2017 NFL Draft: Quarterbacks Who Could Emerge as Top Prospects

There are already some favorites to be the first quarterbacks off the board in the 2017 NFL draft. But if this past draft taught us anything, it's that we should never assume we know how the class will shake out this far in advance. 

At this time last year, North Dakota State's Carson Wentz was on the radar screen as a draftable prospect, but draftniks certainly did not view him as the potential No. 2 overall selection, where the Philadelphia Eagles eventually took him. 

So as we head into the 2016 college football season, it's best to keep an open mind. Rather than ranking the quarterback prospects and assuming one or two players have a leg up to go No. 1 overall, this slideshow will present more of a watch list. 

This watch list breaks down six quarterbacks who have the skill set to potentially rise to the first round conversation by season's end. Each quarterback's strengths and weaknesses are highlighted as well as what they need to prove to elevate their draft stock. 

Deshaun Watson, Clemson

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Clemson's Deshaun Watson will enter the year as the most highly touted draft-eligible quarterback prospect in the nation. His status at the top of the class is partially talent-driven, but it's also due to the publicity he received during to Clemson's run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in 2015-16. 

Despite the hype, Watson is far from a sure thing and will be in a hotly contested battle to emerge as the first quarterback chosen in 2017. 

Watson's best attributes are his mobility and mechanics. He's quick enough to extend plays and be a serious threat running the ball, but taking off running isn't his first instinct. The majority of Watson's rushing yards come on designed runs, while on passing plays he uses his legs to simply buy time when facing pressure. 

Unlike many mobile quarterbacks, Watson has already mastered the refined technique and throwing motion when in the pocket, which bodes well for a smooth transition to the pros. 

NFL scouts will hope to see Watson improve his downfield accuracy in 2016, which dropped off after a fairly impressive freshman season. 

He will likely remain productive throwing the deep ball with weapons such as Mike Williams and Artavis Scott, but he needs to improve his ball placement, which led to too many interceptions (13) a season ago. 

Brad Kaaya, Miami (FL)

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Give Brad Kaaya the supporting cast Watson enjoys at Clemson and he would receive all the same attention. 

As college quarterbacks, the most obvious difference between Watson and Kaaya is mobility, as only Watson is a serious threat to run the ball. But Kaaya has plenty of athleticism and can move within the pocket and roll out to avoid the rush. 

When Kaaya turns pro, he will likely be labeled NFL-ready because of his throwing mechanics, footwork, ability go through his progressions and accuracy. These traits will help him make a smooth transition.

The two questions looming over him relate to his arm strength and decision-making. 

Kaaya's arm strength isn't necessarily a concern, but when compared to other prospects in this class, he noticeably comes up short. If other prospects match him in the other important areas, this could be a deciding factor to elevate them above him. 

His decision-making has also struggled at times, but he could see a significant boost in production with new head coach Mark Richt. At Georgia, Richt traditionally did an excellent job preparing his quarterbacks and got the most out of marginal talent from guys like Greyson Lambert, Hutson Mason and David Greene. 

Kaaya will be the most gifted passer Richt has worked with since former No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford.

Chad Kelly, Ole Miss

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A scouting report of Chad Kelly will feature red flags galore, but the talent is certainly intriguing. 

The character concerns are highlighted by the fact that he's been kicked off two teams in his career, once in high school and then at Clemson, before he finally landed at Ole Miss after a stop at the JUCO ranks. 

If a team can look past all of that, they'll see that Kelly has arguably the best arm in this class.

The two questions he has to answer this season are whether he can survive without Laquon Treadwell and if he can improve his decision-making.

Losing Treadwell and Cody Core to the NFL could impact his development, especially considering the rate at which Treadwell was able to compete for contested catches.

Kelly trusts his arm a little too much at times, and Treadwell was occasionally able to bail him out. In 2016, he'll need to cut down on the interceptions and do so without the help of a future first-round pick at wide receiver. 

Gunner Kiel, Cincinnati

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Gunner Kiel was among the most highly recruited quarterbacks in the 2011 high school class and originally went to Notre Dame before transferring to Cincinnati. 

In terms of raw talent, Kiel has the tools of an early first-round pick, with NFL arm strength and strong all-around athleticism. 

In terms of NFL readiness, however, Kiel still has a lot to prove. 

The most glaring flaw Kiel must work on is his elongated throwing motion. He showed improvement in this area between 2014 and 2015, showing it's something he has worked on. If he's made further strides this offseason and quickens his release, Kiel's stock could rise significantly. 

He'll also need to improve his ability to read the entire field. 

Cincinnati likes to take a lot of shots down the field, but Kiel has a tendency to lock on to his receiver. He gets away with it against most of Cincinnati's lower-tier competition, but it has burned him against better defenses (most notably Temple in 2015). 

Had Kiel entered the 2016 draft, he would have been a mid-round developmental prospect, but he could rise in the 2017 draft class depending on his offseason development. 

J.T. Barrett, Ohio State

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J.T. Barrett is a wild card at this stage of the evaluation process. 

He appeared to be trending toward a career at the NFL level based on his performance as a freshman in 2014. But after finally taking over for Cardale Jones midway through Ohio State's 2015 campaign, Barrett looked rusty, and his erratic downfield attack contributed to the Buckeyes' inefficient offense.

Barrett does a great job seeing the whole field—a trait he displayed early in his freshman year. But at times in 2015, he looked scared to throw the ball, often passing up multiple opportunities and eventually tucking the ball to run. 

Based on an evaluation of his first few games in 2015 alone, he would receive an undraftable grade and would likely be asked to switch positions in the pros. 

But we can't ignore what we saw from Barrett in 2014 and the flashes of that early success he showed again in the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame. 

Now that Barrett has had an entire offseason as the unquestioned leader of the Buckeyes offense, there's reason to hope he can regain his early form and get his development back on track for a future NFL career. 

Mitch Leidner, Minnesota

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It's tough to attract attention while playing at Minnesota, but Mitch Leidner will be a prospect worth watching early in 2016. 

Leidner's experience in Minnesota's balanced offense may make him among the most NFL-ready prospects in the mental side of the game. 

At 6'4", 237 pounds, Leidner has the size of an NFL pocket passer and often plays that role, but the Golden Gophers also frequently feature him in the running game on read-option plays. With experience running a wide range of plays at Minnesota, he will likely fare well in the interview process. 

To continue his development, Leidner will need to refine his technique in the pocket. He's further along in his development than many read-option quarterbacks, but his footwork is often shaky, and it leads to some errant throws and weakens his arm strength at times. 

He isn't working with much of a supporting cast in Minnesota, so don't expect huge numbers in the passing game, but Leidner should be considered a first-round dark horse entering the season.