Carson Wentz: Breaking Down the NFL Draft’s Most Intriguing Prospect
By Jeremy Klump
As of now, North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz has the most hype heading into the 2016 NFL Draft and he deserves it.
You have players from Alabama, Clemson and the other top schools in the nation.
But it’s the player from FCS North Dakota State that has the National Football League scouts buzzing the most and that’s quarterback Carson Wentz.
How could a player who plays at the level of completion that is almost frowned upon by NFL scouts be bringing so much noise leading up to the draft? It is because he is legitimate NFL prospect, and in my opinion, he is the best player in the whole entire 2016 NFL draft class.
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For starters, Wentz has the size you are looking for when scouting a quarterback coming out of college. At the Senior Bowl, he measured in at 6’5″ and weighed in at 233 pounds, which is almost the same as Cam Newton (6’5″ 245 pounds).
Wentz also has outstanding athletic ability. Now, he isn’t going to be like Robert Griffin III, but comparing him once more to Newon, Wentz is almost like a poor mans Newton when watching his film. He can extend plays with his legs, and is willing to extend them with his legs, but he wants to be a pocket passer before anything and that is what he is best at.
Wentz can throw the ball all over the field, and although he doesn’t have elite NFL arm strength, he still can sling it. He also makes throws with anticipation and throws with accuracy to give his wide receiver the best chance at making a play. He played in a pro style offense at North Dakota State and was able to be under center, which some scouts put a lot of weight on.
After watching film on Wentz, here is my scouting report on him.
"Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State (6’5″, 233)Strengths: Wentz has NFL size at the quarterback position. His size also does not hurt his athletic ability and he posses some elite athleticism at the quarterback position. He can extend plays well and move around in the pocket, which helps when avoiding sacks. The ball snaps out of his hand nicely and he can throw it with authority when he sets his feet. Wentz can throw the ball on the run with success. He throws his receivers open at times and his anticipation is what you want from a quarterback. He can make all the throws to all of the routes in the route tree. He can change his platform and still make throws successfully. Wentz will wait to the last possible second to take off and shows that he trusts his arm to win games, but he can also tuck the ball and run well. His play action is phenomenal and it will be a huge asset and weapon his rookie season. Wentz has shown excellent touch at times and his deep ball is good. He has just started to find his groove at the position, he played wide receiver until his senior year of high school, so his potential is sky high.Weaknesses: Wentz did not play against elite competition, which will be a big factor to look over. He will have to show that he can handle the speed difference and show that he was just under recruited. Wentz can get too excited at times and cause him to miss open receivers. At times he can lock on a certain receiver, which will force him to miss someone else who is open. He sometime tries to force a throw that he should not make. Wentz can make some great plays, but some of the ones he makes will not be as easy at the next level. He had a wrist injury that required surgery, so his health is something to look into. He has potential, but you need to make sure he is committed to reaching it because he is not fully polished yet.Overall Impression: Wentz checks off a lot of the big questions you have when looking at a quarterback coming out of college, however, he also checks off some of the ones that are not good. He has the size, athletic ability, and arm talent to succeed in the NFL. If you can look past his level of competition and his wrist injury you will see that Wentz has no ceiling when it comes to potential. He can be a star in the league and will make a team very happy if they draft him. Wentz can, and will, be a franchise quarterback and the face of a franchise. He is a can’t-miss prospect at the quarterback position.Grade: Round 1 (Top 10) #1 Overall Player"
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Wentz is my top player in the 2016 NFL Draft and the hype is real on him. He is a guy that a team could fall in love with and I would not be surprised if he went first overall if the Titans trade the pick.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network said that Wentz has already done enough at the Senior Bowl to earn his spot in the first round. Look for him to shine on Saturday when he plays in the Senior Bowl and now earn his spot in the Top 10.