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What you need to know is that QB Trevor Lawrence is the real deal. It has long been predicted that Lawrence would be the top player available in this draft and he did not disappoint during the regular season last year. Lawrence is far and away the best player, but by no means will he be the only quarterback chosen near the top of the draft board.
Justin Fields and Zach Wilson seem to be battling for the #2 quarterback spot and both have a reasonable chance at being selected #2 overall. Strong years from Mac Jones and Kyle Trask along with the talent of redshirt sophomore Trey Lance ensure that we could see as many as six quarterbacks being selected in the first round.
There is talent in this class, but aside from Lawrence, all come with question marks in some aspect(s) of their respective games. Depth has been better in past drafts, but we are anticipating 12-15 quarterbacks being drafted.
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2021 NFL Draft Rankings – Quarterbacks
1. Trevor Lawrence - Clemson (6-6, 220)
2. Justin Fields - Ohio State (6-3, 230)
3. Mac Jones - Alabama (6-2, 215)
4. Trey Lance - North Dakota State (6-3, 225)
5. Jamie Newman - Georgia (6-2, 235)
6. Zach Wilson - BYU (6-3, 210)
7. Kyle Trask - Florida (6-4, 240)
8. Sam Ehlinger - Texas (6-2, 225)
9. Kellen Mond - Texas A&M (6-2, 215)
10. Davis Mills - Stanford (6-3, 220)
11. Shane Buechele - SMU (6-1, 205)
12. Brady White - Memphis (6-2, 215)
13. Feleipe Franks - Arkansas (6-6, 235)
14. Ian Book - Notre Dame (6-0, 210)
15. K.J. Costello - Mississippi State (6-4, 235)
16. Mike Collins - Rice (6-5, 215)
17. Zach Smith - Tulsa (6-3, 225)
18. Brady Davis - Illinois State (6-3, 205)
19. Luke Anthony - Louisiana Tech (6-1, 205)
20. Zac Thomas - Appalachian State (6-1, 210)
21. Kevin Thomson - Washington (6-1, 200)
22. David Moore - Central Michigan (6-1, 195)
23. Josh Jackson - Maryland (6-1, 220)
24. Peyton Ramsey - Northwestern (6-2, 215)
25. Gunnar Hoak - Ohio State (6-4, 215)
The Top-10 Quarterbacks
Let's take a look at a few of the top-10 quarterbacks:
Mac Jones is currently ranked #3 and is largely seen as a one-year wonder. Jones possesses a few of the skills that have become synonymous with Alabama signal-callers in recent memory. Jones showcases his terrific decision-making skills on film. You can see him getting more leeway with the offense as the season progressed and seems to make the proper adjustments when his primary read is not open. Jones is very accurate and shows a fluid throwing motion.
There are a few question marks surrounding the QB, primarily his lack of arm strength. Jones looks like he can make the necessary NFL throws but seems to lack that elite "zip" or velocity on throws that may be closing. Jones is not a mobile quarterback. He seems to sense the oncoming rush, but breaking away from contact and taking off and running for a first down are the weaker aspects of his game.
Zach Wilson is a name you might hear mentioned as a potential #2 pick overall. While Wilson shows to be one of the better quarterbacks available, being the second choice overall is not something I feel is warranted while watching the film. Wilson has superior touch on the football and seems to have an understanding of ball placement. Wilson puts the ball where his receivers can make a play or have an opportunity to immediately get some YAC. He is mobile and a playmaker. The QB will push the ball downfield and take a big play when it presents itself while not throwing into double coverage.
The biggest concerns may come off the field and with character. Uneven reports surrounding coachability have emerged and seem to have merit. The "rich kid" and "silver spoon" labels have been thrown around in many circles. Has Wilson really ever fought for a spot on a roster or with a team without things being handed to him? He has a small frame where durability could be a concern. To me, it all comes down to beating the blitz and can Wilson do that consistently at the NFL level? Teams that deployed edge pressure or disguised where pressure was coming noticeably rattled Wilson and his accuracy dipped substantially.
The Rest of the Quarterbacks
A couple of quarterbacks I have outside the top-10 that could make a mark:
K.J. Costello (6-4, 235) will certainly be with a team either as a late-round pick or a priority free agent signee. Costello left Stanford and seemed to flourish with coach Mike Leach and his daunted Air Raid attack. There were bouts with inconsistency, yet Costello seemed to do more with players that were not as talented as many of his SEC counterparts. The talent the QB shows is undeniable and exceeds many of the players that are ranked higher than he.
There are some detractions and it starts with decision making. There have truly been some head-scratchers, the kind of bad decisions that disrupt the flow of a game. Does this deal more with the change in the system or with his own decision-making? I think the answer is a little of both. Costello will need to convince teams that he can make the right decisions and not fall prey to traps NFL teams may throw at him.
Kevin Thomson is one of the most intriguing names on this list. Thomson, like #5 Jamie Newman, is a graduate transfer who never saw action on the team he is listed with. Thomson played seven seasons at the NCAA level as he started with UNLV before transferring to Sacramento State before finally coming to Washington as a graduate transfer. Thomson showed that he is a true dual-threat. In 2019, he threw for 3,216 yards with an impressive 27-8 TD/INT ratio. Throw in an additional 619 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, and you had the makings of a touchdown machine.
Thomson was to make his mark at Washington and won the starting job until a rib injury landed him on the sidelines. With the Huskies only playing in four games due to COVID, the QB never had the chance to showcase his talents in the Pac-12. Thomson was eligible for an eighth NCAA season but he elected not to come back. He finished third in voting for the Walter Payton Award which is given to the FCS Offensive Player of the Year. Thomson will now be a 25-year-old rookie trying to stick in the NFL and hoping someone will take a chance on his impressive statistics from a smaller school.
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