Ranking the Candidates to Be Next Year's Mitchell Trubisky
Mitchell Trubisky's rapid rise to prominence in football circles was surprising, at least on the surface. At this time a year ago, Trubisky was a relatively untested North Carolina junior who had never started a college football game.
Now, he's the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft, with the Chicago Bears trading four draft picks just to move up one spot and grab their quarterback of the future. With just one season of starting experience under his belt, Trubisky vaulted from anonymity to become one of pro football's most talked-about rookies.
Can it happen again? Of course it can. While quarterbacks like Southern California's Sam Darnold and UCLA's Josh Rosen will generate plenty of coverage leading into the 2018 draft, other lesser-known signal callers could also surprise.
Here's a look at a handful of quarterbacks that, with the right breaks, could become the next Trubisky in the 2018 NFL draft.
7. North Carolina QB Brandon Harris
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When you're looking for the next Mitch Trubisky, how about checking out the guy that will replace Trubisky in North Carolina's offense? Don't laugh—it could happen.
Trubisky used one excellent season in the Tar Heels' offense to become a darling of NFL scouts, and Larry Fedora's staff would love to see the phenomenon repeat itself with a guy looking for a new beginning.
Brandon Harris never really caught on as LSU's starting quarterback. He threw for 2,165 yards with 13 touchdowns against six interceptions as a sophomore before losing his job to Danny Etling early in 2016, landing at North Carolina as a graduate transfer.
He should be a better fit in Fedora's wide-open system than in LSU's pro-style scheme, and his personal quarterbacks coach, George Whitfield, thinks he could mirror Trubisky's development in a Tar Heel uniform.
"Trubisky had 12 games and he's sitting at the same table as Deshaun Watson," Whitfield told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
That could surprise those who watched Harris at LSU, but don't be surprised if he's a great fit in Chapel Hill.
6. Western Kentucky QB Mike White
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Friday night, Western Kentucky had its highest NFL draft pick ever when the Los Angeles Chargers tabbed guard Forrest Lamp No. 38 overall. Lamp helped make a potent passing offense run efficiently, and next spring, the guy who he blocked for all fall could make an NFL impact, too.
Quarterback Mike White had a breakout season after transferring from South Florida, throwing for 4,363 yards with 37 touchdowns against seven interceptions while completing 67.3 percent of his passes. It was the fifth-highest yardage total among FBS quarterbacks, and only Washington State quarterback Luke Falk has more passing yards among 2017 returnees.
White threw for 300-plus yards eight times, including a 517-yard effort in his WKU debut against Rice. He stands 6'4", 215 pounds and will get to work with new head coach Mike Sanford, a noted quarterback specialist, in the Hilltoppers' wide-open scheme. Another great season could really get NFL scouts' attention.
5. South Florida QB Quinton Flowers
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Charlie Strong never quite got it going in three seasons at Texas, but he found a soft landing spot at South Florida. Strong inherits a solid program from Willie Taggart and, most notably, a dynamic quarterback in Quinton Flowers, one of the best players you might not have heard of.
Flowers had an excellent junior season, throwing for 2,807 yards with 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions. And he also led the Bulls with 1,527 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns en route to an 11-2 record and Birmingham Bowl win over South Carolina. He surpassed 100 yards on the ground eight times and completed 62.5 percent of his passes.
With new offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, who followed Strong from Texas, in town, Flowers should be even better as a senior, with his dual-threat skills raising NFL scouts' eyebrows.
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4. Memphis QB Riley Ferguson
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Riley Ferguson finally found a home in Memphis. Ferguson began his career at Tennessee, but it didn't work out on Rocky Top, and he transferred to Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College before winding up at Memphis under new coach Mike Norvell.
He snagged the starting role last fall and had a smashing debut, throwing for 3,698 yards with 32 touchdowns against 10 interceptions while completing 63.2 percent of his passes. He improved as the season wore on as well, throwing 20 touchdowns against four interceptions in the Tigers' final seven games.
Ferguson surpassed the 300-yard passing mark in seven games, including a 409-yard effort in a 48-44 shootout win over Houston and led the Tigers to an 8-5 record. He has an NFL-ready body at 6'4", 210 pounds and while he can improve accuracy, he has big potential as a pro passer.
3. Toledo QB Logan Woodside
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Toledo lost head coach Matt Campbell to Iowa State last fall but didn't miss a beat after offensive coordinator Jason Candle was promoted to head coach. The Rockets went 9-4 and made another bowl game, remaining one of the MAC's best programs.
It certainly helps, of course, to have a player like Logan Woodside on board. Woodside had a highly productive junior season, throwing for 4,129 yards with 45 touchdowns against nine interceptions while completing 69.1 percent of his passes.
Woodside is not huge at 6'2”, 201 pounds, but he has a solid arm and is efficient in Toledo's fast-paced scheme. He'll be the best player in the MAC this season and figures to have plenty of midweek spotlights on ESPN's MAC coverage, giving pro scouts ample opportunity to discover him for themselves.
2. Washington State QB Luke Falk
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When you're at Washington State, it's easy to fly under the radar. The Cougars continually play second fiddle inside their own state to Washington, and often play late at night when much of the nation is asleep or has its focus elsewhere.
That said, Mike Leach has done a nice job returning the Cougs to prominence, and a free-wheeling, wide open Air Raid offense certainly helps. Senior quarterback Luke Falk has been a perfect fit in Leach's offense, piling up huge numbers.
Last fall, he threw for 4,468 yards with 38 touchdowns against 11 interceptions and surpassed the 400-yard mark three times.
At 6'4", 215 pounds, Falk has the body of an NFL passer and plays with poise and patience in the pocket. He can make a wide variety of throws and do so with accuracy; he completed 70 percent of his passes last fall.
Falk's numbers are somewhat inflated by the offense he plays in, but he has the skills to thrive in a more refined system as well. He'll be a popular figure in the 2018 draft class.
1. Wyoming QB Josh Allen
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Craig Bohl has a history of signing quarterbacks who've vaulted from obscurity into stardom. While at FCS power North Dakota State, Bohl took a chance on an unheralded recruit named Carson Wentz, who wound up being picked second overall in the 2016 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bohl is now rebuilding Wyoming and making progress after winning a Mountain West Mountain Division title and taking the Cowboys to a bowl game last fall. And he's building around another potential high draft pick in junior quarterback Josh Allen.
Last fall, Allen had an excellent first season as Wyoming's starter, throwing for 3,203 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while completing 56 percent of his passes, adding 523 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground.
He stands 6'5", 233 pounds and has a powerful arm and good mobility. In short, he has many of the skills that NFL scouts are looking for in a starting quarterback. It would be no surprise at all if he declared for the draft following the 2017 season and earned plenty of money as a high first-round draft selection.
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