Pro Comparisons for College Football's Next Class of Star Quarterbacks

The 2015 recruiting class features a stockpile of impressive passers who appear ready to make an early impact in college. Though these quarterbacks remain largely unpolished, it's always important to project the potential of a possible offensive leader.

We examined the top 10 players at the position in this class and aimed to match their skill sets to current NFL quarterbacks. Here's a review of each comparison, though each prospect has plenty to prove before joining the pros.

*Prospects listed in order of appearance in 247Sports' composite rankings.

4-Star Drew Lock

Credit: 247Sports

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 7 pro-style QB; No. 95 overall

High School: Lee's Summit (Lee's Summit, Missouri)

Size: 6'3.5", 205 lbs

Recruitment Status: Committed to Missouri

Pro-Player Comparison: Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears

Drew Lock shows off big-time arm strength and can push the ball downfield at different angles. However, there are some concerns about fundamental inconsistencies.

He doesn't always set a solid base before delivering passes, resulting in erratic accuracy at times beyond intermediate targets. While he won't run away from many collegiate defenders, there's a lot to like about Lock's athleticism, and he can be a valuable rusher in short-yardage situations. 

His frame leaves room for additional bulk, which would help enhance lower-body strength. Lock, who threw for 5,759 yards and 63 scores as an upperclassman, could quickly challenge for the Tigers' starting job with improved technique.

4-Star Ricky Town

Credit: 247Sports

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 6 pro-style QB; No. 79 overall

High School: St. Bonaventure (Ventura, California)

Size: 6'3", 206 lbs

Recruitment Status: Enrolled at USC

Pro-Player Comparison: Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals

We throw it back to the Pete Carroll era while analyzing the skill set of USC's newest passer. Ricky Town already seems to have a solid grasp of the game, exhibiting quality football IQ that serves him well throughout different stages of matchups.

Like Palmer, his mobility is restricted to the pocket, but it's good enough to buy him time against an oncoming blitz. Town is at his best when throwing while rolling to the right, though he won't win many footraces. 

There were times when Town's delivery looked a bit robotic last summer at The Opening, though that could be attributed to his recovery from a knee injury. The pieces are in place for him to develop into a high-level prototypical pocket passer at USC.

4-Star Jake Browning

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 5 pro-style QB; No. 71 overall

High School: Folsom (Folsom, California)

Size: 6'2", 185 lbs

Recruitment Status: Enrolled at Washington

Pro-Player Comparison: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Houston Texans

While watching Jake Browning progress as a high school playmaker, two things stood out above all else—his intelligence and gaudy statistics.

He can only carry one of those with him at the next level. 

Browning, who broke the all-time high school career record with 229 touchdown tosses, is a cerebral athlete who consistently preferred to discuss the scoreboard instead of his statistical onslaught. He doesn't possess a cannon for an arm, but he understands timing and where to place the ball for receivers (70 percent completion rate in three seasons as a high school starter).

Fitzpatrick has never wowed opponents with laser passes, but he's carved out a quality NFL career with starting gigs in five cities due to his reputation as a proverbial "game manager." Browning has a higher ceiling, but don't expect him to maintain prolific production against Pac-12 opponents. 

4-Star Brady White

Credit: 247Sports

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 4 pro-style QB; No. 67 overall

High School: Hart (Newhall, California)

Size: 6'0.5", 180 lbs

Recruitment Status: Committed to Arizona State

Pro-Player Comparison: Kellen Moore, Detroit Lions

Brady White will never be a guy who makes scouts clamor because of his physical measurements, but he warrants praise with impressive precision and leadership skills. His mobility is often overlooked and, though he isn't a dual-threat college talent, an ability to escape pressure puts him in position to pull off improvisational plays that can shift momentum.

Moore, who set the all-time NCAA record with 50 wins in his Boise State career, wasn't a highly regarded NFL draft prospect due to a lack of elite physical attributes. He's beaten the odds by establishing himself as Matt Stafford's backup in Detroit.

White carries a confident, calm demeanor reminiscent of the one Moore displayed with the Broncos. He threw for 10,835 yards and 109 touchdowns as a three-year high school starter, per MaxPreps. 

4-Star Deondre Francois

Credit: 247Sports

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 3 pro-style QB; No. 64 overall

High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)

Size: 6'1", 195 lbs

Recruitment Status: Committed to Florida State

Pro-Player Comparison: Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans

Deondre Francois has immense potential at quarterback, but he may be the biggest wild card on this list due to his continued development. He made strides as a senior while working under IMG head coach and Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke, throwing for 1,294 yards, 17 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

Though it was the strongest season of his high school career, Francois was aided by upgraded surrounding talent during his lone year at IMG, and a 53 percent completion rate leaves plenty of room for improvement. 

Francois flashes arguably the strongest arm in this class and, when healthy, Locker lands in the top 10 among NFL passers in that category. However, he's completed more than 58 percent of his passes during just one if his four years as a pro.

Francois and Locker also share similar traits as rushers, taking on contact with physicality. Both can make an impact with their legs but do their best work behind the line of scrimmage.

4-Star Brandon Wimbush

Credit: 247Sports

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 3 dual-threat QB; No. 45 overall

High School: St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, New Jersey)

Size: 6'2", 205 lbs

Recruitment Status: Committed to Notre Dame

Pro-Player Comparison: Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders

Brandon Wimbush and Carr are both heady players who orchestrate their offensive attacks with confidence and effectiveness. They each display above-average athleticism and strong footwork, setting up darts downfield.

Wimbush, who threw for a career-best 3,151 yards and 36 scores as a senior, can still make strides as a deep-ball passer. However, he displays range within 25 yards that ranks among this class' elite.

The blend of touch and velocity on Wimbush's intermediate attempts is similar to Carr. Both players are also adept at limiting turnovers by quickly working through the decision-making process (Carr threw just three interceptions during his final seven games as a rookie, while Wimbush tossed four picks in 12 contests last fall).

4-Star Jarrett Stidham

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 dual-threat QB; No. 38 overall

High School: Stephenville (Stephenville, Texas)

Size: 6'4", 195 lbs

Recruitment Status: Committed to Baylor

Pro-Player Comparison: Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

It's remarkable to assess where Jarrett Stidham is as a quarterback prospect just two years after transitioning from wide receiver (50 catches for 819 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2012). His ability to create opportunities with excellent mobility or sit back and pick apart defenses from the pocket make him a special recruit. 

He doesn't fire the ball with ridiculous velocity, but spins it to targets with elite touch and placement. Stidham completed 70 percent of 260 pass attempts as a senior, keeping teams honest with rushing abilities that resulted in 969 yards and 15 scores on the ground (Luck is quietly an extremely effective runner).

Comparing anyone to a talent like Luck at this stage of their career is nothing more than long-term projection, but Stidham will have a shot to meet expectations in a high-octane Baylor attack. He threw for 5,547 yards, 75 touchdowns and just eight interceptions in two campaigns as a high school starter.

5-Star Kyler Murray

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 dual-threat QB; No. 33 overall

High School: Allen (Allen, Texas)

Size: 5'10", 180 lbs

Recruitment Status: Committed to Texas A&M

Pro-Player Comparison: Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

This correlation came easier than any quarterback featured on our list. 

Kyler Murray is often slighted for his lack of ideal size. That's the reason Wilson slipped to Seattle in the third round.

Murray is a two-sport star likely to be selected high in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. Wilson was a fourth-round pick of the Colorado Rockies in 2010.

Murray is lethal in and out of the pocket. So is Wilson.

Murray is a winner. So is Wilson.

The Aggies pledge finished his high school career 42-0 with three state championships. Murray racked up incredible numbers along the way, with 10,386 passing yards, 4,139 rushing yards and 182 total touchdowns.

He exhibits incredible calmness in pressure-packed situations, leading his team back twice from double-digit deficits during the 2014 playoff run. These traits again draw similarities to Wilson, who is aiming for his second Super Bowl title in just three NFL seasons.

5-Star Blake Barnett

Credit: 247Sports

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 pro-style QB; No. 21 overall

High School: Santiago (Corona, California)

Size: 6'4.5", 200 lbs

Recruitment Status: Enrolled at Alabama

Pro-Player Comparison: Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers

Blake Barnett is rated as a pro-style quarterback in composite rankings, but he could easily land on the dual-threat list. His ability to sustain plays and do damage downfield as a runner are key reasons why Alabama fans are so compelled by his potential.

"Coach (Lane) Kiffin and Coach (Nick) Saban were very fond about the idea of their quarterback being able to run the ball several times in each game," Barnett told Bleacher Report this summer. "It's something they were looking for and it made sense as a fit for me."

Barnett gained 1,174 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground as an upperclassman. He's a long-striding runner who picks up steam in a hurry, much like Kaepernick.

Barnett doesn't flash the rifle that Kaepernick currently boasts, but he could approach that level of velocity through physical development, and he threw for a career-high 3,392 yards in 2014. Accuracy can be a shortcoming for both quarterbacks, but their balanced skill sets and desirable size create an intriguing combination. 

5-Star Josh Rosen

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 pro-style QB; No. 12 overall

High School: St. John Bosco (Bellflower, California)

Size: 6'4", 205 lbs

Recruitment Status: Enrolled at UCLA

Pro-Player Comparison: Eli Manning, New York Giants

Josh Rosen looks like a potential program-changer and joins a stronger supporting cast at UCLA than the one Manning encountered at Ole Miss. He commands respect for his pre- and post-snap reads, which helped him throw for 6,386 yards and 68 scores as an upperclassman.

Rosen, who led his team to an unbeaten state title run as a junior, is the most accurate deep-ball passer in this class, and that's a dimension of Manning's game that has always shined. His surgical footwork on dropbacks also reminds me of Manning.

He shined during "pocket conflict" drills at the Elite 11 finals, keeping his focus downfield when faced with chaos. Rosen lacks lateral mobility, but he does a great job of stepping up in the pocket and identifying targets as a play progresses.

Recruit ratings and stats courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.