QB1
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I’m starting off the positional ranks for the 2021 NFL Draft with the strongest positional groups in the class.
Quarterback prospects light the fires of fans and general managers more than any other position. This is especially true this year with six quarterbacks with first round potential, including four in the top 10.
Over the next eight weeks, workouts and the interview process will give teams a better idea of physical and mental development of these soon-to-be rookie quarterbacks. Whether it’s top end talent or depth, 2021 signal callers class stacks up favorably against any class this decade.
1.Trevor Lawrence, Clemson: The number one quarterback, the number one prospect and soon to be the number one pick.
As a three-year starter at Clemson, Lawrence has full command of the offense, setting the protection and running the show. He went 34-2 as a starter for the Tigers, including three straight playoff appearances and the 2018 National Title.
Lawrence stands six foot six inches, and weighs 213 pounds. I think Lawrence is a generational talent with size, athleticism, arm talent, processing speed, and intangibles.
- Zach Wilson, BYU: A three-year starter at BYU, Wilson was a productive starter doing a little bit of everything, including traditional, five wide and option plays.
Although the competition was underwhelming, he produced dynamically; setting records for single season completion percentage, and accounting for 43 total touchdowns.
Wilson doesn’t have an ideal NFL body, but his natural accuracy, off platform skills and ability to make spontaneous decisions translate to NFL talent.
- Justin Fields, Ohio State: A two-year starter at Ohio State, Fields was one of the top college football players the last two seasons.
With Jake Fromm blocking him at Georgia, Fields transferred to Columbus in 2019 and needed only 21 games to get number two in Ohio State’s career passing touchdown record book.
Fields is arguably the most accurate quarterback in the draft class. He is a legitimate threat as a runner and has the arm strength to flip a ball 60 plus yards without a slow wind up.
- Trey Lance, North Dakota State: A one year starter at North Dakota State, Lance is a dual threat quarterback, who is following in the footsteps of Carson Wentz.
Lance has a prodigious physical skill set. The ball shoots out of his hand differently than anyone else in this class. His accuracy is the lowest of any quarterback in this top ten by nearly 10 percent. When you have his level tools, that’s a project worth developing.
- Mac Jones, Alabama: A one year starter at Alabama, Jones was a prolific passer and set an NCAA single season record for completion percentage (77.4) and the first player in Alabama history to throw for 4,500 passing yards in a single season.
The tools are average at best. Jones will be the ultimate debate at the position on performance versus physical ability.
That being said, he was never a detriment to the offense.
- Kyle Trask, Florida: A two-year starter at Florida, Trask lit up the scoreboard this past season to 43 touchdowns in 13 SEC games.
He has ideal size at 6 foot 5, 240 pounds and NFL arm talent, but not quite on the level of the guys at the top of the class.
Trask understands where to go with the football and is at his best when he can loft throws into the window. However, his accuracy can’t be described as pinpoint, his lack of mobility troubles him against pressure and there is a noticeable lack of zip on his throws.
7-10: Davis Mills, Stanford, Ian Book, Notre Dame, Kellen Mond, Texas A&M, and Jamie Newman, Wake Forest/Georgia.
As recent history has proven, players don’t have to be drafted in the first round to be an NFL starting quarterback (Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson, and THE GOAT Tom Brady).
