How Ryan Tannehill Has Become NFL's Most Overvalued Draft Pick

Ryan Tannehill is the most overvalued member of the 2012 NFL draft class, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

He has an intriguing skill set—an enticing and potentially moldable assortment of tools. Above all, he is a quarterback. 

Quarterbacks were certainly important in the past, but in today's NFL, their value has dramatically increased. A quarterback can mask a team's deficiencies. Furthermore, he is integral in not only advancing to, but making a deep run in the postseason. 

The last nine Super Bowls were won by these six quarterbacks;  Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. 

A Brad Johnson or a Trent Dilfer will sneak into that special fraternity every so often. But to consistently win, it's clear you need a quality signal-caller. 

Some believe Tannehill will never become that guy, but many coaches would thoroughly enjoy teaching the nuances of the game to a prospect like him.

I watched a lot of him in college, and at first glance, wasn't necessarily impressed. He made far too many poor or late decisions and came apart in the second half of some games.

However, after re-watching a few contests, several NFL-level "wow" throws stood out to me. The way in which his receivers failed to battle for the football or simply haul in catchable passes was also more apparent.

He seemed comfortable in the pocket and typically elected to use his athleticism to scramble for extra yardage at the right times. There's nothing raw about his pocket awareness. 

Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are so refined coming into the league that they actually make Tannehill look much worse as a prospect than he really is. 

I remember watching Matt Ryan at Boston College. I saw a big, strong-armed quarterback who threw 31 touchdowns with a discouraging 19 interceptions in his final collegiate season. 

Since it will likely take Tannehill at least a year to develop into a competent NFL starter—yes—he's become remarkably overvalued. 

Don't forget that the term "overvalued" comes from writers and the draftnik community. Being overvalued yields the dreaded "reach." However, as B/R NFC North blogger Andrew Garda astutely points out, there's really no such thing. 

Last year, the Tennessee Titans believed they were getting great value with Jake Locker at No. 8 overall. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings loved what they saw from Christian Ponder enough to take him at No. 12 overall.

Like Tannehill, both guys entered the NFL with a handful of flaws, but those flaws were outweighed by their many captivating attributes. 

And they played quarterback. 

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