Depending on how the organization feels about either Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg this is how I have graded the Top 6 Quarterbacks in this draft... Starting with the top 3 most ready to start day one with the proper team and supporting cast:
Everyone has the belief that Mitchell Trubisky who had a stellar year at my alma mater is the top prospect unfortunately he has more to learn to be a starter at this level... Like other one year wonders, they come from a simplistic offense with basic terminology to work with... Yes he was a very accurate passer, but so was Geno Smith in college that doesn't make him worthy of a Top 10 selection... Trubisky right now shouldn't be draft no earlier than 22nd overall, just because he isn't a day one starter... Yes he showed at his pro day that he is learning to take snaps under center but come on now he took 98% of his snaps at UNC in shotgun formation, remind of you of someone else? He is a high-end quarterback prospect who possesses NFL size, a big arm and the ability to throw with accuracy from the pocket or on the move... Trubisky will have to become much more pocket aware and do a better job of recognizing and attacking blitzes to back NFL defensive coordinators off... He has a high floor and the potential to be great but like I said it would be foolish to hand him the job day one...
The next favorite coming off a National Championship, Deshaun Watson also has a high ceiling but those intangibles are long term not immediate future for those needy quarterback teams... The bottom line is teams will have to weigh the inconsistent field vision and decision-making against his size, athleticism, leadership and production... While not perfect, teams can add checks to both arm and accuracy boxes for Watson... However, discussions about whether or not his areas of improvement can be corrected will likely determine whether a team will view him as a high-upside prospect or a franchise quarterback... Watson's transition from Clemson's offense to a pro-style attack will obviously take time, but his combination of intangibles and athletic ability make him worth a first-round selection, see him after Trubisky around the 25th selection...
The third possible first round selection may shock most of you, but it isn't Mahomes, Kizer or Peterman but it is Miami Hurricane's Brad Kaaya... Kaaya was groomed to be a quarterback from an early age, he flashes the mechanics and intelligence of a player who has spent hours in quarterback camps... Kaaya a three-year starter and pro-style pocket passer... He is experienced and comfortable under center and in play-action offense... He has shown an ability to read the entire field when asked and gets through progressions fairly quickly... He understands his arm limitations and rarely takes unnecessary chances throwing into space. He keeps the ball tucked under his ear until he cuts it loose with relatively quick wrist flick... He delivers feathery soft deep ball with good trajectory and ability to drop the nose of the ball into a bucket...
The next three have been being dissected as first round potential, but the top three above only two may be selected in the first round pushing these guys and the other one above into the top to middle of the second round...
Starting with the best of the next three is Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer... Kizer has the ability to become a quality starter, but has to improve his ball placement and field vision first... DeShone gets stuck on primary read missing out on early openers around field. He may not have eyes or compact release to spot and hit flashing targets... He can be too reliant upon arm strength over mechanics... If he feels a completion is imminent, he'll stand in and take a punishing shot... "He's a bright kid, but I'm not sure he sees what he needs to see all time", NFC Scout..
The next is a gun slinger in Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes... Mahomes is a big, confident quarterback who brings a variety of physical tools to the party, but he's developed some bad habits and doesn't have a very repeatable process as a passer... Mahomes' ability to improvise and extend plays can lead to big plays for his offense, but he will have to prove he can operate with better anticipation and be willing to take what the defense gives him in order to win from the pocket... He will be a work in progress, but he's a high ceiling, low floor prospect...
The final sixth quarterback in this class, is Pittsburgh's Nathan Peterman... Being compared to the Redskins' Kirk Cousins, Peterman boasts' experience in a pro-style passing attack gives him a head start headed into the league... His physical attributes are just average, but his accuracy, composure and anticipation are what sets him apart from some of the more physically gifted quarterbacks in this year's draft... His tape is sure to catch the eye of at least a few teams in need of a quarterback and he should come off the board by day two with a chance to become a solid starting quarterback in the future.
If the Jets do like any of these six prospects they are going to get ripped by the media and by the fan base... As I would condone selecting a prospect like Brad Kaaya with our second round selection, if he falls there he could be able to compete with Hackenberg to start day one... Not saying that is a good thing but the most prepared mechanically and groomed prospect at this position should be able to compete with a good coaching staff in place and reports about John Morton are intriguing that he could be the smartest coach signing in a long time for the Jets' offense... Also hearing the Jets are open to keeping four quarterbacks on the roster again this year...
There is a sleeper prospect that hardly anyone is talking about is California Golden Bear's Davis Webb whom the Jets not only worked out privately but are bringing for a private visit... Unlike the other six, Webb is a system quarterback with more than 65 percent of his attempts coming inside of 10 yards... He has enough raw talent to be considered a developmental prospect... He can drive it with accuracy between hashes when allowed to sling from a clean pocket... Webb shows patience to allow crossing routes to clear traffic. He slides to create cleaner platform to launch from when pocket gets noisy... His internal clock is operational and haas feel for when ball has been in his hands too long and will look to release it...
Everyone has the belief that Mitchell Trubisky who had a stellar year at my alma mater is the top prospect unfortunately he has more to learn to be a starter at this level... Like other one year wonders, they come from a simplistic offense with basic terminology to work with... Yes he was a very accurate passer, but so was Geno Smith in college that doesn't make him worthy of a Top 10 selection... Trubisky right now shouldn't be draft no earlier than 22nd overall, just because he isn't a day one starter... Yes he showed at his pro day that he is learning to take snaps under center but come on now he took 98% of his snaps at UNC in shotgun formation, remind of you of someone else? He is a high-end quarterback prospect who possesses NFL size, a big arm and the ability to throw with accuracy from the pocket or on the move... Trubisky will have to become much more pocket aware and do a better job of recognizing and attacking blitzes to back NFL defensive coordinators off... He has a high floor and the potential to be great but like I said it would be foolish to hand him the job day one...
The next favorite coming off a National Championship, Deshaun Watson also has a high ceiling but those intangibles are long term not immediate future for those needy quarterback teams... The bottom line is teams will have to weigh the inconsistent field vision and decision-making against his size, athleticism, leadership and production... While not perfect, teams can add checks to both arm and accuracy boxes for Watson... However, discussions about whether or not his areas of improvement can be corrected will likely determine whether a team will view him as a high-upside prospect or a franchise quarterback... Watson's transition from Clemson's offense to a pro-style attack will obviously take time, but his combination of intangibles and athletic ability make him worth a first-round selection, see him after Trubisky around the 25th selection...
The third possible first round selection may shock most of you, but it isn't Mahomes, Kizer or Peterman but it is Miami Hurricane's Brad Kaaya... Kaaya was groomed to be a quarterback from an early age, he flashes the mechanics and intelligence of a player who has spent hours in quarterback camps... Kaaya a three-year starter and pro-style pocket passer... He is experienced and comfortable under center and in play-action offense... He has shown an ability to read the entire field when asked and gets through progressions fairly quickly... He understands his arm limitations and rarely takes unnecessary chances throwing into space. He keeps the ball tucked under his ear until he cuts it loose with relatively quick wrist flick... He delivers feathery soft deep ball with good trajectory and ability to drop the nose of the ball into a bucket...
The next three have been being dissected as first round potential, but the top three above only two may be selected in the first round pushing these guys and the other one above into the top to middle of the second round...
Starting with the best of the next three is Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer... Kizer has the ability to become a quality starter, but has to improve his ball placement and field vision first... DeShone gets stuck on primary read missing out on early openers around field. He may not have eyes or compact release to spot and hit flashing targets... He can be too reliant upon arm strength over mechanics... If he feels a completion is imminent, he'll stand in and take a punishing shot... "He's a bright kid, but I'm not sure he sees what he needs to see all time", NFC Scout..
The next is a gun slinger in Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes... Mahomes is a big, confident quarterback who brings a variety of physical tools to the party, but he's developed some bad habits and doesn't have a very repeatable process as a passer... Mahomes' ability to improvise and extend plays can lead to big plays for his offense, but he will have to prove he can operate with better anticipation and be willing to take what the defense gives him in order to win from the pocket... He will be a work in progress, but he's a high ceiling, low floor prospect...
The final sixth quarterback in this class, is Pittsburgh's Nathan Peterman... Being compared to the Redskins' Kirk Cousins, Peterman boasts' experience in a pro-style passing attack gives him a head start headed into the league... His physical attributes are just average, but his accuracy, composure and anticipation are what sets him apart from some of the more physically gifted quarterbacks in this year's draft... His tape is sure to catch the eye of at least a few teams in need of a quarterback and he should come off the board by day two with a chance to become a solid starting quarterback in the future.
If the Jets do like any of these six prospects they are going to get ripped by the media and by the fan base... As I would condone selecting a prospect like Brad Kaaya with our second round selection, if he falls there he could be able to compete with Hackenberg to start day one... Not saying that is a good thing but the most prepared mechanically and groomed prospect at this position should be able to compete with a good coaching staff in place and reports about John Morton are intriguing that he could be the smartest coach signing in a long time for the Jets' offense... Also hearing the Jets are open to keeping four quarterbacks on the roster again this year...
There is a sleeper prospect that hardly anyone is talking about is California Golden Bear's Davis Webb whom the Jets not only worked out privately but are bringing for a private visit... Unlike the other six, Webb is a system quarterback with more than 65 percent of his attempts coming inside of 10 yards... He has enough raw talent to be considered a developmental prospect... He can drive it with accuracy between hashes when allowed to sling from a clean pocket... Webb shows patience to allow crossing routes to clear traffic. He slides to create cleaner platform to launch from when pocket gets noisy... His internal clock is operational and haas feel for when ball has been in his hands too long and will look to release it...
