2011 NFL Draft Preview- Quarterbacks

Its no secret that having a franchise quarterback is necessary to winning in the NFL. Sure, you can win without one, but if your team isn’t the ’85 Bears or the ’00 Ravens, what chance do you have? Here’s some food for thought. All four quarterbacks from the remaining teams in the playoffs (Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Mark Sanchez) were first round picks. Obviously being a first round pick isn’t the most important thing, but a good signal caller can be the difference between 4-12 and 11-5.

Cam Newton is probably one of the more hyped quarterbacks entering the draft this year. He’s a huge guy, he’s very mobile for someone his size and he’s got a great arm. A lot of people question his decision making and his character off the field. I don’t think that he’s the best quarterback coming out but if Tim Tebow is worth taking in the first round, so is Cam Newton. He seems to be a fierce competitor and I think that the team that selects him has to give him an opportunity to succeed. Thrusting him into a situation where he’s the man right away won’t help him.

Blaine Gabbert is an intriguing player because I think that he’s got a great arm and he’s the epitome of a pocket passer. That being said, he has absolutely no mobility. He’s a little slower than most and doesn’t move well outside of the pocket. I’d like to see what he’s capable of doing on the run. I think he’ll be a top 20 pick but for his sake I hope the team that drafts him has a decent offensive line.

I personally believe that Ryan Mallett is the best quarterback prospect in this year’s draft. He’s big, he can play in and out of the pocket, he’s experienced and the kid puts up numbers. He’s gotten better every year since he started out at Michigan.

Coming into the season, everyone thought that Jake Locker was the best quarterback in the country. Those same people don’t feel the same way. I haven’t soured on Locker at all, but Mallett has edged him out over the course of the season. The good news is that Locker has the benefit of showcasing his skills in the Senior Bowl. Locker is a great passer out of the pocket. In fact, his numbers are way better outside the pocket than they are while standing in the pocket.

Another quarterback that should look to benefit in the Senior Bowl is Andy Dalton. A four year starter at TCU, Dalton‘s always been consistent, even if his numbers didn’t reflect that. And if his play wasn’t enough, he’s helped the program gain some legitimacy as it looks to join the Big East in the coming years.

I think this year’s crop of quarterbacks is relatively deep without having anyone in particular that blows you away. When I look at this year’s prospects, I see a lot of solid players that can contribute but not right away. Some other names to consider as we approach the Senior Bowl and the combine are Greg McElroy from Alabama, Florida State‘s Christian Ponder, Pat Devlin, who transferred from Penn State to Delaware, Tyrod Taylor from Virginia Tech, Iowa‘s Ricky Stanzi, TJ Yates from UNC, and Mitch Mustain who started out at Arkansas but ended up as a backup at USC.