Senior Bowl 2012: Brandon Weeden and QBs Who Will Move Up in Draft

Of all the postseason college football exhibition games, it's fair to say that the Senior Bowl is both the most prestigious and important. One position in particular that receives a lot of attention in the game is naturally quarterback.

For the most part, elite signal-callers leave college early to enter the NFL draft, so the Senior Bowl quarterbacks tend to be unheralded. All of them had excellent college careers, but for whatever reason there are question marks regarding their ability to play at the next level.

Here are three Senior Bowl quarterbacks who will improve their respective draft stocks with strong performances on Saturday.

Nick Foles, Arizona

Aside from the "Big Three" quarterbacks expected to go in the first round in Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Ryan Tannehill, it's fair to say that Arizona signal-caller Nick Foles is next in line.

Foles was the victim of playing on a team that severely lacked talent, but that certainly didn't hinder his production. Foles had an incredible under-the-radar senior season as he threw for 4,334 yards and 28 touchdowns while completing an impressive 69 percent of his passes.

In addition to his production, Foles has the classic quarterback body that scouts look for. At 6'5", he can easily see over the offensive and defensive lines, and his 244-lbs. frame makes him both durable and tough to bring down.

I don't think there is any question that Foles is the most physically gifted quarterback in the Senior Bowl, and if he displays that, then he should solidify himself as a second-rounder.

Kirk Cousins, Michigan State

Kirk Cousins' time at Michigan State was a bit up and down, but he proved to be a winning quarterback and he took a good leap forward in production as a senior. Cousins played primarily in a run-first offense as a Spartan, so his numbers aren't as sparkling as his counterparts, but 3,016 yards, 24 touchdowns and just seven interceptions is nothing to sneeze at.

Cousins has decent size at 6'2" and 209 lbs., and he is also fairly athletic. Cousins seems to be a quarterback who does a lot of things well, but isn't particularly excellent at anything. With that said, I think he is clearly the best signal-caller on the North squad, so he will have an opportunity to showcase his skills.

I'm not sure if Cousins' ceiling is much higher than an NFL backup or perhaps a low-level starter, but a good Senior Bowl could make him worthy of a third-round pick.

Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden would seem to have everything an NFL talent evaluator looks for in a quarterback. Not only is he a good, mature leader, but he has excellent arm strength and accuracy, a solid frame and a track record of success.

Despite that, most consider Weeden to be no better than an early Day 3 pick. I think the main culprit for that is the fact that Weeden will be a 29-year-old rookie next season due to his previous pursuit of baseball.

Also, Weeden's 4,727 yards, 37 touchdowns and 72 percent completion percentage are likely taken with a grain of salt due to the spread offense he played in.

If scouts overlook Weeden due to his age and offensive system, however, I think they'll be missing out on a great player. Weeden has a much better arm than most spread quarterbacks and his age could allow him to contribute immediately. He should put up great numbers in the Senior Bowl and perhaps move into Day 2 range in the draft.