Chris Fedor updated his top-ten 2014 Quarterback draft prospect list.
Seems we will hear one of these names next May. Its really early but already it appears the top-two names our starting to take root on many draft lists as the top-two QBs and considering how many teams are seeking franchise QBs its not likely we would have a shot at them so ther names are ones to file away.
I have only got brief glimpses of the top-two guys and I think they are probably the top-two quarterbacks who will be selected.
I feel Hoyer can and will act as a bridge. He has earned another look so we don't need to shove a rookie into the mix right away. We can afford to take a guy and allow him to develop and next year's QB crop is said to be deep but not as saturated with talent at the top as 2012.
I haven't followed college ball much so any useful takes on what you may have seen of guys mentioned on this list?
I'm sure some of you have seen these guys more than I have. If nothing this is a good snapshot of where some of the top quarterbacks stand today.
http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2013/11/2013_college_quarterback_repor_1.html
2013 College Quarterback Report: A new player debuts in the Top 10
By
Chris Fedor
November 05, 2013 at 11:05 AM, updated November 05, 2013 at 11:06 AM
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[SIZE=1em]CLEVELAND, Ohio - The college football regular season is winding down. Upsets have been one of the stories of the season.[/SIZE]
But there's another running theme. It's the amount of quarterbacks that have captured the nation's attention. It seems like there is a new name every week. This year's group comes in all different sizes and ages. There are seniors, underclassmen, pocket passers, dual threat weapons and even a freshman (Jameis Winston) to keep an eye on. However, what once looked like a very promising class continues to lose luster with some top prospects (Tajh Boyd and Brett Hundley) struggling.
There is a drop-off after the first three and a[SIZE=1em]t this point, I think there are only four worthy of first round consideration. Sorry Jameis Winston fans, you will have to wait till next year's quarterback report to see him at the top of the list.[/SIZE]
1. Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville
6-3, 196 lbs., Junior
Yearly stats:179-243 (73.7%), 2557 yards, 23 TDs, 2 INTs
Most recent game:Win at South Florida, 34-3. 25-29 (86.2%), 344 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT. Had a bye in Week 10.
Analysis: Bridgewater puts up numbers on a weekly basis that are staggering and he makes it look easy. Sometimes so much so that questions about his passion and leadership might start to creep up in the future. I'm not worried about that. I'm also not worried about the schedule that he plays against because as good as the numbers are, that's not why he's at the top of this list. He sits at No. 1 because of who he is as a QB. Bridgewater possesses a strong arm while at the same time understanding when touch is needed. He runs a pro style offense, making a number of changes at the line of scrimmage himself. And he has great pocket awareness with an ability to throw the ball accurately in the face of a rush. There isn't a single trait that you'd want in a quarterback that this kid doesn't have.
Last week's ranking: No. 1
2. Marcus Mariota, Oregon
6-4, 211 lbs., RS Sophomore
Yearly stats: Passing - 144-225 (64%), 2281 yards, 20 TDs, 0 INT.
Rushing – 56 attempts, 511 yards, 9 TDs
Most recent game: Win vs. UCLA, 42-14. Passing – 21-28 (75%), 230 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. Had a bye in Week 10.
Rushing – 7 carries, 18 yards, 0 TD.
Analysis: He is the only quarterback in the class that could eventually overtake the top spot from Bridgewater. He closes the gap every week. Mariota has the size, athleticism, arm strength and accuracy that teams covet. Like Bridgewater, he is also always poised and under control. He has also shown tremendous growth as a passer. When teams have taken away his legs, like UCLA did two weeks ago, he has shown the ability to carve up the opposition through the air. If there is a knock on him, it's the system he plays in, but one look at him and you can see that he is not just a "system" quarterback. He will have a great test against a tough, physical Stanford defense on Thursday night.
Last week's ranking: No. 2
3. Johnny Manziel, Texas A & M
6-1, 210 lbs., RS Sophomore
Yearly stats: Passing – 200-276 (72.5%), 2867 yards, 26 TDs, 8 INTs
Rushing – 96 carries, 564 yards, 8 TDs
Most recent game: Win vs. UTEP, 57-7. Passing – 16-24 (66.7%), 273 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs.
Rushing – 7 carries, 67 yards, 2 TDs
Analysis: Manziel won the Heisman Trophy last year as a freshman and he's even better this year despite some key losses (OT Luke Joeckel and WR Ryan Swope) on offense. The first thing people will talk about is his off-the-field concerns. Those issues are undeniable, but so is his ability to make magic when he steps between the lines. The danger of playing against Johnny Football is that a team can do everything perfect on defense (coverage, assignments, pressure) and he can still make them pay with his arm or his legs. He has a great understanding of the position and is a natural playmaker. He has been overshadowed a bit by some of the other quarterbacks, but there hasn't been a game yet where he's disappointed.
Last week's ranking: No. 3
4. Brett Hundley, UCLA
6-3 222 lbs., RS Sophomore
Yearly stats: Passing - 165-242 (68.2%), 1998 yards, 16 TDs, 8 INTs
Rushing – 98 carries, 431 yards, 6 TDs
Most recent game: Win vs. Colorado, 45-23. Passing – 19-24 (79.2%), 273 yards 2 TDs, 0 INT.
Rushing – 11 carries, 72 yards, 2 TDs
Analysis: He needed that kind of bounce-back game after his clunker on the big stage against Oregon. That was the kind of game that has some salivating over his potential. The key word there is potential. It just doesn't happen enough for him. Too often, Hundley looks befuddled and gets baited into a few horrendous and head-scratching throws per game. The natural talent is there, but he needs at least one more year with the Bruins. With proper coaching, he could end up being elite.
Last week's ranking: No. 4
5. Zach Mettenberger, LSU
6-5, 230 lbs., RS Senior
Yearly stats: 151-231 (65.4%), 2492 yards, 19 TDs, 7 INTs
Most recent game: Win vs. Furman, 48-16. 16-24 (66.7%), 274 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs. Had a Week 10 bye.
Analysis: Mettenberger is the most improved quarterback in college football, and will get a great test this weekend against Alabama. With dual-threat QB's taking over the college game, Mettenberger is a classic drop-back passer with a cannon for an arm. He's more comfortable this season and more confident. His ability to deliver the ball in the face of a rush is a trait that is not easy to find. I can't wait to see how he plays against the Tide.
Last week's ranking: No. 5
6. Derek Carr, Fresno State
6-3, 218 lbs., RS Senior
Yearly stats: 290-419 (69.2%), 3061 yards, 28 TDs, 4 INTs
Most recent game: Win vs. Nevada, 41-23. 39-55 (70.9%), 487 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT
Analysis: All of his past immaturity issues seem to be behind him. He has made tremendous growth this season. Carr, the brother of 2002 first-overall pick David, is putting up huge numbers in his final season. He can make the big throws downfield and doesn't fade away as much as he used to. His accuracy becomes spotty on the shorter tosses and it will be a transition for him when he is asked to take snaps under center and read a defense, but the tools are there and he makes "wow" throws on a weekly basis.
Last week's ranking: No. 8
7. Tajh Boyd, Clemson
6-1, 225 lbs., RS Senior
Yearly stats: Passing – 192-292 (65.8%), 2620 yards, 20 TDs, 6 INTs
Rushing – 100 carries, 194 yards, 7 TDs
Most recent game: Win at Maryland, 40-27. Passing – 24-29 (82.8%), 377 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT.
Rushing – 7 carries, minus 25 yards, 1 TD
Analysis: There is no player that has hurt his draft stock more this year than Boyd. Has he already reached his ceiling? He had a shaky outing against Florida State two weeks ago and looks nothing like the player he was in 2012. The size has always been a point of contention, but it's his spotty accuracy, sloppy footwork and locking in on targets that continue to plague him. The numbers were tremendous against Maryland this past weekend, but it will take a lot more than that to get his slipping stock to go back in a positive direction.
Last week's ranking: No. 6
8. A.J. McCarron, Alabama
6-4, 214 lbs., RS Senior
Yearly stats: 145-209 (69.4%), 1862 yards, 16 TDs, 3 INTs
Most recent game: Win vs. Tennessee, 45-10. 19-27 (70.4%), 275 yards, 2 TD, 0 INTs. [SIZE=1em]Had a Week 10 bye.[/SIZE]
Analysis: McCarron will be the most difficult quarterback in the class to evaluate. Is he as good as he's going to be? Is he a product of the team around him? Surrounded by some of college football's most talented players, McCarron could win another National Championship, but the winning doesn't always translate to the next level. His arm strength is still a concern and I think he's still too inaccurate on the deep throws. He is a solid, but not spectacular quarterback prospect that will hover around this ranking all year.
Last week's ranking: No. 7
9. Bryce Petty, Baylor
6-3, 230 lbs., RS Junior
Yearly stats: Passing – 122-176 (69.3%), 2453 yards, 18 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing – 28 carries, 73 yards, 6 TDs
Most recent game: Win at Kansas, 59-14. Passing – 20-32 (62.5%), 430 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT.
[SIZE=1em]Rushing – 4 carries, 22 yards, 1 TD. [/SIZE][SIZE=1em]Had a Week 10 bye.[/SIZE]
Analysis: Petty has followed in the footsteps of Kevin Kolb, Case Keenum and Robert Griffin III as protégé's of Baylor head coach Art Briles. Petty has burst onto the scene this year and has Baylor dreaming of a national title. This weekend will be a big test. The Sooners will provide more resistance than any other opponent yet. Petty has the size and throws the best deep in college football. He could continue his rise with a strong showing Thursday night.
Last week's ranking: No. 9
10. Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech
6-6, 257 lbs., Senior
Yearly stats: Passing – 167-300 (55.7%), 2056 yards, 11 TDs, 12 INTs
Rushing – 121 carries, 296 yards, 4 TDs
Most recent game: Loss at Boston College, 34-27. Passing –24-41 (58.5%), 391 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs.
Rushing – 20 carries, 38 yards, 0 TD.
Analysis: Many have soured on Thomas, including myself. I understand why. He has not become the player many expected. This year, he has more interceptions than touchdowns and still makes far too many critical errors. But Thomas, a former tight end, is still new to the position and Virginia Tech has been a mess the last few seasons. Whether it's been a lack of a running game, losing his receivers following a strong sophomore year or a change in coordinators, Thomas hasn't had much stability. Make no mistake, he still has a long ways to go, but he's not in the Top 10 because of who he is right now. He's on this list because of what he could become in the future if he finally develops. The arm strength and athleticism can't be taught. I think with better coaching, the talent can be brought out of him.
Last week's ranking: NA
