Paxton Lynch Shows Potential at Pro Day to Be the Best QB of the 2016 NFL Draft

Jared Goff or Carson Wentz. Carson Wentz or Jared Goff.

Ever since the 2015 NFL season ended, the debate has raged. Is Wentz, the small-school star with the big-time arm, the top quarterback prospect in the 2016 draft? Or is it Goff, the kid from Cal who has drawn comparisons to Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons?

Well, there's a third horse in this race. And while Memphis signal-caller Paxton Lynch hasn't gotten the run of Goff or Wentz—and Lynch all but surely won't be the first player at his position taken April 28—the 6'7" (yes, 6'7"), 244-pounder reminded scouts Wednesday that he might just end up being the best of the bunch.

Leading up to Wednesday's pro day, Lynch told Chase Goodbread of NFL.com that he intended to show all in attendance that he was more than "just" a running quarterback—that he had the arm to match his athleticism and ability to extend plays with his feet:

"

There's a lot of challenging stuff in there. I didn't want a pro day teams would consider to be on the safer side. I've got a lot of throws on there that show off my arm. There's a few three-step throws in there, but that's not a tough drop and I don't think that's really what teams are there to see. They want to see five-step, seven-step, play-action and all that. We'll be moving the pocket and getting outside to show how I can throw on the run, and there's a good amount of deep throws in there.

"

From all indications, Lynch accomplished what he set out to, whether it was showing solid velocity:

Making a number of throws in a two-minute-drill exercise:

Or just winding up and letting it rip:

The ability Lynch showed to "make all the throws at the NFL level" (draftnik-speak for being able to throw out-routes with zip on them) was all the more impressive given the 30 to 40 mph winds he made them in.

Added all together, it was a showing that NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock believes locks Lynch in as a Day 1 pick:

It was also exactly what Lynch needed after an uneven performance at February's NFL Scouting Combine.

There were positives in Indy. Lynch's 4.86-second 40 time was only average, but he showed off his fleetness of foot with good numbers in the short-shuttle and three-cone drills. His 36-inch vertical tied for best at the position.

And in addition to having the sort of prototypical size that NFL teams drool over, one AFC personnel executive told Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post that Lynch shined during his interview session with NFL clubs.

"Lynch was impressive,” the executive said. “We liked what he had to say and how he did on the board.”

But there were also hiccups. While Lynch's arm strength isn't in question, his accuracy and footwork are another matter. So is his ability to make reads and play under center after spending most of his time with the Tigers (as many collegiate quarterbacks do nowadays) running the spread from the shotgun.

Also, while Lynch's numbers—a completion percentage of 66.8 in 2015, almost 3,800 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and only four interceptions—are impressive on their face, a bit of the luster comes off when one considers the level of competition he faced in the American Athletic Conference.

The SEC it ain't.

Lynch told Wilson at the combine that he's aware of the learning curve he faces as he makes the leap to the NFL:

"

I’ve always relied on my athletic ability with my size and arm strength in college. I know that’s going to be different in the NFL. Those guys are a lot faster and those windows are a lot smaller and those defenses do a lot more tricky stuff than they do in college.

I’m not sure what situation I’m going to get put into. However a team needs to use me, that’s how I’m going to be. I’m going to be a team guy, I’m not about myself. If it’s coming in and sitting behind a guy, I’m still going to compete and push him. That’s how teams get better. But if it’s a team where I need to start, I’m going to formulate a plan and get to work.

"

Where his footwork and accuracy were concerned, there was improvement Wednesday relative to the combine, and after his workout, Lynch told reporters (via Dane Brugler of CBS Sports) that he wanted to make a point of demonstrating improvement in that area.

“I feel very confident from where I was to where I am now [since the combine],” Lynch said. "I just wanted to show these teams what I could do in the short amount of time.”

And that's the thing with Lynch.

Yes, of the top three quarterbacks in this year's crop, Lynch may well be the least "pro-ready." He's still a work in progress when it comes to making reads and going through his progressions. His footwork, like many spread and/or dual-threat passers, is far from textbook.

However, just in the past six weeks or so, Lynch has shown a willingness and ability to get better in that regard. As Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote, there's a lot to like with Lynch—especially if an NFL team is willing to exercise a bit of patience:

"

Unlike other size/speed quarterbacks like Vince Young and Colin Kaepernick, Lynch prefers to extend passing plays with his feet rather than bolting from the pocket, but he is still likely to make plenty of plays with his feet over the long haul. Lynch shows the ability to read defenses and make smart decisions, but not yet at an NFL starting level. While he has the physical tools to start right away, a team who is willing to allow him to sit and study his craft for a year could reap maximum rewards in the future.

"

The fact is there are no home runs under center in the 2016 draft. Teams looking for Andrew Luck are out of, well, luck.

Wentz played in a pro-style offense at North Dakota State, but he also played in a pro-style offense at North Dakota State. Goff has many of the same accuracy and progression issues Lynch does (having also played in a spread offense at Cal) and has itty-bitty Donald Trump hands.

Sorry. Couldn't be helped.

Teams like the Los Angeles Rams (No. 15), New York Jets (No. 20) and even the Denver Broncos (No. 31)—that are staring at stopgap options (or worse) at quarterback—could wind up (in the long term) with the best of this year's crop long after Wentz and Goff are off the board.

Is that guaranteed? No. There aren't any at the quarterback position in 2016.

But in showing off his cannon of a right arm Wednesday, Paxton Lynch sent a reminder to scouts, fans and draftniks alike.

In 2005, Aaron Rodgers wasn't the first quarterback drafted. In the legendary 1983 draft, Dan Marino wasn't the fifth quarterback taken.

First and best are not necessarily the same thing.

And it's entirely possible that while Lynch won't be the former in 2016, in five years we'll look back and call him the latter.

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