The quarterback class for the 2014 NFL Draft is not loaded
with perennial Pro Bowlers like we have seen in previous draft classes, most
recently in 2012 with Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. Analysts, scouts, and
fans are divided when it comes to ranking the top quarterbacks, and it will be
interesting to see which quarterback is the first to come off the board on
Draft Day. With that said, the quarterback position is the most important
position in football. A good quarterback can take a team from a 5-11 record to
an 8-8 record, and an elite quarterback can take a team from 5-11 to 10-6.
Conversely, teams that lack a quality, consistent quarterback often struggle to
make the playoffs or even finish above .500 in terms of wins and losses.
The top quarterbacks in the 2014 NFL Draft (rankings are subject to change prior to draft):
Sure, this is David Carr’s brother, and with that label comes mild
anxiety about Derek Carr’s potential in the NFL. But, let’s remember: this is
Derek Carr, not David Carr (#1 overall pick in 2002 NFL Draft). The lessons and challenges that David Carr
experienced during his NFL career have been discussed at length with Derek
Carr, who will undoubtedly benefit from the retrospective lens of his older
brother. Derek was a 3-year starter at Fresno State, finishing 8th
in the Heisman voting in 2013 and winning the Mountain West Player of the Year
Award twice (2012, 2013). Carr torched defenses for 4,104 yards as a junior and
followed up that impressive season by throwing for over 5,000 yards as a
senior, along with 50 TD’s against only 8 interceptions. Carr has a quick
release, a great feel for the game, leadership ability, and a gaudy 113-24 TD-to-interception ratio as a college quarterback. Carr is unlikely to hear his
name called in the top 10 of the Draft, or maybe even the 1st Round,
but I would not be surprised if we look back on this draft class in 4-5 years
and collectively agree that Carr is the best 2014 draft class quarterback in the NFL at that
point. Big Board Ranking: #29
Think about a young, unpolished Ben Roethlisberger (with a little bit
more mobility). That’s Blake Bortles. The “unpolished” part of that description
is the most important and will carry the most weight in determining if Bortles
can become Roethlisberger-esque. Bortles comes into the 2014 NFL Draft with a
lot of momentum from an impressive junior season at UCF where he led the
Knights to a Fiesta Bowl victory over Baylor and passed for 3,581 yards for the
season. Bortles is a solid quarterback prospect. He works hard, loves to learn
about the game, makes plays when the pocket breaks down, and has a strong arm.
He also tends to make unwise decisions when he senses pressure, particularly
when he scrambles to the left side of the field. The Jaguars will give Bortles
a long look at pick #3, which is where I have him projected in my 2014 NFL MockDraft, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him fall all the way out of the top 10
to Tennessee at #11. Big Board Ranking: #31
Amazing. Incredible. Unbelievable. Countless fans have shouted these
words when watching Manziel’s display of elite athleticism and pressured
decision-making at Texas A&M. Manziel is a great competitor. He wants to
win and he will put in the work to make sure he’s prepared to lead his team to
victory. His confident personality can rub off on others as cockiness, but, by
and large, he uses his confidence as positive motivation. If Manziel were 20
lbs. heavier and still maintained his mobility, he would be my #1 quarterback
prospect in this draft. I do not question his skillset or his ability to “learn
the ropes” as an NFL quarterback, but I do question his durability. He’s listed
at 207 lbs., which seems a bit high. He and most cornerbacks share the same
body build: lean and thin. Manziel will make plays in the NFL, and he’ll bring
a lot of fans to the stadium on Sundays, but he will have to avoid the Michael
Vick Syndrome (i.e. injured half of the season…just about every season) if he
wants to be a Pro Bowl-type quarterback. Draft Board Ranking: #32
Bridgewater is an interesting prospect. Had he been able to enter the
2013 NFL Draft, he would have been picked in the top 10, possibly even the top
5. He completed his junior year at Louisville, passing for 3,970 yards, 31 TD’s
and completing 71.0 percent of his passes. That’s an excellent season! Granted,
his stats were semi-inflated by the relatively weaker competition that
Louisville faced on a week-to-week basis, but Bridgewater had a great season,
let’s admit it. Blessed with great toughness, an excellent understanding of the
game, and the ability to read coverages, Bridgewater should be expected to get
a few seasons as a starter in the NFL. His slender build and his somewhat
relaxed personality may cause some NFL GM’s to shy away from selecting him
early in the 1st Round. Bridgewater is also inconsistent when
throwing the long ball (15+ yards), and that inconsistency could keep him from
being selected in the 1st Round as well. Wherever he ends up,
Bridgewater will contend for the starting quarterback position early on. Draft
Board Rating: #39
Who?
Exactly. Garoppolo torched the FCS ranks last season, throwing for 53 TD’s and
over 5,050 yards en route to a great senior season. Garoppolo threw for over
400 yards in five games last season and finished with 399 yards in one game.
Garoppolo possesses a quick release, a sharp mind, and a lot of motivation
stemming from being looked over by nearly every FBS program in the country.
Watch for Garoppolo to come off the board in the 2nd Round and to
contend for a starting quarterback job in the near future. Draft Board Ranking:
#55
