2011 Senior Bowl: Rating the Minnesota Vikings' Top Quarterback Prospects

With the retirement (I think) of future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, the Minnesota Vikings are in the market for a new starting QB.

According to head coach Leslie Frazier, the Vikes are looking for the type of franchise player they can not only develop but also build their team around. That is, if they can find him.

There are six quality signal callers at the 2011 Senior Bowl this week. Let's take a look at four who have a shot to be under center for the Vikings in September: Jake Locker, Colin Kaepernick, Ricky Stanzi and Andy Dalton.

Jake Locker: 6'3", 230 (Washington)

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

SEATTLE - SEPTEMBER 18: Quarterback Jake Locker #10 of the Washington Huskies passes against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on September 18, 2010 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. The Cornhuskers defeated the Huskies 56-21. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Gett

Jake Locker is expected to be a top 15 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and with the Vikings owning the 12th overall selection, this is a very real possibility.

Locker has prototypical NFL size and a big arm to match, but the knock on his game certainly hasn't been his outstanding athletic ability. It's been his accuracy—or should I say his lack of consistency when it comes to completing passes.

Locker can make some unbelievable throws, but he doesn't do it on a regular basis. I'll take precision over an impressive deep ball any day, so this has to be a major concern to not only the Vikings but every team in search of a quarterback.

Locker never completed more than 58 percent of his throws in a season in college, so I wouldn't expect him to immediately elevate his game at the next level without a lot of work.

For the Vikings to consider Locker, he'll need to complete a very high percentage of his throws this week—and beyond. A great Scouting Combine will also be essential.

Colin Kaepernick: 6'6", 225 (Nevada)

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LAS VEGAS - OCTOBER 02: Quarterback Colin Kaepernick #10 of the Nevada Reno Wolf Pack looks to pass against the UNLV Rebels in the third quarter of their game at Sam Boyd Stadium October 2, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevada Reno won 44-26. (Photo by Et

I'm really impressed with the speed of Colin Kaepernick. Watching him tear through a defense is a thing of beauty, and he's got a cannon for an arm.

But beyond that, we're talking about a very raw prospect with questionable mechanics who's going to need time to develop, especially considering he didn't play in a "pro-style" offense at Nevada.

The Vikings already have this type of quarterback on their roster in Joe Webb. Don't get me wrong: Kaepernick is not typical. He piled up huge numbers in college—over 10,000 yards passing and over 4,000 yards rushing. Heck, he might even be the most versatile QB in the history of college football.

He's been compared to a lankier (and faster) Tim Tebow. (Personally, I see Randall Cunningham.)

Either way, it's a long shot, but the Minnesota Vikings might have to consider Colin Kaepernick as a possibility if he's available in the mid rounds of April's NFL draft.

Ricky Stanzi: 6'4", 230 (Iowa)

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TUCSON, AZ - SEPTEMBER 18: Quarterback Ricky Stanzi #12 of the Iowa Hawkeyes warms up before the college football game against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the Hawkeyes 34-27. (

Ricky Stanzi might be as close to NFL-ready as any of the incoming quarterbacks this season. That being said, he's probably not impressive enough physically to project him as anything other than a mid-round draft pick.

But if you look at the progression he made from his junior to senior season at the University of Iowa—and if you look at the type of dedicated, teachable quarterback he is—it's easy to see why many NFL teams are interested.

Of course, just as the game seemed to slow down for Stanzi during his senior season, it will undoubtedly speed up again at the next level.

Come NFL draft weekend, if he's still hanging around during the mid rounds and the Vikings don't have a quarterback solution yet, I wouldn't be shocked to see them pull the trigger on Stanzi.

Andy Dalton: 6'2", 213 (TCU)

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Andy Dalton #14 of the TCU Horned Frogs looks to pass against the Wisconsin Badgers during the 97th Rose Bowl game on January 1, 2011 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Andy Dalton has a lot of what NFL teams are looking for. If I were building my team around one of these QBs at the Senior Bowl, it would be Andy Dalton. He has franchise quarterback written all over him.

First of all, Dalton's got the physical tools. OK, at 6'2" and 213 pounds he might not look like the ideal choice. But he can make all the throws he needs to make at the NFL level, and he's got a strong enough arm. He can also run if need be.

He won't blow you away with his appearance or any of these skills, but he's solid all the way around.

What really sets Dalton apart are his intangibles. He's got a great football mind, plus he's a proven leader and winner. I am concerned about how he'll adjust to an NFL offense from the spread attack he ran at TCU, but if anyone can make the jump successfully with hard work, it will be this guy.

Take note—as we get closer to the NFL draft, Andy Dalton will be moving up a lot of teams' boards, and the Vikings are one of those teams that will take a long look at him. Dalton will interview extremely well, and he'll continue to show what a solid prospect he is.