2019 NFL Draft
Top Quarterbacks
By: Alex Khvatov
If you are in the market for a signal caller in the 2019 NFL Draft, you might be left disappointed. There is no sure thing in this draft. But we heard the same thing during the 2017 NFL Draft when people were questioning Mitchell Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. I was one of those analysts. They certainly proved me wrong.
All three of those first round QB’s led their teams to the playoffs this year. They exceeded expectations and played very well. Patrick Mahomes won the MVP award in his first year as the starter.
Quarterbacks in this year’s class don’t compare to last year’s group when we had five QB’s selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Last year’s group was special. Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Lamar Jackson will rival the 2004 QB class when it is all said and done.
Every year, NFL teams are desperate at QB. The Broncos traded for Joe Flacco, and the Jaguars plan to sign Nick Foles. But we still have the Giants who are looking for a young signal caller to take over for Eli Manning. The Dolphins are prepared to move on from Ryan Tannehill, and Alex Smith will not be able to play in 2019 for the Redskins after his gruesome injury.
Let’s take a look at the four quarterbacks that are being considered in the first round.
Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State) – redshirt sophomore was the starter at Ohio State for only one-year. Ideally, you want a QB to get 30 starts in college under his belt, but Trubisky was drafted with the second overall pick after being a one-year starter at UNC. Haskins is more talented than Trubisky. He has the size, arm strength and a quick release. He is a confident pocket passer who led his team to a Rose Bowl win. You saw his potential of what he could be in the last four games of this season.
Kyler Murray (Oklahoma) – lit up the Big 12 defenses this past year after taking over for the No.1 overall pick Baker Mayfield. He struggled against Alabama in the semifinal playoff game, but most QB’s struggle against Nick Saban’s defense. He exceeded everyone’s expectations. Now he is being talked about as a potential No.1 pick in his own right. The Cardinals are talking about trading Josh Rosen (first round pick in 2018) and possibly building their team around Murray. He is not a fit for every team because of his size, but Drew Brees and Russell Wilson proved that size doesn’t matter. He is a dual threat QB, but he wins from the pocket.
Drew Lock (Missouri) – four-year starter who has played in a lot of big games in the SEC. He is an athletic QB with good size, outstanding arm strength and a quick release. Under the guidance of OC Derek Dooley in 2018, Lock improved his game. Still with so many starts under his belt, you question why he isn’t any better. He struggles with his decision-making and accuracy. You see him get rattled under pressure and come up short against top competition. Still most NFL teams drool over quarterbacks with his physical tools.
Daniel Jones (Duke) – three-year starter with 36 starts under his belt who had the worst supporting cast out of the four QB’s mentioned in this article. His toughness, mental makeup and David Cutcliffe connection will be mentioned every time Jones is talked about in draft conversations. Will he be a better pro than he was in college? His arm strength is nothing to scream about and his accuracy was up and down.
