2018 Draft Eligible QB Thread

[Rich7sena]

38 minutes ago, Bullet Club said:

So is everyone "back in" on Darnold? He started off the season slower than expected but he's been pretty damn good since. Haven't heard nearly as much critiquing of him lately.

I don't think anyone with sense on him as a player were "out" on Darnold even after the bad start. I expect he's still at the top of boards for most NFL teams.

[Mox]

26 minutes ago, Rich7sena said:

I don't think anyone with sense on him as a player were "out" on Darnold even after the bad start. I expect he's still at the top of boards for most NFL teams.

I meant more on this board.

[Da_Ducktator]

1 hour ago, Bullet Club said:

I meant more on this board.

I never once backed down on Darnold. I've said countless times that his combination of tools and what he has displayed football acumen-wise are great. The high majority of Darnold's turnovers have come from trusting his arm and/or receivers, not bad decision-making. Rosen is really clean tool-wise compared to Darnold, but Rosen makes at least a pair of really head-scratching throws every game. Most of the USC game, Rosen was great, but that interception was a bad play. Telegraphed the play the whole time and threw it right at safety whole barely moved an inch on the play.

Darnold needs work mechanically, Rosen needs work mentally, and Allen needs work in every aspect. Tool-wise, they all clearly have it. I prefer Darnold to Rosen because I think you can fix slight mechanical issues more than glaring bad decisions. 

[Elusive_Tiger]

Why do some people solely use QB numbers as justification? Check out college numbers from Favre, Marino, Montana, Stafford, Ryan, Vick, Jim Kelly,  Moon, etc etc.

[TecmoSuperJoe]

11 hours ago, Rich7sena said:

I don't think anyone with sense on him as a player were "out" on Darnold even after the bad start. I expect he's still at the top of boards for most NFL teams.

If we didn't have Jimmy G, this is the guy I wanted. 

[CWood21]

4 hours ago, Elusive_Tiger said:

Why do some people solely use QB numbers as justification? Check out college numbers from Favre, Marino, Montana, Stafford, Ryan, Vick, Jim Kelly,  Moon, etc etc.

...different eras...

[Rich7sena]

I’m still watching Benkert and I still like him. So far I’ve seen him against Indiana, Miami, and Georgia Tech in 2017 and he’s definitely an NFL talent with starting potential. I also watched some of his 2016 tape and you can see a rea tangible leap from year to year. I don’t think he was draftable in 2016.

My quarterback rankings right:

1. Sam Darnold - top 5: A natural seeing the field and anticpating throws. Good athlete who can evade rushers and make plays late in the down. Decision making will have to be cleaned up. Release is what it is.
2. Baker Mayfield - top 15: I’ll usually say if you’re willing to take a QB in the top 15 you should be willing to take him top 5, but Mayfield is a special case. I do believe he’s a natural at the position (throwing and seeing the field comes easy to him). I’m not concerned about size. My chief concern is play style and personality. He plays a bit like Russell Wilson but lacks the athleticism to justify his play style in the NFL. Personality is a chief concern for me.
3. Josh Rosen - end of round 1/round 2: I’ve been much lower on Rosen than the consensus. He reminds me a bit of Jimmy Clausen in his play style. He thrives in structure and even then the results aren’t always pristine. Too many throws seemingly to nowhere. Arm strength ebbs and flows according to how comfortable he is.
4. Lamar Jackson - end of round 1/round 2: Great athlete but mediocre as a passer. Running makes up for a lot but I’m not sure how his frame will hold up season after season. Take away his legs and he’s virtually de-fanged in my eyes. Reminds me of Tyrod Taylor with a narrower frame, less big of an arm, but better field vision and better runner (in short, he’s nothing like Tyrod Taylor).
5. Kurt Benkert - round 2: Not a natural at the position but his leap from 2016 to 2017 shows he’s coachable. Good size, athleticism, and enough arm to evolve into a starter in the NFL. Miami game is as good a showing as anyone’s on this list.

[Jlash]

30 minutes ago, Rich7sena said:

but lacks the athleticism to justify his play style in the NFL

It's not like he's taking off in a read option and running the ball 20 times a game. I think his athleticism will be huge at the next level, because he doesn't just put his head down and run. Seems like he does a great job of extending plays by scrambling rather than running just to run.

[Rich7sena]

25 minutes ago, Jlash said:

It's not like he's taking off in a read option and running the ball 20 times a game. I think his athleticism will be huge at the next level, because he doesn't just put his head down and run. Seems like he does a great job of extending plays by scrambling rather than running just to run.

His line offers him great protection -- better than any other QB prospects in this class. What I see more often with Mayfield is he'll threaten the line of scrimmage to create chaos within the defense and through that chaos he'll uncover a receiver. It's a great strategy and it works great for the system he's in and against the opponents he plays -- and it's something Wilson does routinely in the NFL -- but I'm not sure it's a tactic that will translate well for him in the NFL.

Still, it's not a chief concern of mine. His personality is what's keeping him from being a top 5 pick for me.

[CWood21]

2 hours ago, Rich7sena said:

Baker Mayfield - top 15: I’ll usually say if you’re willing to take a QB in the top 15 you should be willing to take him top 5, but Mayfield is a special case. I do believe he’s a natural at the position (throwing and seeing the field comes easy to him). I’m not concerned about size. My chief concern is play style and personality. He plays a bit like Russell Wilson but lacks the athleticism to justify his play style in the NFL. Personality is a chief concern for me.

He doesn't have to be a huge running threat, I mean how deadly is Aaron Rodgers' escapability?  I'd argue that Mayfield has that same sort of mobility, and that's HUGE in terms of creating separation for his receivers.

[Calvert28]

6 hours ago, Rich7sena said:

I’m still watching Benkert and I still like him. So far I’ve seen him against Indiana, Miami, and Georgia Tech in 2017 and he’s definitely an NFL talent with starting potential. I also watched some of his 2016 tape and you can see a rea tangible leap from year to year. I don’t think he was draftable in 2016.

My quarterback rankings right:

1. Sam Darnold - top 5: A natural seeing the field and anticpating throws. Good athlete who can evade rushers and make plays late in the down. Decision making will have to be cleaned up. Release is what it is.
2. Baker Mayfield - top 15: I’ll usually say if you’re willing to take a QB in the top 15 you should be willing to take him top 5, but Mayfield is a special case. I do believe he’s a natural at the position (throwing and seeing the field comes easy to him). I’m not concerned about size. My chief concern is play style and personality. He plays a bit like Russell Wilson but lacks the athleticism to justify his play style in the NFL. Personality is a chief concern for me.
3. Josh Rosen - end of round 1/round 2: I’ve been much lower on Rosen than the consensus. He reminds me a bit of Jimmy Clausen in his play style. He thrives in structure and even then the results aren’t always pristine. Too many throws seemingly to nowhere. Arm strength ebbs and flows according to how comfortable he is.
4. Lamar Jackson - end of round 1/round 2: Great athlete but mediocre as a passer. Running makes up for a lot but I’m not sure how his frame will hold up season after season. Take away his legs and he’s virtually de-fanged in my eyes. Reminds me of Tyrod Taylor with a narrower frame, less big of an arm, but better field vision and better runner (in short, he’s nothing like Tyrod Taylor).
5. Kurt Benkert - round 2: Not a natural at the position but his leap from 2016 to 2017 shows he’s coachable. Good size, athleticism, and enough arm to evolve into a starter in the NFL. Miami game is as good a showing as anyone’s on this list.

I agree with this statement completely and have always thought this too. W/e ever your prospect rankings are, if you have 2 players 1 at QB and the other lets say at CB ranked round about the same. You should always have the mind set to take them 5 or 10 spots ahead of where you would draft everyone else ranked there due to the nature of the position. QB's will always be worth that much more then another position. 

[Iamcanadian]

15 hours ago, Rich7sena said:

I’m still watching Benkert and I still like him. So far I’ve seen him against Indiana, Miami, and Georgia Tech in 2017 and he’s definitely an NFL talent with starting potential. I also watched some of his 2016 tape and you can see a rea tangible leap from year to year. I don’t think he was draftable in 2016.

My quarterback rankings right:

1. Sam Darnold - top 5: A natural seeing the field and anticpating throws. Good athlete who can evade rushers and make plays late in the down. Decision making will have to be cleaned up. Release is what it is.
2. Baker Mayfield - top 15: I’ll usually say if you’re willing to take a QB in the top 15 you should be willing to take him top 5, but Mayfield is a special case. I do believe he’s a natural at the position (throwing and seeing the field comes easy to him). I’m not concerned about size. My chief concern is play style and personality. He plays a bit like Russell Wilson but lacks the athleticism to justify his play style in the NFL. Personality is a chief concern for me.
3. Josh Rosen - end of round 1/round 2: I’ve been much lower on Rosen than the consensus. He reminds me a bit of Jimmy Clausen in his play style. He thrives in structure and even then the results aren’t always pristine. Too many throws seemingly to nowhere. Arm strength ebbs and flows according to how comfortable he is.
4. Lamar Jackson - end of round 1/round 2: Great athlete but mediocre as a passer. Running makes up for a lot but I’m not sure how his frame will hold up season after season. Take away his legs and he’s virtually de-fanged in my eyes. Reminds me of Tyrod Taylor with a narrower frame, less big of an arm, but better field vision and better runner (in short, he’s nothing like Tyrod Taylor).
5. Kurt Benkert - round 2: Not a natural at the position but his leap from 2016 to 2017 shows he’s coachable. Good size, athleticism, and enough arm to evolve into a starter in the NFL. Miami game is as good a showing as anyone’s on this list.

Well, it is looking like as many as 7 or 8 QB's could go round 1 and Benkert isn't getting mentioned yet as one of them. This is definitely, potentially, one of the great QB's drafts of all time with as many as 3 going in the top 5, Darnold, Rosen and Jackson. Mayfield top 15 to 20 and Josh Allen and Rudolph a little later, with Finley and Stidham following them.

Benkert will have his shot possibly at the Senior Bowl and the Combine to prove he belongs among these prospects. Till then, we will just have to wait and see.

[CWood21]

15 hours ago, Iamcanadian said:

Well, it is looking like as many as 7 or 8 QB's could go round 1 and Benkert isn't getting mentioned yet as one of them. This is definitely, potentially, one of the great QB's drafts of all time with as many as 3 going in the top 5, Darnold, Rosen and Jackson. Mayfield top 15 to 20 and Josh Allen and Rudolph a little later, with Finley and Stidham following them.

Benkert will have his shot possibly at the Senior Bowl and the Combine to prove he belongs among these prospects. Till then, we will just have to wait and see.

I'm really, really hoping you're just taking an incredibly optimistic approach here.  Dating back to 2000, we've never had more than 4 QBs go in the 1st round.  I don't see any reason why this is gonna change this year.  Rosen and Darnold are near mortal locks to be selected in the 1st round.  And then you get into the Baker Mayfield, Lamar  Jackson, and Josh Allen tier where they could go in the top first round.

[Iamcanadian]

7 hours ago, CWood21 said:

I'm really, really hoping you're just taking an incredibly optimistic approach here.  Dating back to 2000, we've never had more than 4 QBs go in the 1st round.  I don't see any reason why this is gonna change this year.  Rosen and Darnold are near mortal locks to be selected in the 1st round.  And then you get into the Baker Mayfield, Lamar  Jackson, and Josh Allen tier where they could go in the top first round.

The GBN is a very respectable draft site and has ranked top 5 in its top 100 on many occasions and their latest 1st round projection, has 7 QB's going in round 1.

Now that may well change after NFL.com starts predicting the draft and Mayock comes out with his projections, but right now, at his stage of the draft process, it looks feasible that an awful lot of QB's could get picked in round 1. I have been predicting around 6 since the start of the draft process and I am pretty good at this having been a draftnik for around 65 years, that's how strong I think the QB position is for the 2018 draft, but they are saying it could be even higher, so it could be a really interesting draft for QB desperate teams???

[Chargers]

What is Josh Allen stock this year? Any chance he could be a franchise QB.