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Scouting Combine: Quarterbacks
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Contributed by:
Mike Lietz
Last Updated: Apr 26, 2011 2:24 PM |
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Belowe you'll find how we rank the incoming group of Quarterbacks and how they performed at this year's combine. We had our friend Todd DeVries, who runs our brother site CollegeFootballGeek.com and is the leading expert in College Fantasy Football, add some insight about this incoming group of players.
NFL Combine Report – Quarterbacks
In parentheses lists the prospect's height, weight and top time in the 40-yard dash. Other intangibles that stood out over the weekend are also listed for selected players.
College Football Geek Insight: There are questions regarding every QB prospect in this draft class. Too bad Stanford's Andrew Luck decided to stay in school. He's light years ahead of all these guys in my opinion.
1 Blaine Gabbert, Missouri (6-4, 234, 4.61) Gabbert ran very well for a big quarterback, but opted not to throw until Missouri's Pro Day in mid-March. On the collegiate level at Missouri, Gabbert displayed a quick release and upper-level arm strength. He also has a knack for leading his receivers as well as pinpoint accuracy on short throws. He came from a spread offense and needs to work on becoming a pure pocket passer, but we love his potential enough to confidently rank him No. 1 among quarterback prospects.
College Football Geek Insight: NFL size. Good mobility. Does everything pretty well, but does not knock your socks off in any one category. Played in a gimmicky college offense, will have to adapt to a pro style set. It's interesting that Gabbert is receiving so much pre-draft hype as he was a giant flop in college fantasy football in 2010. He put up a pedestrian 16:9 TD-INT ratio last fall (down from 24:9 ratio in 2009). He also dipped in passing yards from 3,593 to 3,186.
2 Cam Newton, Auburn (6-5, 248, 4.59) Newton may have turned off some NFL clubs with his “icon” and “entertainer” comments, but he noted that he was misquoted, and spoke well overall to the media during the weekend. He showed he is an outstanding athlete, and notably registered 10'6” in the broad jump, but unfortunately did not fare well in accuracy drills –- completing just 11 of 21 throws. He has a strong arm, but it is clear he needs work on his throwing mechanics and overall fundamentals of being a quarterback. That is not expected to hurt the Heisman Trophy winner's stock though, and he is still projected to go high in the first round of the Draft. Newton is a winner and led Auburn to the BCS title to prove it.
College Football Geek Insight: Not much to say here that hasn't already been said. Intriguing talent but is he coachable? We know he needs to work on his mechanics. I wrote about Newton's incredibly efficient 2010 season for CHFF here: http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Articles/11_3523_A_season_for_the_ages.html
3 Jake Locker, Washington (6-2, 231, 4.59) Locker dazzled during throwing drills, namely in the accuracy department. He also turned heads with his 40 time, which was no surprise considering that he was drafted (10th round) as an outfielder by the Los Angeles Angels back in June of 2009. During his senior season at Washington, Locker passed for 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions and really caught our attention on October 2, when he passed for 310 yards and rushed for 110 in a thrilling 32-31 win at USC. Locker could develop into a “franchise” quarterback, but that depends on whether he commits to the NFL rather than MLB. An impending lockout could play a role in his decision for the immediate future, but we still rank him as the No. 3 prospect at the position. It is also worth noting that a strong quarterback coach could help him correct his bad habits, like locking on his primary receiver and forcing throws.
College Football Geek Insight: Major accuracy concerns. Despite head coach Steve Sarkisian's quest to get Locker's completion percentage up over 60 percent, he posted 47%, 54%, 58% and 55% in his four years as a Husky. Great athlete who can tuck it and run with the best of them. Classy kid with excellent intangibles.
4 Ryan Mallett, Arkansas (6-6, 253, 5.12) Character issues aside, Mallett has a cannon for an arm, and showed it off during deep passing drills. He also displayed improved accuracy and he could end up being a steal for the team that takes a chance on him. He may have to wait longer than expected to hear his name called on Draft Day though, after failing to comment on rumors regarding drug use during a media session over the weekend and taking a volatile stance with reporters before storming off the podium.
College Football Geek Insight: There's no doubt Mallett has a strong arm. He's a natural passer. But when Mallett was under pressure against better defenses, his accuracy went in the toilet. He also has some off-the-field concerns.
5 Christian Ponder, Florida State (6-2, 229, 4.65) Ponder's stock is on the rise after being regarded as the top passer in Sunday's Combine drills. He displayed a nice combination of accuracy and arm strength –- which is even more encouraging considering he had numerous surgeries on his throwing arm during his career at Florida State. Ponder has the right intangibles to succeed in the NFL, including leadership, good vision and pocket presence, and could be among the gems of the 2011 Draft Class if his injury issues are behind him.
College Football Geek Insight: Has the skill set to run the West Coast Offense. Quick release and accurate. Suffered through an injury-riddled senior season that held back his on the field production.
6 Andy Dalton, TCU (6-2, 215, 4.87) Dalton did not stand out at the Combine, but he ranks No. 6 on our board among quarterback prospects. He has a good enough arm to make all of the throws on the next level, and delivers the pigskin with solid accuracy and timing. Scouts will note that he needs to improve his footwork and throwing on the run, but has a high football IQ and was a fiery leader during his college days with the Horned Frogs –- and the two-time Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year (2009 and 2010) notably ranks third all-time in the NCAA with 41 wins. We like his odds of succeeding in the NFL, and may fit best in a West Coast Offense. Should become a quality backup in the very least.
College Football Geek Insight: Great intangibles. A winner. Smart. Ability to run a little bit.
7 Colin Kaepernick, Nevada (6-5, 233, 4.53) The buzz around the Combine was that the former Nevada standout had the strongest arm among all participating quarterbacks. His top strike clocked in at 59 MPH, to go along with a strong 4.53 in the 40-yard dash. He needs to refine his footwork and mechanics to be successful in the NFL, but he undoubtedly improved his Draft stock over the weekend, and could slide into the second round. Kaepernick is also the only player in college football history to rush for 4,000 yards and pass for 9,000, and also holds the WAC record in rushing touchdowns with 59. Lastly, Kaepernick was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 43rd round of the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft, and could convert to wide receiver in the NFL.
College Football Geek Insight: Rifle for an arm. As a high school baseball prospect, he boasted a 94 mph fastball. Outstanding intangibles: leadership, intelligence, work ethic. Incredible runner - over 4,000 career rushing yards. I interviewed Kaepernick a few years ago. See link here: http://www.collegefootballgeek.com/index.php/articles/comments/our-interview-with-colin-kaepernick/
8 Nathan Enderle, Idaho (6-4, 240, 5.15) Enderle makes bad throws and needs to improve his footwork, but he is well-built and does have the required tools of an NFL-caliber quarterback. He notably led Idaho to a victory over Bowling Green in the Humanitarian Bowl in 2009, which marked the school's first bowl appearance since 1998. His experience in running a Pro-style offense will also help his transition to the NFL, and his stock should be fine despite not garnering much buzz at the Combine.
College Football Geek Insight: Prototypical NFL size. Has the strength to shake free from pass rushers. Can make all the NFL throws. Level of competition is questionable. Threw a ton of INTs in his career - 60 total over four years.
9 Ricky Stanzi, Iowa (6-4, 223, 4.93) Stanzi exhibits good arm strength and moves better than his
clocked Combine speed in the 40 indicates. He is also an excellent technician when it comes to mechanics and delivering the ball and doesn't often lock on to his primary receiver. He does force throws from time to time and can panic when under pressure, but is an intriguing prospect overall. Stanzi did gravely struggle with his accuracy in passing drills over the weekend, so he may drop below his Draft projection of the 3-4 round however. With that said, Stanzi could prove to be a steal if his poor showing proves to be an anomaly, and it is worth noting that Iowa was 3-0 in bowl games under his command, and he finished second in school history in wins.
College Football Geek Insight: In 2009, he was nicknamed "Pick 6 Rick" due to his propensity for giving up the big turnover (15 INTs, 4 returned for TDs). Despite the mistakes, he was incredibly clutch that season at the end of games. Ironically, his stats improved greatly in 2010 but he seemed to have lost the clutch gene. He wasn't able to pull out games in the 4th quarter.
10 Pat Devlin, Delaware (6-3, 225, 4.86) Improved his Draft stock with a fine senior season at Delaware, as he completed 68 percent of his passes and fired 22 scoring strikes against just three interceptions. Devlin has a high football IQ and is a pretty good athlete with adequate arm strength. He doesn't throw a good deep ball like former Blue Hen Joe Flacco, but could have a successful career in the NFL nonetheless. He also exudes great toughness, evidenced by the fact that he returned to the gridiron two weeks after fracturing his left wrist, and completed 14 of 21 passes for 240 yards against Richmond.
College Football Geek Insight: Transferred to Delaware from Penn State where he was unhappy with playing time. Accurate in short range passing but intermediate to deep balls are a question. Played behind a dominant offensive line and was rarely pressured. Excellent student. Will not have any off-field problems.
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