Let's Talk 2016 NFL Draft Quarterbacks

[Keith]

Admittedly, I do not watch nearly as much college football as I did 10-15 years ago when I wrote about prospects for the old HPF site. So I've seen very little of these guys. When I do look at QBs though, I look for pocket poise and decision making. A strong arm is nice, but leadership and awareness and critical. Have to be able to handle pressure. For reference, I would have taken Teddy Bridgewater at the top of the draft a couple years ago, a player who fell to the end of the 1st round, so keep that in mind.

Here's how I rank the QBs right now:
1. Connor Cook, a clear favorite of mine.
2. Carson Wentz, should shoot up boards. Injured wrist.
3. Jared Goff, nice overall prospect, but I want to see better poise and decision making.
4. Paxton Lynch, strong but can't just scout measurables.

This draft is clearly one in which the Texans need to get off the pot and finally invest a good pick in a player they can develop. O'Brien has proven he can win with street FAs at the position in the short-term, so starting one of these guys isn't necessary in Week 1, but having one ready to step in midseason might be.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

Admittedly, I do not watch nearly as much college football as I did 10-15 years ago when I wrote about prospects for the old HPF site. So I've seen very little of these guys. When I do look at QBs though, I look for pocket poise and decision making. A strong arm is nice, but leadership and awareness and critical. Have to be able to handle pressure. For reference, I would have taken Teddy Bridgewater at the top of the draft a couple years ago, a player who fell to the end of the 1st round, so keep that in mind.

Here's how I rank the QBs right now:
1. Connor Cook, a clear favorite of mine.
2. Carson Wentz, should shoot up boards. Injured wrist.
3. Jared Goff, nice overall prospect, but I want to see better poise and decision making.
4. Paxton Lynch, strong but can't just scout measurables.

This draft is clearly one in which the Texans need to get off the pot and finally invest a good pick in a player they can develop. O'Brien has proven he can win with street FAs at the position in the short-term, so starting one of these guys isn't necessary in Week 1, but having one ready to step in midseason might be.

Goff was fantastic in his bowl. He was on the money with his deep ball repeatedly. I'm not familiar with Wentz. Cook entered the year highly regarded but was not as good as expected. Lynch seems like Blake Bortles 2.0 (or Blaine Gabbert 3.0). I am guessing Lynch will never be as good before or after as he will be at the Combine in a pair of shorts.

[nunusguy]

The 2016 NFL Draft features plenty of talent at the quarterback position, but it's spread out between a dozen (or more) prospects.

That's unlike a year ago when it was obvious that the top two prospects -- Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota -- were relatively transcendent underclassmen (and then a steep drop-off in talent after them), the 2016 draft is loaded with projects.

The crop was significantly boosted Thursday with the expected announcements that the top two quarterbacks on NFLDraftScout.com's board -- Paxton Lynch (Memphis) and Jared Goff (California) - were forgoing their senior seasons and heading to the NFL.

Lynch (6 feet 6, 230 pounds) possesses all of the physical tools to excite scouts, including rare agility for a man of his size and a hose for an arm. However, rather than end his career with a bang, Lynch struggled mightily in a 31-10 loss to Auburn, raising all kinds of questions about the steep learning curve he'll face in the NFL.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/n...ing-guarantees
****
Good deal, looks like some of these top-rated underclassmen at QB are declaring for the NFL Draft.
Since we are definitely in the market for a QB and very likely drafting one early, which I think means the first 2 rounds. So this upcoming off season should be especially interesting for the Texans and their fans.

[WMH]

Might as well add Hackenberg to the list. He officially declared today. I assume most of the media outlets will have us tied to the hip.

I'm not as confident as most in that a Rd. 1/2 QB is a sure thing. We'll see in May.

[Keith]

Yes, Hackenberg should be listed. The O'Brien-Penn St. ties are there. Not that the Texans have taken a single PSU player over the last two years, but it could happen.

There's also been talk about Cook being a douche and not much of a team leader. It's tough this time of year sorting between what we can see and what we just won't know about a player medically or personally. Always wary of misinformation.

I have Goff and Lynch at 3 and 4, but at this point it seems both will be taken before any other QBs and likely before the Texans have an honest chance. That said, who knows... this will be an interesting couple months since there is not an Andrew Luck or Cam Newton here that is clearly at the head of the class.

[painekiller]

Don't know if I have Cook at the top of my want list, but I agree there is no clear #1, only a top 4 or 6 guys.

And all seem to be projects.

[Arky]

I think they're going to go after Hackenburg. It's only fitting.

He's shown some flaws in the past couple of years without OB around and OB, I'm sure, probably thinks he can fix him. Might be possible to get him in the second round but a lot still to shake out before the official draft. My guess is that the really top prospects won't make it to where we pick in the 1st round.

Playing QB for the Texans the last couple of years has been a meat grinder so whoever is chosen, especially if they are an underclassman, should sit and learn for at least a year... So, we may be looking at another year of Hoyer/Weeden/Savage/whomever placeholding....

I'd like to see Savage get more of a chance next year while the rookie watches from the sidelines.......

[WMH]

I'm still holding on to my hope/theory that our QB room will be Brees, Hoyer, and Savage/Rookie.

[popanot]

I think we're certainly out of range for Goff/Lynch and likely out of range for Cook now. Even at that, I sort of like Wentz's potential better than Lynch/Cook and hope he's there when we draft. If we want a QB in RD1, we might have to move up a bit to get him. As I see it, the Browns, Cowboys, 49ers, Saints, Eagles, Rams, Bills and Jets could potentially go QB. Some (Browns, 49ers, Rams, Jets) obviously to a larger degree than others.

1 Tennessee Titans 3-13 0.188
2 Cleveland Browns 3-13 0.188
3 San Diego Chargers 4-12 0.250
4 Dallas Cowboys 4-12 0.250
5 Jacksonville Jaguars 5-11 0.313
6 Baltimore Ravens 5-11 0.313
7 San Francisco 49ers 5-11 0.313
8 Miami Dolphins 6-10 0.375
9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-10 0.375
10 New York Giants 6-10 0.375
11 Chicago Bears 6-10 0.375
12 New Orleans Saints 7-9 0.438
13 Philadelphia Eagles 7-9 0.438
14 Oakland Raiders 7-9 0.438
15 St. Louis Rams 7-9 0.438
16 Detroit Lions 7-9 0.438
17 Atlanta Falcons 8-8 0.500
18 Indianapolis Colts 8-8 0.500
19 Buffalo Bills 8-8 0.500
20 New York Jets 10-6 0.625

I think a lot of it depends on if the Cowboys stand pat with Romo and go another position (which I think they will), the Saints re-sign Brees (which I think they will), and the Eagles re-sign Bradford (which I think there's a good chance they do). If that happens, I feel we'd have to jump up to pick 11-14 for Cook/Wentz (or QB3), or pick 14-18 for Cook/Wentz (or QB4). If all those guys are gone, Hack might be the next option in RD2, but I think we'd have to move up in that RD to get him. This is assuming some other QB prospect doesn't rise up the board. I think there are few other guys that rate right around where Hack is currently rated. I'm OK with going into next year with Hoyer as the bridge QB, but yeah, they need to address QB now and try something!

[popanot]

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet · 5m5 minutes ago
After days of deliberation, I'm told that #Saints coach Sean Payton isn't going anywhere. He and GM Mickey Loomis agreed he's staying. Wow

It was a longshot the Saints would go QB in RD1 anyway, but no way they do it now. I fully expect them to re-sign Brees now that Payton is staying and I highly doubt they would throw a #1 at QB as long as Brees is there and as bad as their D is.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by popanot

It was a longshot the Saints would go QB in RD1 anyway, but no way they do it now. I fully expect them to re-sign Brees now that Payton is staying and I highly doubt they would throw a #1 at QB as long as Brees is there and as bad as their D is.

Dammit Dammit Dammit.

[Nconroe]

So we now know Texans will pick 22nd in the draft, at least until perhaps a trade occurs.

http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/...er-picks-21-24

[popanot]

Not that I'd draft him solely for QB or burn a high pick on him, but come 3rd, 4th, 5th RD, I'm taking Braxton Miller if he's there. We could do A LOT worse (obviously!!!) at backup QB, IMO, and his other football skills are off the charts. I'd have no problem playing him in the slot and in a Randall Cobb - WR/RB/Wildcat role and have him as my emergency QB.

https://vine.co/v/iMqMuBa2Jee

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by popanot

Not that I'd draft him solely for QB or burn a high pick on him, but come 3rd, 4th, 5th RD, I'm taking Braxton Miller if he's there. We could do A LOT worse (obviously!!!) at backup QB, IMO, and his other football skills are off the charts. I'd have no problem playing him in the slot and in a Randall Cobb - WR/RB/Wildcat role and have him as my emergency QB.

https://vine.co/v/iMqMuBa2Jee

I would agree, you have to look long and hard at Miller.

[Nconroe]

Draftek has a list of QB's, the top 10 shown , as draft rated, and round where might be drafted, all subject to change are updated yesterday http://drafttek.com/2016-NFL-Draft-P...gs/Top-QBs.asp :

1 (1) +11 Memphis Paxton Lynch JR 6'7" 245 #12
2 (8) -1 California Jared Goff JR 6'4" 210 #16
3 (29) +4 Michigan St Connor Cook SR 6'4" 219 #18
4 (44) +90 North Dakota St Carson Wentz SR 6'6" 231 #11
5 (92) -21 Stanford Kevin Hogan SR 6'4" 228 #8
6 (103) +9 Ohio State Cardale Jones JR 6'5" 250 #12
7 (119) +67 Western Kentucky Brandon Doughty SR 6'3" 220 12
8 (141) +42 TCU Trevone Boykin SR 6'2" 205 #2
9 (147) -77 Penn State Christian Hackenberg JR 6'4" 234 #14
10 (153) +12 Utah Travis Wilson SR 6'7" 233 #7

[Nconroe]

The east west shrine game starting now on NFL network, 3 P M.
http://m.houstontexans.com/news/arti...e-24be03c923e0

Not the big names but this is the game Tom Brady, Bret Farve, And John Elway played in, so, watch out.

Looks like five or six current Texans played in this game as well as Andre Hal and Mumphreys.

[Roy P]

Give me Dak Prescott. He is a winner. I like his leadership and how he lead Miss St. Was a bruising runner, but has improved as a passer. Reminds me of Air McNair.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Roy P

Give me Dak Prescott. He is a winner. I like his leadership and how he lead Miss St. Was a bruising runner, but has improved as a passer. Reminds me of Air McNair.

I thought Prescott and the other SEC QB, Brandon Allen, were the two most impressive QBs at yesterdays Senior Bowl. But unlike the 6' 5" wiz kid Wentz who got all of the hype, the SEC QBs are only about 6'2" so maybe O'Brien won't even consider them when he's evaluating prospects.

[Roy P]

Vernon Adams Jr. Is 5'11" and I wouldn't mind having him on this roster as the "Seneca Wallace - type" backup. I'm a measurables geek as much as the next guy. If I'm looking at a roster of players with heights/weights, I notice Jake Coker and Nate Sudfeld because they are 6"5". But when you see a guy play and you take a second look at the measurables iust to make sure you didn't overlook him the first time, and you realize that he's not your prototype, but you want him on your team anyway....that's how you get a great bargtoain/value at the draft. If Russell Wilson had been 6'4" at the Senior Bowl, he would have been a 1st round pick. Jacoby Brissett looked good too.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Roy P

Vernon Adams Jr. Is 5'11" and I wouldn't mind having him on this roster as the "Seneca Wallace - type" backup. I'm a measurables geek as much as the next guy. If I'm looking at a roster of players with heights/weights, I notice Jake Coker and Nate Sudfeld because they are 6"5". But when you see a guy play and you take a second look at the measurables iust to make sure you didn't overlook him the first time, and you realize that he's not your prototype, but you want him on your team anyway....that's how you get a great bargtoain/value at the draft. If Russell Wilson had been 6'4" at the Senior Bowl, he would have been a 1st round pick. Jacoby Brissett looked good too.

I agree on Dixon, like Wilson all he has done in college is win. A solid kid.

And I disagree about Wilson being a 1st rounder if he was 6-4, IMO he would have been a top 5 pick. (You did not have him high enough)