Andrew Luck is the greatest quarterback prospect of the last 15 years. Robert Griffin III could redefine the quarterback position. Blah blah blah, we’ve heard it all a million times, and the draft is still two months away.
What about the other quarterbacks in the draft? The Dolphins will be going hard after Peyton Manning, but Jeff Ireland also strongly suggested that they also will be in the hunt for a “long-term solution,” i.e. a rookie.
If the Dolphins get Manning or Matt Flynn, then it’s unlikely they’d also use the No. 8 pick on a quarterback (at that spot, they’re more likely to draft an elite defensive end, cornerback or right tackle who can start immediately). But they could try to trade down and take a quarterback later in the first round. Or draft one in the middle rounds. And if they strike out on Manning and Flynn, then a quarterback is very much in play with the eighth pick.
So here’s the buzz on the other quarterbacks not named Luck or RG3 at the Combine, ranked in the order in which we predict they will be drafted:
1. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M (6-4, 221)
Projected round: Top 15
Widely considered the third-best QB prospect in the draft, Tannehill didn’t work out or throw at the Combine after breaking a bone in his foot four weeks ago while training at IMG Academy in Bradenton. He said he had a previous stress fracture that was a “ticking time bomb.” It messed up his training schedule and forced him to be on crutches at his wedding in Mexico, but he is optimistic about his rehab.
“The screw looks like it’s healing great, ahead of schedule. I’m really excited about where I’m at and we’re to the point now where I can really start pushing it, really start working on my footwork, my running and get ready for my Pro Day.”
Tannehill only started 20 games at quarterback for Texas A&M, but didn’t just sit on the bench his first two years. He was moved to wide receiver as a freshman, and caught 101 passes in two seasons before moving to quarterback. “I was getting to see the speed of the game, getting a feel for the game as well as going through all the practices as a quarterback,” he said.
He not only played for current Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, who was the Aggies’ head coach, but he also ran a West Coast offense, which is what new Dolphins coach Joe Philbin ran in Green Bay.
Tannehill completed 65 and 62 percent of passes in his two seasons, and Mike Mayock compared him to Jake Locker – both in athletic ability, and for the potential to be over-drafted. Locker was the eighth overall pick last year, which many considered a reach.
“He’s a big, strong kid that can push the ball down the field. He’s athletic,” Mayock said. “I like everything about him except for the fact that on tape, I think he stares his receivers down and waits for them to come up before he rips it. That’s typical of a young quarterback without a lot of starts.”
2. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State (6-3, 214)
Projected round: 2nd
Cousins is not one of the more prominent names in the draft, but his resume is impressive. He compiled a 27-12 record in three years as a starter (22-5 over his final two seasons), set school records in passing touchdowns (66), passing yards (9,131) and 200-yard passing games (26), and he beat Michigan all three times. Not only did he beat out Nick Foles for the starting job – Foles transferred to Arizona – but he’s also a high-character kid and the son of a minister.
This was his answer on what his Michigan State career means to him:
“I do believe that it’s a testament to hard work and what can be accomplished when you put your head down and just keep working – don’t give up on yourself. You pour your heart and soul into something. That’s what I did for five years. I gave everything I had to Michigan State. I have no regrets and it wasn’t always perfect. I gave everything I had and left having accomplished a great deal as a part of a senior class that was a very special group of guys.”
Cousins has one of the strongest arms – if not the strongest – in the draft, which can be a blessing and a curse. Like Jay Cutler, he sometimes throws off his back foot and tries to squeeze throws into covered receivers. Sports Illustrated’s Tony Pauline said Cousins’ problem is “between his ears.”
But Sunday at the Combine, Cousins was the most polished quarterback on the field (Luck, RG3, Tannehill and Brock Osweiler didn’t compete).
The pool report from ESPN’s John Clayton, who watched the workout:
Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins was clearly the most impressive of the quarterbacks in the first group Sunday morning. His passes were crisp and accurate. He stepped into his throws with great command.
Cousins completed 14 of 16 of his throws, but none of his throws were off target. He missed on a slant route to his left but the throw wasn’t awful. A turn-in to his right didn’t sync up with a receiver but the throw wasn’t bad.
Cousins offers good spin on his deep throws, which makes for catchable passes for his receivers. His velocity on slant passes was strong. He looks particularly good on his deep corner routes. There wasn’t a throw that didn’t look good. It could be argued that most of his throws were about the best of his group.
Earlier, according to the NFL Network, Cousins ran a respectable 4.84, but that was the slowest among the nine quarterbacks in his group who ran. Cousins may not have won the match race, but he scored major points in the throwing competition.
With Griffin not throwing, Cousins’ main competition within in his group was Nick Foles of Arizona. Cousins clearly had the best day with his throwing an mechanics and may help boost his stock into the second- round if not higher.
3. Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State (6-3 ½, 219)
Projected round: 2-3
On paper, he’s everything you want: Big and strong, accurate (completed 72.3 percent of passes this year), and accomplished (9,000 yards, 71 touchdowns 26 interceptions in two seasons).
Except for one problem: He turned 28 in October. He’s a former minor league baseball prospect who flamed out with the Yankees and turned to college football. To put it in perspective, he’s older than Aaron Rodgers.
But 28 isn’t old, either. He can still have a solid 8-10 year NFL career. And his minor league baseball career certainly helped prepare him for life as a pro athlete.
“From a maturity standpoint, I’ve already been a pro,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been telling teams, and they agree with me. In baseball, you know, it’s a game of failure. I’ve failed, I’ve had some success, and I’ve kind of ridden the roller coaster. (Quarterback) is the toughest position to play in all of sports. I think the maturity factor really helps me have an opportunity o play right away if I’m needed to.”
And he overcame a slow start at the Combine to have a solid day throwing the ball, though he needs work on the deep ball. From Clayton:
Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weedon didn’t hurt his draft stock with his workout Sunday at the Indianapolis Scouting Combine but he may not have made up enough ground to stake a claim of being the third quarterback in the draft behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.
Weedon got off to a show start, misconnecting on his first three fly patterns down the right side of the field in Lucas Oil Stadium. Part of it may have been the fact he and the other quarterbacks were just getting loose. He recovered with a strong throw to Western Michigan wide receiver Jordan White that went for a nice completion.
His good ability to throw to his left was demonstrated with his next set of throws. He did well with his slant passes. He only had one incompletion among the quick slants and short out passes to the sidelines. His best throw to his left was the deep digs. He stepped into the throws and displayed his best velocity.
From the right side, Weeden’s comeback throws were precise although he was high on his last two short out passes to the right sideline. Weeden struggled with some of the 30-yard posts to the right, misconnecting on three of four throws.
4. Brock Osweiler, Arizona State (6-7, 240)
Projected round: 2-3
Osweiler is perhaps the most intriguing prospect in the draft not named Luck or RG3. And he has made two decisions in the past month that have been slight head-scratchers. One was the decision to leave school after just one year as a starter and two years of eligibility remaining. The other was his decision not to participate in any drills at the Combine.
As far as leaving, Osweiler said “I felt I had done everything I could” at Arizona State, though the Sun Devils also have a new coach this year in Todd Graham. As for not performing at the Combine, Osweiler revealed that he suffered a sprain in his left foot in his team’s bowl game.
“I want to be 100 percent when I do all my drills,” he said. “So I’m going to do those on March 30 at my Pro Day.”
Osweiler had a nice 2011 season, his only full season as a starter. He threw for 4,036 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, and rushed for four more touchdowns.
But he also has several question marks. One is his height – quarterbacks over 6-foot-6 have generally been considered too stiff to play in the NFL. But Osweiler was a sought-after basketball recruit out of Montana and committed to Gonzaga as a sophomore in high school before opting to play football.
“In basketball, to be a successful player you have to have great footwork,” he said. “And obviously as a quarterback in the pocket, to evade rushers and blitzers, you have to have great feet. So basketball, as far as the footwork, has definitely transitioned over to my football game.”
He’s heard the comparison to Dan McGwire plenty of times – the former first-round pick and 6-foot-8 quarterback who flamed out after five seasons – but isn’t bothered by it.
“I don’t feel like there has ever been a quarterback who is 6-7, 240 pounds and has the athleticism I do and can make every throw on the football field,” he said.
The second red flag is his throwing motion, which is somewhere between sidearm and 3/4ths and may detract from his velocity. He has worked to improve his throwing motion with his former QB coach Noel Mazzone, who is currently working with Tim Tebow this offseason.
“A few of the teams compared me to Philip Rivers and said, ‘you know what?’ He’s had a great career, so I’m really not too concerned about your throwing motion,'” he said. “As long as you’re accurate, which I think I showed last season, you’re good to go.”
The last red flag is his experience, with only 15 collegiate starts.
“I want to show GMs, head coaches that starting only 15 games in my college career was enough,” he said. “Get me in the meeting room and let me show you the person, the leader, the competitor I am.”
Those red flags will prevent Osweiler from jumping into the first round, but his athleticism, size and intelligence could lead Miami or another team to take him in the second round.
5. Nick Foles, Arizona (6-5, 243)
Projected round: 3-4
On the plus side, Foles has the size, arm strength and resume (three years as a starter) to be a solid NFL prospect. He’s been accurate (completing 63, 67 and 69 percent of passes in his three years), threw for 4,300 yards this year (with 28 TD and 14 INT) and is a good locker room guy.
But Foles admits that his footwork needs work, he worked almost exclusively out of the shotgun and went 4-8 as a starter this past season for Arizona. And despite his completion percentages, he didn’t complete many deep passes at Arizona, which showed at the Combine, when he struggled during throwing drills.
From pool reporter Mike Sando of ESPN.com:
Foles struggled with his throws, particularly on post-corner routes. Coaches appeared to advise him on his deep-ball trajectory after Foles overthrew Arizona teammate Juron Criner on an early deep pass. Foles put too much air under subsequent deep passes. He did not hit receivers in stride on those balls. Foles did elicit a “good throw” commendation from one coach after connecting with Michigan’s Kenneth Hemingway on a 10-yard out route. North Carolina State’s Trevor Graham dropped pass from Foles on a short comeback.
6. Ryan Lindley, San Diego State (6-3, 229)
Projected round: 4-5
Lindley has the size and arm strength the scouts crave, and led the Aztecs to its first bowl game since 1998. But accuracy has been a major issue – he’s never completed more than 57.7 percent of passes, and hit just 53 percent this year. He was probably the worst of the six quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl last month.
“I’m trying to show that I’m better than I was at the Senior Bowl, and by my pro day I’ll be better than I am right now,” he said.
Other late-round options: Russell Wilson, Wisconsin; Case Keenum, Houston; Kellen Moore, Boise State; B.J. Coleman, UT-Chattanooga
