2011 Draft Class QB Rankings

Well here it is folks…the long anticipated (at least by some) 2011 Draft Class QB rankings. It’s no secret that I have developed a man crush on Colin Kaepernick but does that automatically mean that I think he’s the best QB in the draft? Not necessarily. I do think that with the current rankings that the “experts” have right now make Colin one of the best value picks at the position, but that’s another conversation altogether.

It looks like a really good QB class this year. There are a few guys that I believe are starter ready or extremely close. If you’re a fan of a team that needs to draft a QB in the first round you want one of these guys. By “needing to draft one in the first round” I mean that this is the biggest hole on your team.

Seattle and Buffalo do not qualify. It is a hole but it is not the biggest one. There are other more glaring needs at the O-line or on Defense that should have a higher priority. On the other hand, teams like Minnesota and Cincinnati need to draft a guy that can come in this year and compete for the starting spot.

So here it is. My listing, in order, of who I believe should be taken at the QB position during this year’s draft (less than a month away).

Ryan Mallet – the kid makes good reads. On several instances during his college career he made several reads and checked down when necessary. This is a huge difference from a QB that takes his first read and if it isn’t there he takes off running. At some point a QB will need to adjust and move to his 2^nd and 3^rd options. Mallet has shown that he can do that. His arm strength is good and I believe that he is the best QB in this year’s draft. He is starter ready. If you’re Cincy, Minnesota, or Washington and he’s there when your time comes, take him!

Christian Ponder – I actually didn’t want to like this kid. But after watching some film of him I’m impressed. He can play with his back to the defense, and makes decent reads. He does seem to have a tendency to lock in on a receiver and wait for him to uncover but I think you can coach that. I’d like to see him do more of the “see it – believe it – throw it”. He’s close to being starter ready than a lot of the other kids.

Jake Locker – Jake and Christian aren’t far apart in my opinion. Christian is a little more accurate but Jake’s arm is stronger. Jake makes good reads but needs some work on his In the Pocket mobility. Like Ponder he plays well with his back to the defense and is close to being starter ready. If he had been on a better team than the University of Washington (Auburn for example) we would all be talking about him going #1 over-all.

Colin Kaepernick – The numbers that this kid put up in college are insane. 10,098 yards passing. 4,112 yards rushing. 82 passing TD’s and 59 rushing TD’s. He was a 4 year starter and only threw 24 interceptions during that time. He has the strongest arm of any QB coming out this year and he can make every throw. Some believe that his wind up is too long and that may be the reason he slips into the second round. Most of the experts have him in the top 10 but not in the top 5. The question I ask you is simple. If you thought you could get a QB was responsible for 14,210 yards and 141 TD’s in four years in the 2^nd round of this year’s draft would you do it? Of course you would.

Andy Dalton – He’s very accurate, has average arm strength, and given the right system could really excel at the next level. He’s a decent manager of the game and reminds me a lot of Ty Detmer. In this case I mean that as a compliment because I think that Detmer got a lot out of what were (in my opinion) unimpressive physical attributes. The kid is a leader and depending on what system your team is running you’ll be happy with him.

Blaine Gabbert – He’s listed as the #1 QB on just about everyone’s board right now. So why do I list him 6^th? Well, there are a few things that concern me about him. First let’s go over what I like about him. I like the numbers he put up in college and I like his classic throwing motion. I don’t care much for his ability to adjust his reads during a play. And the film I’ve seen suggests that he gets happy feet and runs from non-existent pressure. If you’re not sure what I mean by that, picture a QB that is in no danger of being sacked. He starts to scramble anyway and runs himself into a sack or pressure that if he would have stayed put he’d have been just fine. Arm strength is pretty good but all in all he reminds me of Jake Plummer. This is not a compliment.

Cam Newton – He’s been called an Icon, an Entertainer, and an Athlete. All of these labels may be appropriate. What he isn’t, is much of a QB. I think he’s a good leader. I think that he is very charismatic. But when it comes to hitting the speed out, I’m not seeing it. His college numbers were reminiscent of Isaiah Stanbacks. That’s not meant as an insult or a compliment. It just is what it is. I think if he were able to put on 20 – 30 pounds he’d be a top of the line TE in this year’s draft.