Starting today and for the next two weeks, we will give you a position-by-position look at the top players in the 2015 NFL Draft through the eyes of the men who scout the players and make the picks.
Four top scouts and NFL executives, who all have earned a Super Bowl ring for their work, spoke to NJ Advance Media about the draft and helped rank the players. They requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak about players.
Here's an alphabetical look at the top five quarterbacks. For their rankings and what team they might go to, click through the slideshow at the bottom.
Garrett Grayson, Colorado State
Measurables: 6-2, 213, 4.60
Stats: Threw for over 7,600 yards the past two years.
Scouts Say: "No, I don't want him. Some team might, but it won't be us.'' ..."We weren't impressed. There's too much that needs to be done.'' ..."Good arm, pretty accurate, too. He just needs to work on mechanics and things like that. He'll be OK.'' ..."If he went to Alabama or Oregon, you would have heard a lot more about him. I think he's going to be pretty good.''
Brett Hundley, UCLA
Measurables: 6-3, 226, 4.63
Stats: Career 75 TDs, 25 interceptions
Scouts Say: "I don't want to kill him, but he's just not that good.'' ..."There are tools there, but he needs time, a lot of time. He's not ready to play.'' ..."There are just too many flaws in his game.'' ..."We're not high on him at all.''
Bryce Petty, Baylor
Measurables: 6-3, 230, 4.87
Stats: 62 TDs and 10 interceptions the past two years.
Scouts Say: "He's not the guy you looking for, at least we aren't.'' ..."It looks like he just locks in one receiver every play. I'm not sure how good he is reading a defense.'' ..."He gets rid of the ball quickly, which is good. But there's not much else I like.'' ..."He had some really good players around him, which made him look a little better than he is.''
Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Measurables: 6-4, 222, 4.52
Stats: 42 TDs and four interceptions last season.
Scouts Say: "In a word, great. He's the best I've seen since (Andrew) Luck. He's everything you want.'' ..."He has it all. If we had the first pick, he'd be ours. But we don't.'' ..."The only knock we have on him, is he's a thrower, not a passer. But he'll work on that. He'll be real good.'' ..."What I like best about him is he's a hard worker. He'll put in the time. That's more important than people realize.''
Jameis Winston, Florida State
Measurables:6-4, 231, 4.90
Stats: After throwing 40 TDs and 10 interceptions in 2013, he threw 25 TDs and 18 interceptions last year.
Scouts Say: "The turnovers bother me as much as the off the field stuff.'' ..."If you can get by the off the field stuff, and we can't, he's really good.'' ..."If he doesn't mature, he's not going to be playing in this league. He has the talent to play, but he needs to grow up in a hurry.'' ..."It's not like we would be in line to take him, anyway, but we don't go near guys like him. There's just too much there.''
http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2015/04/2015_nfl_draft_scouts_take_on_the_top_quarterbacks.html
Four top scouts and NFL executives, who all have earned a Super Bowl ring for their work, spoke to NJ Advance Media about the draft and helped rank the players. They requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak about players.
Here's an alphabetical look at the top five quarterbacks. For their rankings and what team they might go to, click through the slideshow at the bottom.
Garrett Grayson, Colorado State
Measurables: 6-2, 213, 4.60
Stats: Threw for over 7,600 yards the past two years.
Scouts Say: "No, I don't want him. Some team might, but it won't be us.'' ..."We weren't impressed. There's too much that needs to be done.'' ..."Good arm, pretty accurate, too. He just needs to work on mechanics and things like that. He'll be OK.'' ..."If he went to Alabama or Oregon, you would have heard a lot more about him. I think he's going to be pretty good.''
Brett Hundley, UCLA
Measurables: 6-3, 226, 4.63
Stats: Career 75 TDs, 25 interceptions
Scouts Say: "I don't want to kill him, but he's just not that good.'' ..."There are tools there, but he needs time, a lot of time. He's not ready to play.'' ..."There are just too many flaws in his game.'' ..."We're not high on him at all.''
Bryce Petty, Baylor
Measurables: 6-3, 230, 4.87
Stats: 62 TDs and 10 interceptions the past two years.
Scouts Say: "He's not the guy you looking for, at least we aren't.'' ..."It looks like he just locks in one receiver every play. I'm not sure how good he is reading a defense.'' ..."He gets rid of the ball quickly, which is good. But there's not much else I like.'' ..."He had some really good players around him, which made him look a little better than he is.''
Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Measurables: 6-4, 222, 4.52
Stats: 42 TDs and four interceptions last season.
Scouts Say: "In a word, great. He's the best I've seen since (Andrew) Luck. He's everything you want.'' ..."He has it all. If we had the first pick, he'd be ours. But we don't.'' ..."The only knock we have on him, is he's a thrower, not a passer. But he'll work on that. He'll be real good.'' ..."What I like best about him is he's a hard worker. He'll put in the time. That's more important than people realize.''
Jameis Winston, Florida State
Measurables:6-4, 231, 4.90
Stats: After throwing 40 TDs and 10 interceptions in 2013, he threw 25 TDs and 18 interceptions last year.
Scouts Say: "The turnovers bother me as much as the off the field stuff.'' ..."If you can get by the off the field stuff, and we can't, he's really good.'' ..."If he doesn't mature, he's not going to be playing in this league. He has the talent to play, but he needs to grow up in a hurry.'' ..."It's not like we would be in line to take him, anyway, but we don't go near guys like him. There's just too much there.''
http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2015/04/2015_nfl_draft_scouts_take_on_the_top_quarterbacks.html
Bucky Brooks