2013 NFL Draft: Top 5 Quarterbacks

Feb 24, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith (13) participates in a passing drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 NFL draft is just weeks away, and here at NFL Spin Zone, we are committed to bringing you the best draft coverage on the web. We will be posting mock drafts and discussing the needs of all 32 NFL teams. We will also be profiling all the best players in this year’s class for all positions. With that in mind, here are NFL Spin Zone’s top five quarterbacks.

1. Geno Smith, West Virginia. 6’3, 218 lbs.

Undoubtedly this year’s best quarterback in what many consider a weak group of passers. I don’t neccesarily agree with that sentiment, but I do believe Smith is the number one QB.

He is well sized, and his height poses none of the problems that seems to bother NFL scouts when assessing rookie QBs. He was the fastest quarterback when running the 40-yard dash at this year’s combine, and he will appeal to any team looking to find the next Colin Kaepernick or RG3.

He has a good arm and has shown that he can make the fast throws as well as demonstrating a nice touch as well. He does well when leading the receiver, leading to extra yards gained on the play.

Consider this – against Baylor in his senior year, Smith’s stats were as follows: 45 of 51 for a massive 656 yads, including eight touchdowns and no interceptions. I doubt we will see that kind of production in the NFL, but it still remains highly impressive.

Whilst he may not be quite as athletic as Kaepernick or Griffin, he still has above average mobility and shows decent acceleration once he takes off running. Primarily, he prefers to sit in the pocket and make the plays, and does so with much success. There’s no doubt he’ll go in the first round of this year’s draft; the question being to which team. It seems unlikely the Chiefs will draft him, leaving a team like the Eagles perhaps being unable to resist taking him with the third pick.

2. Mike Glennon, NC State. 6’7, 220 lbs.

I like Mike Glennon a lot. His size is a positive and he looks every bit of his 6’7 frame when he’s standing tall in the pocket. He has no big injuries to speak of, and has a 15-11 record as a starter throughout his career.

He is an intelligent passer with a strong arm, aided by a quick release. Like Smith, he is able to make all the little touch passes required in the NFL as well as putting some heat on the ball when required. He is an accurate passer and this doesn’t seem to be affected by how far he is throwing the ball.

At times he can hold on to the ball too long, or fail to throw it away, but that’s something that will improve once he enters the league.

He can evade a ceratin amount of pressure, but he will never make a living from running the ball. What you get with Glennon is a good sized QB who is able to make all the throws and play well under pressure.

I think we will see Glennon off the board sometime in the early to mid second round, and he has the skills to serve any NFL team well.

3. Matt Barkley, USC. 6’2, 225 lbs.

Once a sure fire first round pick, Barkley now finds himself among all the other quarterback not named Geno Smith.

Barkley has a lot of game experince and shows a lot of discipline, both on and off the field. He is well versed in running a pro-style offense, giving him the chance of fitting straight into an NFL team. He is adept at leading receivers with his passes and although his arm strength might not be the greatest, he more than makes up for it with the rest of his skill set.

When in the pocket, he shows good awareness, and is not afraid to take a hit in order to make the play. He protects the ball well and although he is not blessed in the athletic department, he is by no means stone-footed.

Barkley should do well in the NFL, and I think it is to his advantage that he is not sitting in the spotlight he once was. It has given him the time and space to work on his game and prepare for a career in the NFL.

Someone might take a chance on him towards the end of the first round, but I think the second round is a more realistic place for him to be drafted.

4. Ryan Nassib, Syracuse. 6’2, 225 lbs.

Nassib did well at Syracuse, suffering as he did with a lack of receiving threats. By all accounts, he is a hard working individual with a good work ethic, seeking to improve his game at every opportunity. He is ceratinly a tough player, not afraid to hang in the pocket and take the big hit.

He moves through his progressions well and is a good decision maker. One criticism is that he puts a little too much pace on all of his throws, and he will need to learn when to lay the ball in there as oppose to firing it in, making some balls un-catchable

Like many of this year’s quarterbacks, he is not going to light it up when running the ball, but has quick enough feet to gain a few extra yards in order to get rid of the ball.

It reamins to be seen how Nassib will develop in the NFL. At the moment it’s a close call between him landing a starting job or being a pereenial backup. But with the right coaching and with the right supporting cast, he should excel.

5. Landry Jones, Oklahoma. 6’4, 225 lbs.

The Sooner senior has good height and weight, and throughout four seasons, he has played 53 games. His durability is not in question. Perhaps what is in question is his arm action, suffering from a bit of win-up motion. None the less, he displays good accuracy and a nice touch at times.

He does well when rolling out to make the pass, and although his deep ball is okay, it could do with a bit of work. Jones is very aware of pressure and moves around the pocket with great skill. Again, he doesn’t pose much threat in the way of running the ball, but with the ability to make all the throws that NFL teams are looking for, he doesn’t really need to make that many plays on the ground.

I think he will go somewhere in the third round, but given the fact that not that many teams are looking for a QB, he could slip to the fourth.

So, what do you think? Which quarterback will make the biggest impact this year, and who are you excited about seeing in the NFL. Let us know in the comments below.