Pro Comparisons for 2015 NFL Draft Quarterback Prospects
Quarterbacks are always the focus of every NFL draft class—even when the class is severely lacking depth, as is the case this draft season.
The 2015 quarterback class can essentially be summed up as Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota and a big, jumbled mess.
But a handful of other signal-callers will hear their names called, and fans of those teams need to be prepared for what to expect.
The following slideshow features seven of the top quarterbacks in this class, and their closest NFL comparisons.
There are some reasons to like each of these prospects, and they'll all find their way into NFL camps next summer. But after the top two, the comparisons probably won't generate much excitement. You've been fairly warned.
Jameis Winston, Florida State
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Pro Comparison: Steve McNair
Listed at 6'4", 230 pounds, Winston is a near-perfect match for McNair in terms of physical build. And Winston possesses the same mobility that, when coupled with his size, made McNair such a dangerous threat on the run.
While Winston has all the physical tools to play at a high level, questions about his decision-making linger over his draft stock.
Poor decisions led to 18 interceptions during Winston's redshirt-sophomore year, a shockingly high number for such a talented prospect. But we've seen this before.
In 1995, McNair entered the draft after throwing 17 interceptions the previous year at Alcorn State—against far weaker competition than Winston at Florida State.
To ease McNair into the league, the Oilers sat him behind Chris Chandler for the majority of his first two seasons. Winston likely won't have that luxury, but McNair's development should serve as a lesson in the value of patience for Winston's future employer.
Marcus Mariota, Oregon
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Pro Comparison: Colin Kaepernick
The Mariota-Kaepernick comparison may feel overused for those who have been following the draft for months already, but their qualities, both good and bad, are too similar to ignore.
Physically, both quarterbacks are undersized in terms of their build, which raises durability concerns. Kaepernick hasn't missed a start since taking over in San Francisco, but the worries about his relatively slight frame still linger and the same concerns will hover over Mariota's draft stock this spring.
On the positive side, Kaepernick's success gives teams a blueprint for how to ease Mariota into the NFL.
Kaepernick and Mariota both played in offensive systems which made life easy on them in college. Neither quarterback was asked to attempt many difficult throws from the pocket, and even fewer when under pressure.
The 49ers have brought Kaepernick along slowly in terms of types of throws he's asked to make, and it would be wise for Mariota's future team to treat him similarly.
Brett Hundley, UCLA
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Pro Comparison: Tarvaris Jackson
This comparison works on many levels, both in terms of physical traits and NFL readiness.
Much like Jackson coming out of Alabama State, Hundley's primary issue is reading defenses. Poor decisions have plagued Jackson throughout his NFL career and will certainly be an issue for Hundley if he's thrown into the fire too soon.
However, Hundley has an intriguing upside due to his athleticism and arm talent, which were also the primary reasons the Vikings reached for Jackson in the second round in 2006.
Both quarterbacks are mobile enough to make plays with their feet and are capable of unleashing some throws that catch the attention of everyone around.
For Hundley to avoid Jackson's fate as a career backup, he'll need to dedicate himself to mastering the mental side of the game. He needs to do a better job seeing the field, which will allow him to make quicker, smarter decisions from the pocket.
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Garrett Grayson, Colorado State
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Pro Comparison: A.J. McCarron
Garrett Grayson and McCarron both spent time playing under former Colorado State head coach and Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain, and it shows.
They're both smart, patient quarterbacks who excel in the pocket, even when facing pressure. This poise and toughness will endear Grayson to coaches at the next level.
However, Grayson and McCarron both lack elite arm talent and probably wouldn't even be on the NFL radar screen if not for the development they gained from great coaching at the college level.
Both quarterbacks finished their college careers at or near their ceiling as a football player, which likely leaves them both as career backups.
While Grayson's upside is limited, there's certainly value in having a smart, reliable backup, and a team could view Grayson as that type of player, giving them good value on the third day of the draft.
Brandon Bridge, South Alabama
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Pro Comparison: Spergon Wynn
Brandon Bridge, who is a legitimate threat running the football, is a much more well-rounded athlete than Wynn. But their extremely raw but eye-popping arm talent is what leads to this comparison.
Wynn was drafted in the sixth round (just before Tom Brady) by the Browns, due to his freakish arm strength. However, Wynn was as raw as they come and never learned how to dial it down a notch to improve on his accuracy.
Bridge might offer slightly more upside than Wynn due to the added benefit of his athleticism, but he is definitely the type of prospect that needs two or three years buried on the depth chart before he's ready to see the field.
It's hard to envision a player with Bridge's elite physical tools going undrafted, but fans of his future team should set their expectations low, especially in the short term.
Bryce Petty, Baylor
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Pro Comparison: Ryan Lindley
Bryce Petty doesn't have Lindley's arm strength, but this comparison works primarily because their biggest flaw is the same—and it's a flaw that's often impossible to overcome: Both quarterbacks lack the accuracy to play at a high level in the NFL.
Petty's mechanics are shaky—he bounces in the pocket a lot and often throws from an open stance, even in a clean pocket—which will give teams some hope that they can fix him in this area. But in general, accuracy doesn't improve by leaps and bounds once a quarterback has reached this level. It's the type of skill that you either have or you don't.
Lindley has elite arm strength and, like Petty, is a hard worker and respected by teammates and coaches. So both quarterbacks will continue to be given opportunities, but there's a low ceiling for quarterbacks who lack elite accuracy.
Hutson Mason, Georgia
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Pro Comparison: Chase Daniel
What you see is what you get with Hutson Mason.
There's very little to get excited about when watching Mason's game. But he also doesn't have any glaring flaws holding him back.
No one will draft Mason with hopes of developing him in to a future starter, but, as Daniel has learned, smart, hard-working quarterbacks with baseline NFL tools can stick around for a long time in this league.
Mason also has a height advantage over Daniel, so he won't have those concerns lingering over him throughout the draft process.
Additionally, Mason's impressive performance against pressure, despite limited playing time during his career at Georgia, will give teams reason to feel comfortable about his ability to handle the speed of the NFL game if he's thrown into a difficult situation as a backup.
Statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com.
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