NFL Combine 2012: Ryan Tannehill and QBs Whose Stock Will Soar in Indy

Last year, most experts had Jake Locker and Christian Ponder as second-round picks up until the combine. Only Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert were guaranteed to be first-round selections.

Once Locker and Ponder showed off their physical and mental talents, they skyrocketed up to get drafted eighth and 12^th respectively, in the first round.

This year’s quarterback class features three QBs that aren’t currently being discussed alongside Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, but have the potential to skyrocket up the draft board after next week’s combine in Indianapolis.

Ryan Tannehill—Texas A&M

A broken foot has hampered him so far in the pre-draft process, and he won’t be able to throw at the combine.

Yet NFL draft guru Mike Mayock believes that shouldn’t prevent teams from getting excited about him:

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He’s got size, he’s got arm strength, really good athlete. All you have to do is look at his tape as a wide receiver two years ago. He’s a big, fast kid with a really good arm.

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If anything, not being able to throw helps. Tannehill struggles to anticipate, and doesn’t have the quickest release.

Scouts will be able to see his 6’4’’ and 225-pound frame, in addition to his strong arm and build in general. His body is his biggest asset, and that’s all scouts can see next week. Maybe this foot injury is actually a blessing in disguise.

Nick Foles—Arizona

While I have questions about his mental makeup and decision making abilities, he has all of the physical tools. Standing at 6’5’’, 245 pounds, he has 10.75 inch hands and a 5.0 40-time. He is just the sort of athlete that sticks out at the combine, and it should get the scouts fired up.

I have a feeling he’ll be drafted almost a round earlier than he should, after crushing the combine workouts.

Brandon Weeden—Oklahoma State

Weeden may not possess the physical tools of the other two on the list, but it’s his accuracy that will stand out. He had a 69-percent career completion rate in his collegiate career. Sure, part of that is the system he played in, but more than anything it’s because he’s a quick decision maker that has a great release.

Watching him rifle bullet after bullet may be enough for Weeden to sneak into the back of the second or early third round, as they forget about his old age (28).