2013 NFL Draft Prospects: Top 5 QBs

1. Geno Smith - 6'2" 218
 


     Geno Smith has proven all season that he has the best tools to work at the QB position in the NFL. Not only is he a great deep ball thrower but he can deceptively beat you with his legs. And although he hasn't played under center in a couple of years, expect Geno Smith's talents to translate very well to the pro game. Geno needs to work on his consistency with the middle range throws but that's about it. He has the heart of a champion and plays the game of football very passionately. Simply put, you want him to the leader of your huddle if you are a head coach in the NFL. He is a very coach-able young man that plays composed under the lights so expect Smith to be the first QB selected this year. I'm personally think someone will trade up to grab him in the top 10 and I hope it's the Dallas Cowboys. Has anyone else realized Tony Romo is not going to win a Super Bowl in big D?

2. Zac Dysert - 6'3" 231



     Zac's game tape has to be the most impressive from an upside point of view. What sucks is that everyone is comparing him to Ben Roethlisberger...which is not so good lol. All jokes aside, his talents compare to Big Ben(a 2-time Super Bowl champion) so it makes sense that an NFL franchise would want him to be at the helm for the next 10-12 years. This QB shows elite composure when moving around the pocket but will run a bit more than he has to. However, there is a TON to like about his game. Dysert makes accurate throws on the run which is a trait I saw in Matt Ryan coming out of Boston College 6 years ago. I actually compare him more to Ryan than Big Ben because Roethlisberger is in his own category as far as tough QBs who can avoid pressure and be physically imposing in the pocket. Dysert is an accurate QB who is fast, smart, and can make every throw on the field (short/intermediate/deep). Look for a team to draft him as a developmental starter at the bottom of the 1st round or middle of the 2nd.

3. Matt Barkley - 6'2" 227

 

     You wana talk about someone who lost millions of dollars by coming back to school in 2012? MAN...Its hard to put Barkley at #2 with the recent lack of success from Mark Sanchez & Matt Leinart. I mean seriously, when is the last time someone from USC made a pro bowl besides Troy Polamalu? Steve Smith and Carson Palmer actually, and I believe Barkley has Palmer written all over him. He is an accurate QB that knows how to use the pocket effectively and checks down his receiving options with poise. Although not much of an athlete and coming off a shoulder injury that ended his season I think Matt Barkley might pass for more yards than any QB in this draft over the next 5 years. Because his stock has dropped to late 1st - mid 2nd I see a team like the Bills, Jags, Cardinals, or Raiders getting him early in the 2nd round.

4. Tyler Bray - 6'6" 232



     Tyler Bray has the biggest boom/bust potential in the draft in my opinion. Most scouts think it's Mike Glennon of NC State but I simply believe that Glennon doesn't have what it takes to lead a team to the Super Bowl. Bray on the other hand has all the physical tools you look for in a franchise QB. He has the size, arm strength, experience, pocket presence, composure, and deep ball accuracy you look for. He put up monstrous stats at Tennessee and in high school and it has the potential to translate very well in the NFL. The problem with Bray is his attitude. If he truly wants to be the face of a franchise I need to see him step up in the way that Russell Wilson, RGIII, and Andrew luck handled themselves last year. I am giving Bray a late 2nd round grade because he should be a starter by his 2nd or 3rd year in the NFL.

5. Ryan Nassib - 6'2" 227





     Ryan Nassib is an intriguing prospect in this years draft. I don't see him being a starter but he could be a good backup in the league if given the right opportunity. He has a few comeback wins under his belt and to me that is a very important aspect of judging a QB for the NFL. Not only has Nassib played in a pro style offense the past few years but he was successful at running it. Although not an exciting athlete to watch he is almost in the mold of Kirk Cousins. Kirk is a bit more consistent but these two guys have "winner" written all over them. Ryan has a very strong arm and displays very good pocket presence. His experience under Doug Marrone will be too much to pass on for teams so expect Nassib to get his name called in the 2nd or 3rd round.

2013 NFL Draft Prospects: Top 5 WRs

1. Cordarrelle Patterson - 6'3" 205



This guy can flat out FLY. Not only is he my top WR prospect coming out this year, but he is my top special teams playmaker as well. One question you always have to ask yourself when scouting a player for the NFL is "Do they pass the eyeball test?" Patterson certainly passes with flying colors and I can say it was a pleasure to watch him play football this past Fall. The explosiveness out of his cuts and the speed on a go route separate him from any WR in this class by far. The athletic beast from Rock Hill, SC has all the tools to develop into a #2 Receiver/Punt Returner/Kick Returner. Can he be a #1 receiver? Absolutely, but in the NFL you have to put your aces in their places.  Does anyone remember the super bowl when Jacoby Jones (who is clearly a #3 receiver behind Anquan Boldin & Torrey Smith) returned a kick for a touchdown AND catching a TD pass? This is the kind of playmaking ability that Patterson can bring to an offense. I know...I know...Jacoby Jones went to Lane College and Cordarrelle has proven himself against SEC competition but the value as a COMPLETE player is too high to make him a #1 Receiver. I'd probably imagine he'd get bored just catching passes anyway

2. Terrance Williams - 6'2" 200



Wait. No Keenan Allen??? NO. I love his talent and I honestly think he has the most "complete" receiver game out of this class but I base my scouting off injury history also. Terrance Williams doesn't miss games from injuries and from what I have researched he didn't miss a SINGLE game. If you haven't seen Terrance Williams play football then you are missing out. He routinely makes difficult catches look easy while also displaying natural hands. Terrance has the uncanny ability to track the ball in the air and pluck it at the highest point against the defender. His game reminds me a lot like Pierre Garcon's because of the smooth routes, phenomenal hand-eye coordination, and ability to get YAC. I honestly see Williams starting as a good #2 receiver and developing into a #1 by his 3rd year. Corners in the NFL are bigger and faster than ever so I expect the physicality of the game to slow his immediate production(look for him to get around 4-500 yds). Williams should be a sleeper 1st round pick because plenty of NFL teams lack playmakers at the wide receiver position.

3. Deandre "Nuke" Hopkins - 6'1" 214



If you have yet to see the video of Nuke catching 33 one handed passes in a row, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwB5J11. There are few players in this draft who pass the eye test as well as Hopkins. He is a an exceptional football player that seems to have superglue on his hands every time a ball is in his proximity.  Because of his size some scouts will say that he won't produce much in the NFL, but all you have to do is put on the LSU tape and watch Nuke's magic. In a physical football game Hopkins routinely came up with the football in stride, at the highest point, and honestly looked like the 2nd best NFL prospect behind Barkevious Mingo. Jams at the line will not be an issue for Hopkins and I expect him to have a very long career as a #2 receiver. I say this because Nuke is one of the most fierce competitors at his position that I have seen in college football. He is very clutch in tight situations while also displaying composure and leadership on the sideline. Expect Hopkins to go somewhere in the early to mid 2nd round

4. Tavon Austin - 5'9" 175



You wana talk about the WOW factor? This kids brings it every time he touches the football and is the most electrifying player in the draft. If he gets more than two feet of room between himself and a defender...watch out. Austin is a BIG time prospect who has the ability to take it for 6 at any second. I don't think the game has seen a playmaker this versatile since Percy Harvin. Tavon is not as fast as Desean Jackson, but he is damn close!!! He can catch the ball out of the backfield, run the ball after lining up behind a fullback, play the slot position, play on the outside, return punts AND kickoffs! Expect Tavon to test very well at the combine and be a player who someone targets early in the 2nd round.

5. Keenan Allen - 6'2" 210 



Keenan Allen just has the IT factor about him. All you have to do is watch his high school tape to see that he is destined to play in the NFL. One word to describe his game...SMOOTH. Keenan has great size for the position, runs polished routes, displays "field" speed, and is stronger than he looks. In fact, if he had no health issues then he would easily sit atop at #1 in this write-up. I actually see Keenan Allen being productive when he'll play on an NFL field but there is nothing about his prior history that tells me he can stay healthy.  Personally as a GM I would only spend a 3rd round pick on Allen but look for him to get drafted between the late 1st and middle of the 2nd round.