2017 NFL Draft: Top 5 Must Watch QBs
By James Cobern
The 2016 NFL draft had the most quarterbacks drafted ever, but the 2017 NFL draft may prove to have better quality than quantity long-term.
We are only a few months away from the kickoff of the 2016 college football season, and it’s never too early to get a head start on the 2017 NFL draft class.
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So let’s take a look at the top 5 quarterbacks you should be familiar with before the season starts.
1. Deshaun Watson, Clemson
Clemson’s highly decorated junior quarterback Deshaun Watson has a very good shot at winning the Heisman trophy this year, but also has a great shot at going number one overall in the 2017 NFL draft. He possesses great athleticism in a similar vein to the Titans’ Marcus Mariota.
And he shows flashes of good accuracy and decision-making from inside the pocket. But he is not a complete lock to be the first quarterback taken due to inconsistent accuracy and rookie level mistakes.
However, he is by far the top quarterback you need to be familiar with in 2017 due to all the hype and warranted praise he has earned.
2. Brad Kaaya, Miami
Miami’s Brad Kaaya capped off an outstanding freshman campaign with an inconsistent sophomore season. However, a new Head Coach in Mark Richt who has a strong history of developing NFL caliber signal callers like Matthew Stafford gives Kaaya a shot to be the first quarterback taken number one overall too.
He’s always had the pocket presence and accuracy to be a well rounded West Coast quarterback. But under the tutelage of coach Richt, he has a chance to develop into a star.
3. Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech
Texas Tech may not seem like the most obvious place to find a future NFL quarterback, but Patrick Mahomes is the Big 12’s version of Deshaun Watson. With great athletic ability and a knack for hitting the deep ball, Mahomes has all the qualities of a future franchise.
If he can improve his pocket presence and cut down on turnovers, he can be something special. He reminds me of a mix of Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb.
And yes, he has the talent to be the first quarterback taken as well.
4. Luke Falk, Washington State
Mike Leach quarterbacks don’t usually get the respect they usually deserve for playing in his 70-30 pass to run ratio offensive scheme. Yet Luke Falk has a lot more franchise traits to him than previous Leach quarterbacks.
Falk is a poor man’s Carson Wentz with the same issues in terms of pocket presence and accuracy under duress. But Falk has the arm talent to hit intermediate and deep tight window throws that scouts can’t get enough of.
And don’t get my words twisted, he has a lot of flaws to fix going into this year. However, the knack he has to make difficult throws consistently with the added toughness of playing in a Leach system will do wonders to his draft stock.
5. Seth Russell, Baylor
Seth Russell was a quarterback on the rise blowing out opponents in typical Baylor fashion, but with the ability to hit the deep ball consistently. All that changed after his season was ended due to a neck injury according to ESPN.
Russell was cleared to resume team activities back in February of this year according to Max Olson of ESPN.com. And he still has big time talent to work with.
What he does is a lot harder to teach. And 2016 could be his year to shine.
Honorable mentions
- Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
- Anu Soloman, Arizona
- Gunner Kiel, Cincinnati
- Greg Ward Jr., Houston
- Kent Myers, Utah State
- Brent Stockstill, Middle Tennessee State
- Nick Mullets, Southern Mississippi
What makes the 2017 NFL draft quarterback class so exciting is the sheer number of talented players to choose from. And they all could not develop into the quarterbacks they can be.
must read: Tennessee Titans: The Five Best Quarterbacks To Ever Start
However, anytime you have four quarterbacks with the talent to become number one overall players you are cooking with gas. But I want to hear from you guys.
Who are your top 5 quarterbacks you must know in the 2017 NFL draft? And what are your initial thoughts on the quarterbacks mentioned above?