Battle for No. 3 QB in 2015 NFL Draft Is Disappointing but Wide-Open
Oregon's Marcus Mariota and Florida State's Jameis Winston headline the 2015 NFL draft, but those two won't be the only quarterbacks selected at some point between April 30 and May 2.
However, the race to become the No. 3 quarterback in this year's draft class continues on the pro-day circuit.
Overall, this year's quarterback class is considered very poor. If not for the value the position holds, none of the prospects beyond Mariota and Winston would garner high grades. Each prospect has warts to his game that a team will either use to drive him down their boards or overlook him because there isn't enough in that particular prospect's game to intrigue organizations.
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History isn't on the side of these aspiring professionals, either.
In the last 10 years, 106 quarterbacks have been selected after the first round of the draft. Eight are still projected to start at the beginning of the upcoming season. Only the Buffalo Bills' Matt Cassel and Tennessee Titans' Zach Mettenberger—if the team doesn't use the second overall pick on a quarterback—were selected in the fourth round or later.
Thus, it's particularly important for a quarterback to be selected in the second or third round. At that point, organizations still see potential in a prospect, and he receives support from within the team as a developmental option. After that point, quarterback prospects are generally just throwaway picks that serve as practice squad performers with long odds of actually being properly developed.
While it may seem like numerous talented prospects are being arbitrarily written off due to where they are selected, an organization only has so many reps to develop those quarterbacks on the roster they feel warrant the time and energy necessary to become long-term starters.
As the argument whether Mariota or Winston should be selected first continues, there are five quarterbacks with enough potential to intrigue teams and become the third signal-caller off the board, which would place each in a far more favorable position compared to the rest of the class.
Brett Hundley
The UCLA product is a man trying to reclaim his place in the world.
Hundley was generally considered a first-round prospect last season, but his game appeared to stagnate as a junior before declaring for this year's NFL draft.
Concerns over Hundley's pocket presence, or lack thereof, appeared to drive the talented athlete down boards.
After a couple years of punishment behind one of college football's worst offensive lines, the quarterback appeared to develop bad habits. Hundley said that he was asked to pull the ball down and run if his initial read wasn't available, but the admission doesn't excuse his inability to recognize pressure, keep his eyes downfield and still complete passes to open wide receivers.
A few months removed from the season, though, and everything that most people liked previously about Hundley came back to the forefront.
At 6'3" and 226 pounds, Hundley owns all the physical tools needed to be a starting quarterback at the next level. He is also a tremendous all-around athlete. He finished among the top five quarterbacks in every combine drill.
Teams are also enamored with Hundley as a person and student of the game. DraftInsider.net's Tony Pauline provided an example of how much organizations like Hundley:
The quarterback also used his time between the combine and UCLA's pro day to improve in areas where there were existing concerns.
Hundley displayed improved footwork in front of scouts, according to the Orange County Register's Ryan Kartje:
A combination of elite physical tools, a positive attitude, tremendous work ethic and improved technique makes Hundley the favorite to come off the board after Mariota and Winston.
Sean Mannion
Mannion was the latest to capitalize on a strong pro-day performance.
NFL.com's Gil Brandt raved about Mannion's effort in front of scouts:
The Oregon State product has three traits working in his favor.
First, Mannion is a prototypical pocket passer at 6'6" and 229 pounds. He'll stand tall and deliver the football even when defenders are bearing down on him.
Second, the Beavers quarterback owns an above-average arm. He can make all of the throws and was asked to do so by former Oregon State head coach Mike Riley. Mannion owns 18 Oregon State passing records and left the program with 13,600 passing yards.
Finally, Riley's offense is considered a pro-style attack with multiple drops and reads that translate to the NFL.
Mannion may not be the most gifted quarterback but should be able to step in and perform his duties from the onset of his career.
It's for this exact reason why Fox Sports' Joel Klatt proclaimed that Mannion should be considered the third quarterback chosen in this year's class:
The biggest concern regarding Mannion is how quickly he processes information and moves in the pocket.
The statuesque passer can be slow working through his progressions, and the situation is exacerbated by an elongated delivery. Also, Mannion doesn't move particularly well in the pocket.
Production, size and pro-readiness remain the selling points, though.
Garrett Grayson
Before Jim McElwain left the Colorado State Rams for the Florida Gators, he developed Grayson. During his two years as a starter, Grayson completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 7,702 yards, 55 touchdowns and only 18 interceptions.
Like Mannion, Grayson's appeal is primarily based on the fact he played in McElwain's pro-style system in which the quarterback was asked to make many of the same reads and throws expected of an NFL quarterback.
"There's a lot of parts of Colorado State's system that I recognize, unlike a lot of college football that's running up-tempo, no-huddle, spread-option football," ESPN analyst Jon Gruden said in a CSU news release, via GatorZone.com's Scott Carter. “There's some principles at Colorado State that will serve Grayson well.”
His production in the system makes Grayson an easier projection for teams, and some organizations like him as the third quarterback in this year's class.
“People need to see him live, but I’ve already had a number of scouts tell me they like him better than Bryce Petty and Brett Hundley,” Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage told MMQB.com's Robert Klemko.
However, Grayson's overall arm talent doesn't quite live up to the rest on this list. The Colorado State product shows good touch but owns an awkward throwing motion where he flicks the ball instead of using a compact, over-the-top delivery. As a result, balls are rarely thrown with great velocity, and the majority of his damage is done on underneath throws.
McElwain's system helped Grayson develop into a legitimate NFL prospect. Now he may be a good system fit for certain teams that rely heavily on the short-passing game.
Bryce Petty
If a team prefers a quarterback for whom the ball explodes off his hands and who can make every throw imaginable, Petty is the guy in this year's class.
There is no questioning Petty's production at Baylor, natural throwing ability or toughness—the quarterback played with a broken back as a senior.
Baylor's head coach Art Briles also considers his former quarterback a tremendous locker room presence, per ESPN.com's Travis Haney:
Much like Hundley, Petty was considered a top prospect entering this season, but the weaknesses in his game became far more prevalent under greater scrutiny.
It starts with Baylor's offensive system. Despite accumulating 8,055 passing yards, 61 touchdown tosses and only 10 interceptions over the past two years, the scheme doesn't work in Petty's favor.
The "Air Raid" offense has yet to produce a viable NFL quarterback, and Petty is simply the latest to play for Briles and his version of the scheme.
It isn't simply about concerns stemming from not working under center, an incomplete route tree or even the simplistic verbiage used in the spread scheme. Petty's overall technique and consistency regressed as a senior. His footwork was erratic, and his downfield accuracy was even worse at times.
Petty has the size (6'3", 230 pounds) and arm talent to warrant a high pick, but his is a long-term project that requires work on the nuances of the position.
Chris Bonner
The wild card of this year's quarterback crop is a 6'7" gunslinger from a Division II school.
As a gangly teenager, Bonner needed time to grow into his frame. Higher-profile programs weren't willing to wait or didn't see Bonner's overall potential. The quarterback eventually grew into a 231-pound pocket passer.
During his two seasons with the Colorado State-Pueblo ThunderWolves, Bonner completed 57.8 percent of his passes for 6,704 yards, 63 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
Teams came away impressed by the small-school product during the draft process. Benjamin Allbright of 94.1 FM in Denver relayed a scout's growing appreciation for the quarterback:
Bonner's lure is obvious. His prototype size and cannon for a right arm are tools teams are willing to work with in hopes of developing them over the long haul despite playing against a lower level of competition.
The Division II product only has an outside shot of leapfrogging the rest of his classmates, but he completely understands his plight and accepts the challenge.
"I'm still a huge underdog," Bonner told Bleacher Report's Mike Tanier last month. "Nothing is guaranteed. So I just need to be working harder than every quarterback out there if I want to get the shot."
Who is really No. 3?
The answer is the same as it ever was.
Of the five prospects in the conversation, Hundley is still the most naturally talented. His overall upside and the previous high opinion of his ability clearly give him an edge.
Mannion and Grayson may be more prepared due to their collegiate schemes but fall short on the athletic spectrum compared to Hundley.
Petty and Bonner, on the other hand, are the best natural throwers of the bunch, but each are long-term developmental projects.
None of these prospects should be considered franchise-changing talents—it's the wrong year to be looking for quarterbacks—but there is enough potential presented by each to make a case for them as early as the second or third round.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL draft for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski.
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