2015 despite that injury and has a sterling 71-22 TD-INT ratio for his college career. Still, Cook knows when he gets back to Indy he will face some questions not only about his shoulder but also about his character. Some of it apparently stems from the fact that Cook was not one of the Spartans’ three captains this season, which has prompted some NFL scouts to wonder about his leadership skills. And, as the draft process has heated up, that has triggered more speculation from draft observers.

FOX Sports spoke to Michigan State’s All-American left tackle Jack Conklin about how accurate some of those perceptions are about Cook.

“I think it’s people reading him wrong,” Conklin said. “I know (people) expect him to be captain, but with our team, we have 12 eagles that our team voted. There are 12 guys that are voted by the team, and then three guys from that are voted the captains.”

Cook was one of those eagles, Conklin said, adding that the other nine eagles rotated as the fourth captain from week to week, so the QB did serve as a team captain for a couple of games. “I think it’s people trying to read into things that are not there. He’s been our starting quarterback for three years. He is a leader. You can’t be a starting quarterback in the Big Ten and have done so well — won a Rose Bowl and a Cotton Bowl and gone to the Playoffs and not have a quarterback that’s a leader.”

Conklin suspects that it’s also because Cook doesn’t fit the Midwest persona. “There’s an expectation of what a Midwest, power-football team quarterback’s supposed to look like, and Connor doesn’t act like that. He’s gonna wear what he wants. He’s gonna look the way he does, but when it comes down to it, he is that blue-collar type of guy.

“He is the guy that does the right things. He’s not out getting arrested. He’s not getting bad grades. He’s the guy who does the right things. He does well in school. He makes good choices around the team. He’s going to go through these interviews and people aren’t going to find these reasons why not to like him.”

Asked where he thinks the perceptions come from, Cook said: “I guess people see the amount of wins that we’ve had as a program and they look at a three-year starter and see he didn’t get named captain his senior year, so they automatically jumped to ‘Well, he had to do something. Maybe he got arrested or in trouble.’ Well, if that was really the case, people would know. If I violated team rules, people would know. Coach D (Mark Dantonio) tells it how it is. In the past when guys have gotten in trouble, Coach D has said why.

“Or some people think ‘Oh, Connor must not get along with his teammates,’ but that couldn’t be further from the truth. People can talk to the coaches, my teammates, my past teammates. Every one of them would say I was a team leader. I commanded respect every time I stepped inside that huddle. They respected me in the locker room. Talk to any of my teammates.

“My other thing is, how can you be that successful and win that many games as a team if the quarterback and his teammates aren’t getting along? I don’t think that’s possible. If you have a quarterback and his teammates that don’t get along, you’re probably not going to win a whole lot of games.”

The three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection calls it “a big misconception. I just didn’t get voted captain, but that didn’t affect the way that I led. It didn’t affect the way I played or led as a sophomore or as a junior or this year. We won our conference this year. I’m just looking forward to the Combine to meet with these coaches and GMs, and show them who the real Connor Cook is.”

[Mackeyser]

I spent about 20mins per QB on the top 3, Wentz, Goff and Lynch.

My quick takes:

Wentz: 85% Big Ben, 15% Cam. Really like his arm, pretty big with really, really nice touch. Reminds me of Tom Glavine. He has a fast ball, but it was his touch and control that really impressed me. Several passes he dropped into the bucket where his receivers were able to “Willy Mays” it over their shoulders and the defender had no play. We haven’t had a QB who could do that since Bulger. Big body that can do read option and sells the play action. Should run sub 4.7 which means that if a team doesn’t spy him, there will be times when a simple QB bootleg will be there for him to run free for 20+ yards.

His throwing motion is the most fluid of the three. Very compact and I like how he holds the ball in the pocket. Best pocket presence of the three.

Goff: Middling arm. I can’t think of who he’s like. Solid decision making. Good accuracy beyond just hitting his receivers, better than I had initially thought. He’s got a wicked hitch in his throwing motion which I can’t get over… he cocks his wrist, even on throws he steps into. In the pocket, that exposes the ball to strips. It is probably less of a deal then I want to make it, but it really, really turned me off and once I saw it, I just couldn’t UNsee it and it was like an eyelash in my eye. He’s been compared to Aaron Rodgers, but that’s unfair. He’s not and he won’t have years to sit behind a HoF QB and QB guru to learn the craft and continue to mature. His frame as it is will be in the NFL and that’s a little concerning. I like how he goes through is progressions. I see him as a very good West Coast QB. As the Rams are going away from that to the Manning/Gase offense (I dunno the roots of that, be it Coryell or P/E, but either way, it’s not WC), I don’t see the Rams looking as much at him.

Lynch: Big arm. Big mistakes. His inaccuracy in making the pro throws outside the hash marks is his biggest knock, but damn does this kid has an arm. He’s got maybe the biggest upside of all three, but there’s NO WAY anyone drafts this kid to start this year. He’s plenty mobile and can throw on the move, but I don’t like his setup as much as Wentz. His footwork needs plenty of work. He’s the very definition of a project. I can see the Rams either taking him or passing on him and wouldn’t be bothered either way. It’s hard to provide more specifics with Lynch because not much of what he is is what he will be or needs to be at the next level. Lynch going in the first round will be about his potential, his big arm, his ability to make certain throws, etc.

After spending time watching them all, I came away with a pretty clear picture.

Wentz is the clear winner for where the Rams are heading. It’s not even close. Goff looks to be a WC QB/Game manager and Fisher already has that in Keenum. He’s not going to spend a 1st rounder on what he already has. Lynch is a project who may be special, but he’s a conundrum. If he wows, he won’t be there for the Rams and if he doesn’t, the Rams won’t want to spend the first on someone who clearly is such a project. Catch-22.

Which also means the Rams likely may not go QB in the 1st because Wentz almost certainly won’t fall to #15, but some pretty special players will and the Rams may want to shoot for the third straight ROY candidate. We have seen how special players can be game changers and it’s worth it to keep collecting game changers.

Anyway, that’s my early take on the 3 QBs.

Sports is the crucible of human virtue. The distillate remains are human vice.

[Agamemnon]

Tx, for the post, Mac. Good stuff. I probably like Cook and Hackenberg better than you.

Agamemnon

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As the Rams are going away from that to the Manning/Gase offense (I dunno the roots of that, be it Coryell or P/E, but either way, it’s not WC), I don’t see the Rams looking as much at him.

Good post, good read.

A small thing. Hiring Groh as passing coordinator/WR coach and keeping Boas as the offensive coordinator seems to mean that rather than all the coaches and players learning Groh’s system, Groh learns the Rams existing offensive system.

That would be the Boas modification of the Cignetti modification of the Schottenheimer version of a Coryell offense. (Say that 12 times fast.)

I’m sure Groh will make his own contributions, but the offensive system is set…Groh has to learn and work within it. In Chicago, Groh worked with
both Trestman and Gase. Trestman ran a WCO, Gase a P/E. So he’s used to learning new systems.

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from off the net

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alyoshamucci

Cook needs to hit two areas. Interview and accuracy.

He needs to show clean footwork and consistent strike throwing. That way his 58% comp pct could be overlooked.

As far as the interviews the answer to that will come out. If he’s got porcupine quills, you can’t hide that.

I will say this. Hoyer and Cousins we’re both quieter. If he’s more outspoken than them he might be having issues with how the school likes their QB to be. It’s not like he’s out pulling manziel garbage.

[Author]

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