All The Holes and Hype Within the NFL Draft Quarterback Class

There are certainly a lot of questions surrounding this year’s NFL draft quarterback class — and a lot of hype as well. Each player has a ways to go and they probably won’t be able to answer the questions that have followed them for the better part of a half-year at the NFL combine, but they can at least give teams some level of confidence that a corner-turning could be coming in specific areas. Sports Illustrated put together a list of the quarterbacks to keep your eye on.

Sam Darnold, USC: “To me, it’s the turnover issue,” said one AFC GM, referencing Darnold’s 13 picks and 9 lost fumbles in 2017, to Sports Illustrated. “The mental, the character, he’s clean. It’s decision-making and the turnovers that cause you to pause. … He’s a naturally instinctive football player. Doesn’t have dominant arm talent, but he’s good enough there. … And he does have command, and a short-term memory. I like how he responds to turnovers, he bounces right back.”

Josh Rosen, UCLA: He has a big arm, a classic delivery and all the accuracy you could want, plus he’s very intelligent. But can he be a team guy? Can he lead? “He’s considered aloof … so he has to prove he’s a leader of men, he has to get people to buy in,” said one NFC personnel exec. “There’s no question about his talent. If you could combine Darnold’s intangibles with Rosen’s ability, you’d really have something.”

Josh Allen, Wyoming: Allen might just have the strongest arm to come out since Cam Newton. But his production has not come close to matching his talent. “He’s as physically gifted as they come,” said an AFC college scouting director to Sports Illustrated. “And the question is accuracy. He’s big. He’s strong. He has a really strong arm, and he’s plenty athletic. But he’s not as natural as a progression (passing) guy, and his accuracy’s not as good as the others.”

Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma: He’s a Heisman winner, he’s talented. But he’s turned off some teams because of his personality quirks. One NFC exec said, “He’s gotta prove he’s not Johnny Manziel.”