Ranking The Projected 1st and 2nd Round Quarterbacks

 Ranking The Projected 1st and 2nd Round Quarterbacks 

         

The NFL Draft is nearly a week away which will be a life changing night for many players and franchises. Teams will be looking to find the player that’ll take their team to the next level. Some as a cornerstone for their next era others looking for that one player that could bring them a step closer to a Super Bowl. Some teams are drafting for the future others are drafting for the right now. These young players will watch their dreams come true. Others will have to wait longer than others. Couple players may be shocked how late they’re picked, others may be shocked at how early they were chosen. Either way we won’t have all the answers after the NFL Draft. We don’t know who will be the best pick, who’s the steal, who’s the bust. We won’t have these answers until 15-20 years from now when the last player in the 2021 draft class hangs up their cleats. Until then we only get to speculate. Which we will definitely do. One of the most important positions in all sports, the quarterback. The 2021 NFL Draft is a heavily loaded quarterback draft. Many teams will be looking for their guy of the future. As draft coverage goes on we think that the professionals have missed on their rankings just for the draft. So we are coming with our own. We decided to rank the top quarterback choices in the first and second round. Who we think will be the best for any team's future. Here are the next best quarterbacks of the NFL ranked. 

7 Davis Mills (Senior) Stanford University- Mills has been looked at as a heavily wanted prospect for most of his career. In a deep quarterback draft Davis drops to the last spot for top talented quarterbacks in his draft class. Davis is from Atlanta but decided to choose the west coast Harvard in Stanford to continue his football career. Davis was named the starter his Junior season after K.J. Costello decided to transfer to Mississippi State. Mills in past drafts probably would be looked at in higher regard. However the game has changed and teams are looking for more of the Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Russell Wilson type of quarterback. Yes of course a team wants that talent but we are talking about the style. Strong arm, can be a pocket passer, or can move outside the pocket, and make the best decision whether he should throw or run. Mills is a pocket passer and he has very low mobility outside the pocket. Mills has a problem with the blitz and playing chess with defenses. Mills needs time in the pocket but if he gets that he will light up defenses. Mills has a very strong arm and is very accurate. He just has limited film, not mobile, and is in his development stage. If you have time to develop a quarterback draft Mills but he won’t be the man right away or maybe ever. 

Projected: 2nd-3rd Round 

Best Team for Mills: Chicago Bears 

6 Kyle Trask (Senior) Florida University- 

First one on our list is the Gators gunslinger for the last two seasons Kyle Trask. Trask from Texas but grew hating the Longhorns and loving the Gators which is so odd we had to mention the fact. Trask was a transfer from the University Houston. He redshirted his first year in Gainesville due to a foot injury. Trask became the starter for Florida his Junior year. Trask had an incredible senior year leading the country in touchdowns with 43 and finishing second in passing yards with 4,283 yards. He’s improved his completion percentage every year he was in Gainesville. His QB rating took a fourth point jump in his sophomore year to his senior year (140 to 180). The problem with Trask is he won’t take your offense to another level. Trask will be most effective with weapons around him. He needs time to throw and playmakers around him especially early. Trask doesn’t have the best accuracy but it’s pretty damn good. He can drop dimes in from deep at any time. Trask has amazing arm strength as well. The big problem is reading defenses. Scouts are worried that Task will fail to play chess at the NFL level. He also needs work on staring down receivers. Task has been known to not play chess with his eyes and don’t draw safeties away from specific coverages. Task from me has a very high ceiling but could also a very low floor. He’s a hit or miss but the hit could change your franchise. 

Projected: 2nd-3rd round 

Best Team For Task: New Orleans Saints 

5 Mac Jones (Junior) Alabama- 

Yes that’s me ranking Mac Jones the lowest projected first round quarterback. Many before the draft process began didn’t talk that highly of Jones. He was looked at as a poor man's Tom Brady. That same kind of style is patient in the pocket, no mobility at all, but has an amazing arm, knowledge of the game, and amazing work ethic. Which are very high qualities to have. For me that assessment of Jones hasn’t changed. For me Jones has a great head on his shoulders. Jones was originally going to University of Kentucky to become the starter. However Jones decided to go to Alabama instead and develop in a pro style offense. Jones is committed to his journey and his craft that’s clear. Jones had an amazing first and only season starting for Alabama throwing for 4500 yards, 41 touchdown passes, and taking home the National Championship. However for me he was given the best options and a lot of riches. His receivers are beating corners off the line by 5-10 yards, he has an elite offensive line so he gets all day, his defense doesn’t give up many points, and he had a first round running back if he started to struggle. For me Jones being pressured early could be a problem since he’s really not used to that. He wasn’t looked at so highly but now he’s going to be the third quarterback off the board ahead of Lance and Fields which doesn’t make sense to me. There’s still too many questions for me to choose Jones ahead of any of the other first round quarterback choices. 

Projected: 1st Round 

Best Team for Jones: San Francisco 49ers 

4 Trey Lance (Sophomore) North Dakota State- To be honest Lance is my fourth best quarterback right now but the night before the draft that could change. Trey Lance has a very interesting background and he’s just barely sitting at four he definitely could be the third. In his Sophomore season he took over the starting role at the elite FCS program of North Dakota State. The same sub division one program that produced Carson Wentz. In that season Lance led the team to 16 straight wins, and leading them to an FCS title. He ranked second in the FCS in yards per pass attempt (9.7 per, 2,786 total yards) and fifth in completion percentage (66.9%). Lance was ranked tenth in rushing and also did not throw an interception. Lance didn’t get to show his improvements as COVID-19 cancelled the FCS 2020 season. Lance was originally recruited to be a safety but decided to go to NDSU to prove he’s a quarterback. Lance is super athletic, has a strong arm, has been known to be a film junkie, you can put him in any passing system, he takes care of the ball well, and moves the chain in many ways. Lance’s experience is a concern considering he was playing lower division one football teams and had a season cancelled. He will only be 20 on night of the draft so Lance may be a project. However the project could be worth everything. Lance has the talent to be a franchise quarterback and to be that Mahomes like talent. He has a very high ceiling but if not developed right could be an injury prone backup and third stringer. 

Projected: 1st Round 

Best Team for Lance: Atlanta Falcons 

3 Zach Wilson (Junior) BYU- 

Yes we got the BYU superstar Zack Wilson at the third spot in the rankings. Wilson for me barely holds the spot. He really is only over Lance because Wilson played a 2020 season. He didn’t just play, Wilson showed out for his BYU Cougars. In the 2020 season Wilson improved in nearly all statistical categories. Wilson accuracy improved as he ranked second in the FBS in completion percentage (247 of 336; 73.5%), he started to find the end zone being third with 33 passing touchdowns (against just three interceptions), 10th with 307.7 passing yards per game , while throwing 3,692 passing yards overall. Wilson also rushed for 10 touchdowns and led his team to an 11-1 season. Wilson has been looked at as a Brett Favre type of prospect. The man who thrives in chaos. The problem many see with that is Wilson may get himself into chaos by not making the right pre snap decisions. Wilson plays more like a college Johnny Manziel with his crazy arm strength and ability to make plays in or outside the pocket. Wilson is always a big play away. However he does make some troubling decisions while outside the pocket. He tends not to slide and force throws that just aren’t there. Wilson has an incredible work ethic that’s how got here however he will need more discipline to be Favre not Manziel in the NFL. 

Projected: 1st Round 

Best Team for Wilson: Denver Broncos but he will go to New York Jets 

2 Justin Fields (Junior) Ohio State-

Yes we are putting Fields at two which we find way easier than it is for most. Which makes no sense to me since we were comparing him to Lawrence after the Clemson Ohio State matchup. Now somehow out of nowhere this guy is the worst top quarterback prospect makes no sense. He had one bad game with a bad hip against the best team in the land and now he’s not as good? Someone needs to explain. Fields was an incredible prospect when he decided to go to Georgia. After Jake Fromm showed out he decided to go to OSU for a new beginning. Best move Fields made. In his sophomore season he was named the starter in which he finished ranked third in the country in touchdown throws with 41, and only threw for just three interceptions. Fields ended fourth in passing efficiency rating at 181.4 in just 14 starts. He was named MVP of the Big Ten Championship Game after throwing for 299 yards and three TDs in a win over Wisconsin before losing to Clemson in the national semifinals. Fields played through injury in the 2020 season and still showed out. One huge trait my quarterbacks need to have is when everything isn’t going your way with injuries or suspensions to use no excuses because sometimes you just need to go out and win. Fields did that against Wisconsin in 2020 when 10 starters were missing due to COVID. Fields led his team to a victory over an arch rival with half his team missing. Fields has learned to protect the ball better, has a nice ball, has good accuracy when throwing into tight windows, Fields takes hits to make the throw, and makes defenses think twice because of his feet and athleticism. Fields do of course have some cons though. He holds the ball too long sometimes, he doesn’t read the blitz well, he stares down receivers, and sometimes receivers have to slow down on deep throws. All things Fields needs to improve and expect him to. Super high on Fields. 

Projected: 1st Round 

Best Team for Fields: New England Patriots 

1 Trevor Lawrence (Junior) Clemson-

The easiest ranking maybe of my life. Trevor Lawerence has been the first overall pick since he committed to Clemson when he left high school. Lawerence had Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck generational talent around him. Lawrence is the perfect Hollywood quarterback tall, strong, a whole lot of skill, and he has amazing hair. He started all of his years at Clemson even winning a National Championship against Alabama his freshman season. Even in his freshman year many thought Lawrence was the first overall pick. He’s exactly what a franchise quarterback looks like in today’s NFL. Urban Meyer will have a lot to work with in Jacksonville. There are some flaws but not many. He didn’t do as well against pressure in 2020 as he did in past years, he could get better at choosing options when under pressure, he doesn’t look too comfortable without play action, sometimes will throw the ball away when should take the sack. Nothing really that Lawerence can’t improve on his rookie season. Lawrence is a future Hall of Famer you can book that. 

Projected: First Overall 

Best Team for Lawrence: Jacksonville Jaguars 

Yes nothing too surprising going on in our list if you ask me. To some the list could be completely off except for Lawrence. Those people are wrong. To me Lawrence and Fields are the best options and will be playing in a lot of big games. Lance and Wilson have the same athletic presence to me who have a lot of potential but are an injury or bad system away from being a bust. However if developed correctly could be better than Lawrence or Fields. Jones to me is a system quarterback who can elevate your offense in some ways but not how a franchise quarterback would. Task and Davis are hit or miss and be nothing great when they hit. However they could be steal they’re hard to read especially Davis with such limited film. Either way these players will be drafted and we won’t know the answers for a long time. 

By Matthew Doherty 

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