2015 NFL Draft Preview: Quarterback Edition
By Matt Reed
The college football season may be more than half way over, but there’s still a lot of football to played. That being said, it’s never too early to start speculating as to who will be the top players to make the leap to the NFL. Once the season is over, it’ll be easier to look at the draft as a whole, but for now I want to focus on the most important position in football; quarterback.
For any of the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or St. Louis Rams fans out there, listen up. I can’t promise that any of these quarterbacks will be the next Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning, but the 2015 NFL Draft will include a very talented crop of signal callers.
Matt’s Quarterback Big Board:
1. Marcus Mariota (Oregon)
Mariota has thrown for 2,283 yards, in addition to 24 touchdowns. He has also added five on the ground, and is completing 69% of his passes in 2014. There’s no doubt in my mind that this Oregon star can translate his game to the next level. This is a player that has 4.5 speed and an unbelievably strong and accurate arm. While Mariota will need to remain in the pocket more in the NFL, I don’t think that he’ll have an RG3 problem when it comes to running first. He’ll be a sure fire top-10 selection in next year’s NFL Draft.
2. Connor Cook (Michigan St)
Cook has probably done of the best job this season of playing himself into the conversation of best quarterback
available. Michigan State’s signal caller has led the Spartans to a 7-1 record, with the team’s lone loss coming in Week 2 at Oregon. Cook went toe-to-toe with the number one player on my list (Mariota) in that matchup. While Michigan State ultimately lost, Cook displayed his talents over three quarters of football against one of the top teams in the nation. He’s the typical drop-back passer, and so long as he can work on his accuracy, I believe that he will be a first round selection in the NFL Draft.
3. Jameis Winston (Florida St)
The reigning Heisman trophy winner could very well be the first quarterback selected in April’s draft, but this is a player that still has a lot of growing up to do. Despite completing 70% of his passes this season, Winston’s abilities have often been overshadowed by his off-field shenanigans. If Jameis Winston can cut out the antics, then he’ll have the potential to be a star in the NFL. At 6-4 and 230 pounds, Winston has all the intangibles necessary to succeed as a pro quarterback.
4. Brett Hundley (UCLA)
Going into this season, Hundley was in the conversation to be the first quarterback drafted in 2015. He’s been a bit of a disappointment in 2014, despite accounting for eighteen touchdowns and completing 71% of his passes. His numbers still appear staggering, but he’s been far too inconsistent. While he hasn’t received much help from his offensive line, Hundley has still been accountable for a lot of UCLA’s struggles. I expect Hundley to still go in the second round of the NFL Draft, but he still has some improving to do.
5. Garrett Grayson (Colorado St)
Despite playing for a Colorado State team that doesn’t receive a great deal of recognition, Grayson is firmly in the Heisman mix in 2014. He currently sits seventh in the FBS in passing yards, and tied for sixth in touchdown passes, with 26. This is a player who has shown significant improvement in all four years at Colorado State. The greatest jump that Grayson has made in 2014 though is his accuracy. Since his freshman season, Grayson’s completion percentage has shot up from an average 56% to a formidable 65%.