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NEWS AND INFORMATION ON THE NFL DRAFT |
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NEWS AND INFORMATION ON THE NFL DRAFT |
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2013 DRAFT PREVIEW: QBsOverview: While it does not
appear as if any passer is going to be rated as highly as Andrew Luck,
the first player selected at the 2012 draft, its possible that the QB
class for the upcoming draft could be as deep as any in recent years.
Certainly, there is a better
than even chance that a QB will be taken first overall for the 5th
straight year - and for the 11th time in the past 13 drafts - in 2013
as
Matt Barkley of Southern California is currently considered to be the
best overall prospect for the upcomng draft. However, Barkley, who
likely would have been the second player picked this past April had he
not opted to return to school and a shot at a national championship now
that USC is off probation and eligible for the post-season, isn't the
lock that Luck was this past year. Barkley isn't as tall as NFL teams
usually like in a pocket passer and doesn't have the rocket arm
strength that have characterized most of the elite QB prospects in
recent years. Indeed, Barkley could get a serious challenge to be the
top-rated passer this year from Arkansas' Tyler Wilson, while fellow
seniors Landry Jones of
Oklahoma and Florida State's E.J. Manuel should get later first-round
consideration. Meanwhile, athletic Geno Smith of West Virginia and
strong-armed Mike Glennon of North Carolina State head a solid group of
second-day QB prospects for the upcoming draft that also includes Brad
Sorenson of Southern Utah, a one-time BYU recruit who won't get any
face time on national TV anytime soon, but who some scouts feel has the
strongest arm of anyone in this year's draft class
What could make the 2013 draft really interesting at the QB position, though, is the fact that there are a number of juniors with the potential to shake up the top of the draft board. Logan Thomas of Virginia Tech, for example, has started to draw comparisons to Carolina's Cam Newton, the top pick at the 2011 draft who went on to become the first rookie to ever pass for over 4,000 yards in their rookie season last fall. Certainly, the 6-5, 255-pound Thomas has the physical tools to become part of the #1 pick debate if he opts to enter next year's draft, while strong-armed Tyler Bray of Tennessee has top 10 type upside. Then there's Zach Mettenberger who takes over the reins of the LSU offense this fall. Mettenberger has thrown only 11 career passes in D1A football to date, but like Thomas has uncommon size and arm strength and could be a real wild card at the top of the 2013 draft board if he can take advantage of those skills this fall. On the other hand, Georgia's Aaron Murray isn't all that tall and lacks prototype arm strength, but like star NFL QB Drew Brees of New Orleans just makes plays. Top 20 QB Prospects
Sleeper file: Matt Scott of Arizona has bided his time backing up former star Wildcats' QB Nick Foles, a 3rd round pick by Philadelphia at the 2012 draft, but finally gets the job full-time this fall. Scott isn't all that big, but is an accuarate passer who completed over 70% of his pass attempts in 2010 when filling in for an injured Foles. Meanwhile, the Mid-American conference always seems to produce a couple of solid second-tier QB prospects and this year is no difference as Zac Dysert of Miami (Ohio) and Western Michigan's Alex Carder both fit that bill. Southern Utah's Sorenson is the only small-school QB likely to be selected at the 2013 draft, however, several others could get some free-agent looks including Braden Hanson of North Dakota, Murray State's Casey Brockman, Mike Herman of RPI, Ryan Osieki of Kutztown, Mitch Gale of Abilene Christian and Pete Lalich of California (PA). Future file: It wasn't all that long ago that only a small handful of college QBs had much in the way of pro potential, however, that was then as the game has changed radically with the explosion of wide-open passing offenses around the country. This year, for example, in addition to the junior QBs with legitimate first-round potential mentioned above, Casey Pachall of Texas Christian and North Carolina's Bryn Renner would likely be solid second-day prospects for the upcoming draft if they were to opt to leave school this winter, although Pachall will have to explain a failed drug test. At the same time, fellow juniors Jeff Tuel of Washington State, Alabama's A.J. McCarron, Tajh Boyd of Clemson, Washington's Keith Price, Derek Carr of Fresno State, Illinois' Nathan Scheehaase and Kyle Padron, who transferred to Eastern Washington after three years at SMU, each has at least some pro potential. Meanwhile, the top sophomore QBs include Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville, 6-6 Blake Bell of Oklahoma, Jeff Driskel of Florida and Stanford's Brent Nottingham, while redshirt freshman QBs to watch include Brett Hundley of UCLA, Everett Golson of Notre Dame, Ohio State's Braxton Miller and Arizona State's Michael Eubank. Meanwhile, Gunner Kiel, who ultimately ended up at Notre Dame after decommitting from first Indiana and then LSU, along with Florida State's Jameis Winston are the top-rated incoming freshman QBs, while 6-5 Southern Cal commit Max Browne, who hails from Washington, is considered to be the top high school passer in the country. If you have comments or suggestions, e-mail the Editor, Great Blue North Draft Report. The GBN can also be reached by phone at (613) 692-1088 or regular mail at 320 Shadehill Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2J 0L6. Great Blue North Draft Report Privacy Policy. The GREAT
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