NFL Draft 2012: Is Kirk Cousins The Best Value Quarterback Available?

With all the hype surrounding top quarterback prospects Andrew Luck and Russell Griffin III, the second-tier quarterback prospects are being closely watched. There are many teams out there looking for a quarterback and there will be great interest in those below the top tier.

One of those is former Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins.

At the NFL Combine, Cousins has impressed both NFL scouts and coaches as he went through the quarterback drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. His accuracy making all the throws was the best of all quarterbacks who threw in drills and Cousins showed nice touch where it was needed.

Cousins has been viewed by many as one of the more capable mid-round quarterbacks in this year’s draft. But could he possibly be a bit more than that?

Everyone is on the lookout for the next Tom Brady — that late round quarterback who proves to be the surprise franchise quarterback every coach dreams of. To me, Kirk Cousins is the perfect candidate as this year’s surprise quarterback.

Now don’t get me wrong — I am not declaring Cousins to be the Tom Brady of the future. With that being said, Cousins displays the skills valued by the NFL. Most importantly, he is patient and accurate with his throws. He will require coaching and needs to put in alot of work without a doubt but the tools are all there.

Cousins is a quarterback projected to be a backup in the NFL but he does have potential to be a starter after a few years of learning. He is graded by most in the 3rd or 4th round and I think he could certainly go in the third round if there is a coach out there who really likes him. For me, Cousins is a player to watch very closely in this year’s draft.

There are one or two guys I like to keep an eye on every year. Last year it was TJ Yates and Ricki Stanzi. The year before it was John Skelton and Dan LeFevour. This year, Kirk Cousins makes the list.

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