Ranking the Top Quarterback Prospects After the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine
The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine is over, and teams are left to decide how much stock to put into what they saw at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. While some of the top quarterbacks didn't throw, there was still some posturing between the next batch of signal-callers.
Today, we are taking a look at the top 10 quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL draft after the combine. Each quarterback is ranked by his stock, which includes his combine performance as well as his upside. The ranking also includes where he will likely be drafted in April and how he is projected to fit in the league. So without further ado, here are the top 10 quarterbacks from this year's class.
No. 10: Steven Montez, Colorado
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One quarterback who tested surprisingly well is Colorado's Steven Montez. Measuring in at 6'4", 231 pounds, Montez ran a 4.68 40-yard dash, which was the third-fastest time among his positional group. He also crushed the explosion drills, testing in the 83rd percentile in the broad jump, according to MockDraftable.
While Montez's college numbers aren't overly impressive—last season, he threw for 2,808 yards with 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions—his elite size, athleticism and arm talent are good enough to get him drafted. It also doesn't hurt that he has a quick release and can make plays outside of the pocket. For Montez to make it as a backup in the NFL, he will need to improve his processing speed and his footwork.
But Montez has shown enough talent and skills to stick around in the NFL. Look for a team to call his name sometime in the sixth or seventh round in Las Vegas.
No. 9: Cole McDonald, Hawaii
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A potential Day 3 pick, Hawaii's Cole McDonald put himself on the map with a big junior season and an impressive workout in Indianapolis.
Measuring in at 6'3", 215 pounds, McDonald ran the fastest 40-yard-dash time among the quarterbacks at 4.58 seconds. His showing in the explosion drills was even more impressive. He had a 36-inch vertical and a 121-inch broad jump. He tested as the third-most athletic quarterback in the class, behind only Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts and Oregon's Justin Herbert, per Three Sigma Athlete.
While McDonald needs a lot of refinement, his athletic profile and gaudy college stats might be enough to intrigue a team to select him somewhere after the top 125 picks. McDonald doesn't project as an NFL starter, but he may be able to hang on as a backup with his ability to make plays outside of the pocket.
No. 8: Anthony Gordon, Washington State
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Anthony Gordon's stock remains unchanged after the Washington State quarterback declined to do any workout drills in Indianapolis. He projects as a Day 3 prospect and knows how to win with his quick release and accuracy (71.6 percent completion rate).
While his arm talent and athleticism are less than stellar, his production and success in the offense of former Cougars head coach Mike Leach makes him an interesting late-round flier for a team looking for a cheap backup. During his one full season as a starter, Gordon threw for an absurd 5,579 yards and 48 touchdowns.
Teams searching for more upside in their developmental QB prospect might look elsewhere, but Gordon has done enough in his college career and during the predraft process to warrant a late-round selection. Look for him to be drafted by a pass-heavy NFL team that emphasizes accuracy and ball placement.
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No. 7: Jake Fromm, Georgia
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While it's not often a quarterback's stock falls because of the combine, it does happen. In this case, the weigh-ins for Georgia's Jake Fromm could negatively affect his draft status.
Fromm measured in at 6'2", 219 pounds, but his 8⅞-inch hand size is what could cause problems. That measurement is below the nine-inch threshold most NFL teams have. While one-eighth of an inch doesn't seem like much, teams are generally scared of taking quarterbacks with small hands. The list of successful passers with sub-nine-inch hands is essentially nonexistent.
It also didn't help that Fromm ran a 5.01-second 40-yard dash, which was the worst in the class. While he is one of the smarter and more accurate passers in this draft, his lack of athleticism combined with his smaller hands could cause him to drop on draft day.
At one point, Fromm was thought of as a possible first-round pick. But now, it wouldn't be a surprise if he fell outside of the top 100. He lacks the upside to be a franchise quarterback at the next level. Expect him to be selected sometime in the third or fourth round as teams begin to search for backup quarterbacks.
No. 6: Jacob Eason, Washington
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Another quarterback who may have seen his stock drop is Washington's Jacob Eason. While he has an elite arm and excellent size (6'6", 231 lbs), his lack of athleticism could cause him to fall during the draft.
Eason ran a 4.89 40-yard dash, which is slightly below-average for an NFL quarterback. But the biggest area of concern is his lack of agility and quickness in the pocket.
According to MockDraftable, Eason's time of 7.50 seconds in the three-cone drill ranks among the worst in the NFL for all quarterbacks since 1999. To make matters worse, his 4.75-second 20-yard shuttle ranks as the sixth-worst among QBs during that period. While nobody will mistake Eason for a dual-threat signal-caller, his lack of quickness and speed inside the pocket could be an issue.
The NFL is becoming more spread-happy by the year, and having only a pocket passer limits the playbook. Eason's arm talent is the only reason he will be considered a top-100 selection.
The former Georgia quarterback gave a performance to forget in Indianapolis.
No. 5: Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma
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Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts is another quarterback who helped himself at combine.
After a stellar college career in which he scored 123 total touchdowns for the Sooners and the Alabama Crimson Tide, Hurts performed like an elite athlete in Indianapolis. He ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash at 4.59 seconds and measured in at 6'1", 222 pounds.
He also excelled in the explosion drills, recording a 125-inch broad jump. According to Three Sigma Athlete, he was most athletic quarterback at the combine with a SPARQ score in the 95th percentile.
While Hurts has the athleticism to play other positions, not a single team asked him to perform drills at anywhere other than quarterback, according to NFL.com's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport. That has to be considered a big win.
Hurts might not project as an elite quarterback, but he has shown enough as a passer and as a runner to get Day 2 looks from teams looking for a dual threat. Don't be surprised if he ends up being a top-75 pick.
No. 4: Jordan Love, Utah State
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One of the most intriguing quarterbacks is Utah State's Jordan Love. After a monster sophomore season in which he threw for over 3,500 yards and 32 touchdowns to only six interceptions, Love regressed as a junior. He led the nation in interceptions with 17 and threw just 20 touchdowns in 13 games.
He has prototypical size and athleticism, which makes him an ideal candidate to be overdrafted. Love measured in at 6'4", 224 pounds and ran a 4.74 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He also had the second-biggest hands (10½") in the quarterback class, behind Michigan State's Brian Lewerke (10⅝"), according to MockDraftable.
As expected, Love dominated in the workout drills, showing off his elite athleticism with a 35½-inch vertical (tied for second among QBs) and 118-inch broad jump. But that isn't going to be enough to move him into the top-three quarterback discussion. There are too many questions about his accuracy and his competition level.
If he performed well in the team interviews, there is a chance he could sneak into the top 10. However, it's more likely he is drafted somewhere between Nos. 12 and 25. Keep an eye on Love and his draft stock. He could be someone who rises in the upcoming months as he meets with more teams.
No. 3: Justin Herbert, Oregon
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Justin Herbert might have been the quarterback who helped himself the most in Indianapolis. Measuring in at 6'6", 236 pounds, the Oregon Ducks product ran a 4.68 40-yard dash, tying with Montez for the third-best time in the QB class.
Herbert crushed the rest of the drills as well, jumping 35½ inches in the vertical (tying with Love) and 123 inches in the broad jump (third at his position). He tested like an elite athlete with prototypical size and threw the ball well.
While the 2020 class has two clear-cut top passers in Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa, Herbert has solidified himself as the third-best quarterback and a likely top-10 selection. With so many organizations wanting dual-threat signal-callers, he will be tough to ignore.
After a solid Senior Bowl performance and a great workout at the combine, Herbert continues to check the right boxes for teams that are searching for a potential franchise quarterback.
No. 2: Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
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The player who had the best combine might have been Tua Tagovailoa, who did not perform a single drill while in Indianapolis. The Alabama quarterback and two-time Heisman Trophy finalist is recovering from a hip injury, but the prognosis about his NFL future seems much more positive than it did a few months ago.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Tagovailoa's MRIs came back clean. His hip fracture was healed, and he reportedly didn't have any loss of blood flow. With Tagovailoa acing his medicals, it's fair to have the discussion about him as a potential No. 2 pick.
It's also notable that he measured in at 6'0", as there were some concerns about his height. While teams are more open to shorter quarterbacks than in previous years, hitting the six-foot mark is always a positive.
No. 1: Joe Burrow, LSU
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While he didn't throw at the combine, former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow remains the top quarterback prospect in the class.
Burrow measured in at 6'3", 221 pounds, but his nine-inch hands caused some concern from the media. The 2019 Heisman winner made fun of the measurement, joking on Twitter that he was "considering retirement."
Despite not having a big arm or overwhelming athleticism, Burrow is the top quarterback because of his accuracy (first nationally with a 76.3 percent completion rate) and pocket presence. His 2019 season was one of the greatest in college football history. He threw an NCAA record-setting 60 touchdowns and led LSU to their first national championship win since 2007.
Burrow may not perform any athletic testing drills before the draft because he has nothing to gain by working out for NFL teams.
He met with the Cincinnati Bengals in Indianapolis, and it reportedly "went well," according to Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer. After the combine, Burrow is still considered a lock to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2020.
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