NFL Draft 2011: Cam Newton Tops List of Best QBs
Cam Newton is at the top of the list in a rather weak draft class for QBs.
With his 6'6, 250 pound frame, Newton's athleticism alone will probably make him a high draft pick. The odds are just as high that Newton will be the first QB taken.
After Newton, however, there is a lack of top notch QBs. This draft is full of quality QB's, but not many that are first round talent.
In years past, names like Sam Bradford, Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, and Matt Ryan all were top draft picks.
There are no QB's of that caliber in this draft. However, the middle rounds should be filled with plenty of experienced, intelligent signal callers.
Here are the top ten QB's for the 2011 NFL Draft.
1. Auburn QB Cam Newton
1 of 11Newton burst onto the national stage in hist first season at Auburn, leading the Tigers to the BSC National Championship, leading the nation in passing efficiency, and rushing for 20 touchdowns.
All the physical tools are there, but Newton is still a work in progress. He still must learn all the intricate details of running an NFL offense, and his passing mechanics still need work.
But athleticism like that at the QB position is hard to find. Newton is too good a talent to fall out of the top ten.
The Heisman winner and self described "icon and entertainer" will also help sell seats, something that a lineman or defensive player could not do.
The Bills, Cardinals, and Titans are three teams with a top ten pick that are good fits for Newton.
2. Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert
2 of 11Gabbert looks the part of an NFL QB at 6'5, 230 pounds, and he is more athletic than people think.
While not a gifted runner like Newton, he has great pocket presence and is very elusive and hard to bring down. His mobility sets him apart from other similar QB's.
There are a lot of things to like in Gabbert, but he does not have that "wow" factor. He needs to show more consistency and still must master a pro style offense (he ran the spread in college).
He will most likely end up as a mid to late lottery pick.
3. Washington QB Jake Locker
3 of 11Locker is very much still a work in progress, but like Newton he has physical tools too tempting to pass up.
Locker ran the exact same forty time as Newton at the combine, and is an equally gifted runner, with 29 rushing touchdowns in his collegiate career.
Locker's passing game still needs major work however. Locker has never completed more than 58 percent of his passes in a season, so his accuracy is a major question mark.
Still, Locker would have been the number one pick had he declared for last year's draft, so getting him late in the first round or early second is certainly very good value.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
4. Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett
4 of 11Mallett could end up being the steal of the 2011 NFL Draft.
He is the best deep passer in this draft class, with four completions of over seventy yards this past season.
His accuracy is also much improved, up from 55 percent in his first season to Arkansas to 65 percent this season.
His mobility is what has scouts concerned. He is very stiff in the pocket, and needs a quicker release to make it in the NFL.
If that one problem can be fixed, Mallett has all the other tools to be a franchise QB.
5. Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick
5 of 11Kaepernick is another gifted running QB who must make the transition to pocket passer in order to make it in the NFL.
Kaepernick has great work ethic, improving his passing accuracy every year as a starter (from 54 percent his freshman year to 65 his senior year).
But many questions still remain. Again, he must first master a pro style offense, and his throwing mechanics need work.
He is an expected middle round draft pick that could end up being a starter three or four years down the road.
6. TCU QB Andy Dalton
6 of 11After Kaepernick, there is a large drop off in terms of talent at the QB position.
The remaining signal callers excel in intelligence and mechanics, but none are top notch athletes.
Dalton leads the list of those QB's. He is a proven winner with 42 career wins, third most in NCAA history.
Dalton is one of those players that has all the intangibles you look for- he has a great work ethic, is a great teammate, and is smart enough to quickly pick up any NFL offense.
A mid to late selection is likely, and while not talented enough to be a franchise QB, Dalton should emerge as a great backup.
7. Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi
7 of 11No QB improved his draft stock this past year more than Stanzi.
He had inconsistencies with his accuracy, touch, and timing, and responded with a great senior season.
He eclipsed the 3000 yard passing mark for the first time, improved his accuracy to 65 percent, and cut down his interceptions from 15 to six.
His mobility and strong arm should make him a middle round draft choice, a year after his chances of being drafted were rather slim.
8. FSU QB Christian Ponder
8 of 11Ponder has the accuracy and intelligence you look for in an NFL QB.
His junior season he completed close to 70 percent of his passes, and he is above average in many passing categories.
But two factors really limit his potential. His arm strength is average at best (think Chad Pennington) and he has injury concerns after missing time each of the last two seasons.
His MVP performance at the Senior bowl (132 passing yards, two touchdowns) helped to impress scouts, but questions about his arm strength and durability still remain.
Expect him to go off the board in the middle rounds.
9. Delaware QB Pat Devlin
9 of 11Devlin went largely unoticed playing for the Blue Hens of Delaware, but his accuracy and intelligence are both of NFL quality.
He had a 22-3 touchdown to interception ratio his senior year, and lead his team to the Division I championship game.
Devlin still must show scouts that he can complete all the throws necessary of an NFL QB. In college, he had a reputation for always checking down.
To impress scouts, he must utilize more of the field and show he has a strong arm.
He's no Joe Flacco, but a late round selection is likely.
10. Alabama QB Greg McElroy
10 of 11McElroy is a proven winner at every level- until last season, he was undefeated as a starter going back to his high school days.
His high wonderlic score (48 out of 50) showcases his intelligence. McElroy is a careful QB who does not throw the ball into coverage and was put into plenty of pressure situations at Alabama and always responded well.
His arm strength and athleticism are both under average, and many scouts wonder if he can transition to the NFL game after he was never asked to be more than a facilitator in Alabama's run first offense.
He could go undrafted (another testament to how weak this QB class is), but if placed in the right system, he could be a capable backup.
Quarterbacks as Runners
11 of 11
Is this a new era of QB's in the NFL?
In the NFL, the QB position was always personified by great pocket passers. QB's were more of scramblers than actual runners.
Dan Marino once said "there is no defense for a perfect pass."
Last year, Michael Vick showed that there is also no defense for a great running QB.
A QB cannot be a runner first, but Vick proved this year that it can be almost impossible to defend a QB who can take off if none of his options are open downfield.
The QB's of this years draft follow that same trend. Three of the top five QB's (Newton, Locker, and Kaepernick) are ranked as high as they are based largely on their athleticism and running ability.
Running QB's have a greater risk of injury, and their throwing mechanics still leave scouts worried.
But you can't teach athleticism, and the league seems to be gravitating towards having another athlete on the field- at the QB position.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
