2012 NFL Draft Projections: Round Forecasts for Senior Bowl QBs

The Senior Bowl is essentially a tryout for the NFL Draft. It's a chance for the best seniors in the nation to show scouts exactly what they're capable of.

As is usually the case, whenever football is being played, all eyes are on the quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl. That's the way it's always been, and so shall it be at this year's Senior Bowl.

We're going to see six different quarterbacks out on the field, some of whom are more cut out for the NFL than others. These lucky few will go a bit higher in the draft.

On the bright side, all six of them are likely to be drafted a few months from now. As for where they might go, I have a few ideas.

Note: we shall proceed in alphabetical order.

Kirk Cousins, Michigan State

Kirk Cousins was rock solid in his time under center for the Spartans, and it bodes well for him that he's coming from a pro-style offense. He also has a reputation of being a leader.

The one area where Cousins doesn't really excel is arm strength. Depending on who you ask, that's a big deal or no deal at all. Some think arm strength can be developed, and there is plenty of evidence in favor of the idea.

So on balance, Cousins is pretty solid.

His problem, however, is that he's nothing special. Cousins did not have an illustrious college career, and the Spartans never asked him to do too much. He could be a good QB some day, but he's going to be viewed as a project not worthy of a high draft pick.

Projection: fourth round

Nick Foles, Arizona

Nick Foles' biggest problem is that he had to share the Pac-12 with Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley. Take them out of the equation, and Foles is a star.

The one thing you'll notice about Foles is that he's a big dude. He's either 6'5" or 6'6" depending on who's doing the measuring, and he weighs in at about 240 pounds. Good size for an NFL quarterback.

Foles' biggest problem is inconsistency. Sometimes, he makes perfectly accurate throws on both short and deep passes, but he can also miss badly. Perhaps because of that, his confidence tends to come and go.

But based on tools and skills alone, Foles is going to get some looks. Teams can easily determine that his inconsistencies can be fixed.

Projection: late second round 

Ryan Lindley, San Diego State

Ryan Lindley was one of the best-kept secrets in the country during his time at San Diego State, as he passed for over 3,000 yards in each of the last three seasons.

Like Foles, Lindley has the body of an NFL quarterback. He's an inch shorter, but he's still tall with a solid build. He also has plenty of arm strength and knows how to run a pro-style offense.

The trouble is that Lindley tends to be all over the place with his throws. You can see that reflected in his completion percentages, as he never completed better than 58 percent of his passes in four years at San Diego State.

Accuracy is everything in the NFL, so this is something Lindley is going to have to work on. I'm expecting him to be taken after Foles.

Projection: late third round

Kellen Moore, Boise State

There are things that we know Kellen Moore can do. He ran Boise State's offense as perfectly as it could be run, and he was one of the best QBs in the country in terms of anticipating routes and delivering the ball accurately.

Moore's problems are physical problems. He's way too short for an NFL quarterback, not to mention way too skinny. He also doesn't have much arm strength, and his delivery is a little funky.

I look at him kind of like Tim Tebow, except without the size or the athleticism.

In other words, Moore doesn't have much to offer NFL teams. He'll be lucky if he's ever anything more than a No. 3 quarterback.

Projection: sixth round

Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State

Brandon Weeden is getting an awful lot of positive buzz at the Senior Bowl practices. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller is a fan, and so is Russ Lande of The Sporting News.

It's easy to see why. Weeden has the size of an NFL quarterback, more than enough arm strength, and his accuracy is better than anybody else at the Senior Bowl. You really can't ask for more.

The problem with Weeden is that he's just too old. He's already 28, meaning he's not going to be around for long once he is drafted.

He's Chris Weinke all over again.

Projection: second round

Russell Wilson, Wisconsin

Russell Wilson is easily the most talented quarterback at the Senior Bowl. He has an elite arm, and he'll deliver the ball on target every time. It was not an accident that he completed 72.8 percent of his passes in 2011.

Wilson can also run the ball. He has great speed and elusiveness, but he also has great vision. Wilson wouldn't be a bad running back if he didn't play quarterback.

But alas, Wilson has the same problem as Moore. He's too short, and that's going to cost him.

He'll go much higher than Moore, though.

Projection: early third round