2020 Quarterbacks

Joe Burrow-QB-LSU-6’3”-221-1st Overall-100

What a story so far. Top notch recruit after being Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year twice, Joe chose to stay home at Ohio State. After sitting behind school legend J.T. Barrett, Burrow get’s beat out by Dwayne Haskins, no slouch, and transfers to LSU. This is where I don’t understand the narrative. For some reason, Burrow seems to get dinged because his Junior season wasn’t as good as his Senior year. Umm how could it be? His Senior year was the best QB season in college football history. And doesn’t that show progress and growth from one year to the next? I’d rather see a prospect improve and have more experience than only have one year to look at i.e. Kyler Murray. Now, physically, he’s extremely gifted. His movement skills inside and outside the pocket looks like Aaron Rodgers. His throwing style reminds me of Drew Brees, highly accurate passer who throws a catchable ball leading to 76% completions. Burrow plays with rhythm in the offense, but if things break down, he can buy time and continue to make a play with his arm or feet. Showtime Joe is a phenomenal quarterback prospect. His arm strength isn’t great, but is good enough, similar to Andrew Luck. It’d be nice if he could’ve played more than 2 years, but he still had nearly 30 college starts in the SEC. As for leadership traits, he was the clear alpha dog for the Tigers on an uber talented roster. Burrow always seems self-assured and even has some swagger despite looking like McCauley Culkin. I’m all in on him, the clear number 1 pick in this draft. The only debate remains, who’s the better prospect, Burrow or Trevor Lawrence?

Tua Tagovailoa-QB-Alabama-6’0”-217-Top 15-96

As an Auburn fan, Tua has been a thorn in my side for years. But for some reason, despite rooting against him, I never disliked him. It’s that Derek Jeter quality. Tua has vision, anticipation, and arm talent that you dream of. I don’t understand anyone that has Kyler Murray rated as a better prospect than Tua. This kid made Alabama a pass first team! He was so good that Nick Saban benched his starting quarterback, who had a record of 28-2, at halftime of the National Championship game in favor of Tua who had exactly zero starts. So why is Tua not a top 10 player? Two big things. The most obvious, health. Long term health. I never understand why a player’s draft stock will fall because he breaks his leg in March and can’t do a pro day. It’ll heal, stupid. But Tua’s had 3 surgeries in the last year and he just can’t seem to stay healthy for a prolonged stretch. He’s not the most fleet of foot quarterback, but he likes to extend plays and that’s where he runs into trouble. Bottomline is, if you build your team around the QB, you need to know he’s going to be available. As great as Aaron Rodgers is, his absence from the lineup is an all too common occurrence and it derails his team’s seasons. The other big thing I worry about is Tua’s family. This one is going under the radar, but Tua’s Dad moved their entire family to Alabama to enhance Tua’s college career. Then his Dad got a key to the building and was a constant presence. It’s highly unlikely that will continue into his pro career and the question is: How will Tua deal with that? I’m not saying he’s Todd Marinovich, but if he becomes the starting quarterback of the Miami Dolphins and is an insta-millionaire without direct parental supervision for the first time in his life, how will he handle it? Just a question. I want him to succeed, we need a lefty quarterback for crying out loud. And he throws such a sweet ball I want to see more of it. But with those concerns, team’s are going to be shy, rightfully so.

Jake Fromm-QB-Georgia-6’2”-219-3rd Day-83

I’ve been on the Fromm bandwagon for a long time. Instant starter as a freshman for the Bulldogs, he goes out and takes his team to overtime in the National Championship game. By all accounts, he’s a leader of men and has universal respect from his teammates. That is a must-have for a quarterback prospect, not a nice to have, just ask Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota. Physically, he’s good not great. He certainly lacks the athleticism that all the premier quarterbacks in the NFL under age 40 have. Right there he has a ceiling. But as we’ve seen with Jimmy Garappolo and Jared Goff, you can make it to the Super Bowl with a good, not great, quarterback on a rookie deal. It seems outlandish to say, but Fromm is that guy. He has arm talent, but again isn’t special. His value is in leadership, calm in big games, and a baseline of quarterbacking competence that might not carry his team, but is good enough. I don’t know what the Patriots really think of Jarrett Stidham, but if you bring in Fromm in the 3rd/4th round, pencil him in as the opening day starter. Calling it right now.

Justin Herbert-QB-Oregon-6’6”-236-Top 15-77

Every year this seems to happen. Some traits quarterback flies up draft boards after football is done for the year. What happened in the interim? He didn’t play football, people took measurements, and that’s what you end up valuing. Now I know Justin Herbert has been on the draft radar for a while given his specs, but his recent surge has more to do with the tape measure and Tua’s health than it does with anything Herbert put on tape. Winning the Senior Bowl MVP was important as well. Now physically, he’s got everything. Big frame, big arm, terrific athleticism. Some durability concerns. Physically, he could be Carson Wentz. But is he a leader of men? Unsure, one of his teammates called him “the shyest dude I’ve ever met”. It cannot be overstated how important leadership is to the QB position, but you do not necessarily have to be outspoken, just look at the aforementioned Carson Wentz. The other huge concern I have is that he just looks like Paxton Lynch on the field. That’s not really fair, Herbert played against better competition and had serious success as a Senior. But there’s this nagging feeling watching him run the shotgun roll out offense that he’s the same prospect. The bottomline with Herbert, though there is a lot to like and he has a high ceiling, I just have too many doubts that I’ve seen this rodeo before and I’m not taking the bait. He goes in the Osweiler, Nick Foles category for me which is early 3rd round.

Jacob Eason-QB-Washington-6’6”-231-2nd Day-74

Absolutely jumps off the screen as a Ryan Mallett comp. Basically the same size and arm. Eason has a rifle, but he’s inconsistent to bring his hips into the throw which I think will cause accuracy issues. Jacob was national player of the year coming out of high school and chose to play at Georgia. After starting as a true freshman he got injured in game 1 of his sophomore campaign and Jake Fromm stole the reins and never gave them back. After a year as the QB2 in Athens, Eason transferred back home to lead the Huskies in his final year of eligibility. He excelled, racking up 23 TD’s vs 8 INT’s with 64% completions. The biggest problem with Eason is that he doesn’t really fit in today’s game. Across the league the best QB’s either have play extension skills or they’re ancient guys and future Hall of Famers. This kid has a ceiling of Jared Goff, is that really something you want? Eason has not handled pocket pressure well and cannot escape the pocket. In the NFL in 2020 that means you can’t play quarterback. It’s too bad because the days of Drew Bledsoe and Neil O’Donnell slinging it from the pocket were fun and Jacob Eason would’ve been great in that era. He’ll be a solid backup that can run a max protect offense. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jon Gruden jumps all over this kid.

Jordan Love-QB-Utah State-6’4”-224-2nd-72

Another traits type quarterback who’s gaining some pre-draft steam for entirely unknown reasons. Love was effectively not recruited out of high school having to settle for his only offer and go to Utah State. His first full season as a starter in 2018 was terrific, winning 2nd team all conference honors and putting up over 30 touchdowns while completing 64% of his passes. In 2019 his play slumped, completions were down to 62% and his interceptions jumped to 17. Some people blame coaching turnover and a lack of talent around him. But if you’re going to be an NFL quarterback, you need to be dominant in the Mountain West Conference, period. You need to raise the level of your surrounding talent. So why are people talking about him? Because he’s big, fast, and has a big arm. Never mind that he’s tentative with the ball and has accuracy issues. Plus going into draft season, the biggest job interview season of your life, he gets bagged for marijuana possession. Pun intended. I like that he was a late bloomer and a worker, and his pocket presence and throwing ability reminds me of Jimmy G. But I need to hear leadership stories to make me fall for him and those just aren’t readily available. So throw him in the Brett Hundley file for me. But, Jordan Love is a superstar name so you never know.

Jalen Hurts-QB-Oklahoma-6’1”-222-3rd Round-65

Possibly the strangest college career I can remember. He burst on the scene as a highly touted freshman in the captain’s chair of an incredible Alabama team. Most of his two years starting in Tuscaloosa featured Lane Kiffin molding the offense around Jalen Hurts which meant, hand it off, and for passing: one read and tuck and run. He’s this odd athlete that has tremendous strength and this sneaky speed that looks like he’s not trying very hard. As a quarterback he’s, well, not a quarterback. He could play the position in college, but it’s just not going to happen in the pros. The best he can hope for is a Taysom Hill role, but even that looks over his head. There’s a reason he got benched by Alabama, it’s cause he can’t make plays with his arm. The fact he had success at Oklahoma tells me way more about Lincoln Riley than it does about Jalen. The upshot for Hurts is that he’s already endured a high profile benching, and he handled it with class and always put the team first. Team’s will see that as proof that he’s going to be accepting and helpful as a back-up i.e. Nick Foles. Some guys like Cam Newton, or Jameis Winston do not fit the mold of a team first backup. In the end, you’re drafting a high work ethic backup quarterback who can give some gadget play value and won’t be looking to dethrone the top dog. Tremendous fit in Arizona.