Carson Wentz Solidifies His Case as Draft's Top Quarterback

We're running short on consensus in the 2016 NFL draft. There isn't one as to who the draft's top prospect at any position is. Maybe it's Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil. Or Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa.

Or maybe it's one of the top youngsters at football's most important position. The two young signal-callers vying for that distinction were on the field at the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, and while there's still some dissent, Carson Wentz of North Dakota State solidified his case to be the first quarterback drafted on April 28.

ESPN's Todd McShay wouldn't go so far as to rank Wentz as the draft's top overall prospect in 2016 heading into Saturday's workouts, but McShay did elevate him to the head of the class under center:

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I've finally had time to study enough tape on the top QBs to put Wentz No. 1, slightly ahead of Jared Goff. Wentz has the frame (6-foot-5¼, 233 pounds). He has the arm. He can make all the throws -- even in cold, windy weather. He's a mobile QB who extends plays with his feet. And in the most important areas of QB evaluation -- mental makeup and accuracy -- Wentz grades out extremely high.

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Wentz did everything he could to live up to that ranking at Lucas Oil Stadium.

First, the 6'5", 232-pounder took to the track to run his 40-yard dash. No, Wentz's 4.77-second official time didn't set any combine records. But it did display a level of Andrew Luck-like sneaky athleticism that will appeal to NFL teams.

It was also the fastest 40 time of the "top three" quarterbacks, coming in ahead of both Cal's Jared Goff (4.82 seconds) and Memphis' Paxton Lynch (4.86):

Wentz's strong 40 time tied for second among all quarterbacks, as a matter of fact. Only Jeff Driskel of Louisiana Tech was faster (4.56).

But that wasn't what scouts wanted to see from Wentz. Or his 118" broad jump (also tied for second behind Driskel at the position). Or his 30 ½-inch vertical.

No, people were there to see Wentz throw the ball—especially vertically.

If there was a prevailing criticism of Wentz outside of his small-school status, it's that his arm strength is only OK. It isn't necessarily a liability, but with Wentz and Goff in a virtual dead heat among many draftniks, even the slightest perceived lack of a gun could be expensive.

Well...

It wasn't just one BB, either. McShay tweeted that Wentz put the biscuit in the basket with regularity during drills:

For this day at least, it went a long way toward dispelling the notion that Wentz might struggle to make NFL defenses pay down the field. This, after Wentz also tried to dispel the notion, per ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, that an FCS quarterback can't have success early in his NFL career:

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I think the success of guys like Joe Flacco or Tony Romo and the list goes on whether it’s quarterbacks or other position players. There’s a lot of talented individuals at the FCS level that can play. Especially a guy like Flacco coming in really right away as a rookie and winning some ballgames I think shows that that adjustment can be made by special players for sure.

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That list includes Steve McNair and Phil Simms. Just saying.

Yes, it's a valid point that the competition Wentz faced week in and week out wasn't as stiff as Goff's. However, NDSU steamrolled its opposition and beat several FBS colleges during Wentz's career. The team won its fifth straight FCS National Championship in 2015, beating Jacksonville State, 37-10.

And as Lance Zierlein of NFL.com pointed out, the style of football the Bison play may give Wentz an edge over many quarterback prospects who hail from bigger schools:

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With a body type that is as prototypical as they come and a background in reading the entire field and working through progressions, Wentz will immediately check a couple of boxes that many college quarterbacks won’t be able to check. While his arm strength is OK, he can still make all the throws and he can make them with accuracy. His ability to escape pressure and pick up first downs with his feet will be yet another check mark in his favor.

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We're running out of reasons not to like Wentz.

In that respect, it was a better combine for Wentz than Goff, who fared well throwing the ball but possesses tiny baby hands about which nine million articles will be written between now and April.

This isn't to say Wentz is a mortal lock to be the first quarterback taken in the 2016 NFL draft. Silly season has only just begun, and it's a long way to April 28.

But after Wentz lit up the combine Saturday, at least one NFL Network host believes the big arm from a small school's destination is set:

C'mon now. That's just mean.

To Wentz.

Gary Davenport is an NFL analyst at Bleacher Report, a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Gary on Twitter @IDPSharks.