The last couple of years have been pretty muddled at quarterback in the NFL Draft. But, this year seems especially muddled. There are five guys that could end up going in the first round of the draft. Lots of teams in the NFL needing quarterbacks, and hell – I wouldn’t even be surprised to see Mason Rudolph sneak into the draft.
But, the thing is – all of these guys seem to be major ‘boom or bust’ type of candidates. Many of you know by now that we have a dedicated SoBros Network Slack group. A lot of times, we’re actually working. But, sometimes, we’re trying to solve the world’s problems.
One of those problems is this huge mess there seems to be in this year’s class of NFL quarterback prospects. I mean, we can’t make up our minds – every time I think Poppa Bear, Smokey, Herbie Brooks, and I are going to agree on someone, another red flag pops up. Therefore, it doesn’t appear that we’ll unanimously be able to endorse a quarterback.
All of this brings me to this article today – we have to sort this out. So, let’s dig in.
Josh Allen
Big arm. Arm talent. Big arm. Arm talent. I swear – sometimes, I think Allen is just a walking arm because that’s all anyone ever talks about. A 56% completion percentage and a 16-6 TD:INT ratio on Wyoming’s schedule has me raising my eyebrows a little bit. But, you can’t deny Allen’s…what….arm talent. He did himself a favor by showing that arm off in a strong performance at the Scouting Combine. NFL scouts LOVE his big frame and ability to shake defenders, too. I still see him as a project – just a little too raw for my liking.
Sam Darnold
Darnold has to frustrate the hell out of actual NFL scouts who do this sort of thing for a living. Remember, we’re just dudes talking. But, even at our level, we see flashes of brilliance from the former USC quarterback just as often as we see mind-blowing turnovers. It’s all about the turnovers with Darnold. 26 touchdowns to 13 interceptions just doesn’t do much for me. Still, that being said, those flashes of brilliance look pretty damn good – great touch, vision, anticipation, and accuracy. If you’re getting that Sam Darnold, you’re going to get a great quarterback.
Lamar Jackson
Jackson may be the most electric athlete in the entire draft. But, because of his frame, and because of the complications of learning an NFL system, a lot of people want him to switch to receiver. I don’t buy it. I say Jackson gets a chance to show off those Heisman-winning skills at quarterback. Jackson has been compared a lot to Michael Vick, but the film shows him as a better passer than Vick. It’s absurd to not give the kid a chance, but we’ll see what happens.
Baker Mayfield
Ah, the old gunslinger mold. This kid plays tough. He plays passionately. He throws a well-placed, catchable ball. And, he has an underrated ability to extend plays with his legs. Mayfield is a mobile guy who is a flat out play-maker. Because of his size (he’s a bit short by NFL standards), and those pesky character concerns, Mayfield could end up sliding on draft day. I’m willing to call him the best of the bunch, though the rest of the SoBros team would disagree with me.
Josh Rosen
What do we know about Rosen? He’s a sharp kid, has a great pocket presence, and has all of the basic fundamentals of playing quarterback down pat. I loved hearing him at the combine talking about being himself, and having such a strong competitive fire that he wants to beat Tom Brady’s Super Bowl records. Some people say he’s a bit of a partier, though….
Not sure why anyone would say that. But, he also carries some serious injury concerns around with him….concerns he’s actually been carrying around since high school.
If you could combine the strengths of each of these quarterbacks, you’d have one of the greatest prospects of all time. Think about it – Allen’s arm, Darnold’s vision, Jackson’s athleticism, Rosen’s mechanics, and Mayfield’s moxie. That’s a damn good NFL quarterback.
Unfortunately, we don’t dabble in genetic manipulation, and we can’t go slicing people up and attaching ’em to other people. That’s unethical.
Anyway – ultimately, I’d rank ’em:
1. Baker Mayfield
2. Josh Rosen
3. Sam Darnold
4. Lamar Jackson
5. Josh Allen
What do you think, SoBros Universe? Who goes first this Spring?
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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