Updated 04/1/10

Check back as I update my rankings every week!

1. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma, 6’4” 223 lbs. - Bradford is an eerily-accurate quarterback that has drawn comparisons to Peyton Manning in the scouting community.  He is an intelligent quarterback that will make quick decisions with the football.  He does a good job of leading his receivers and showed great anticipation when waiting for his passing lanes to open up.  Bradford can throw into tight spots even though many of his throws weren’t contested due to the design of the offense.  He will stand tall and take a hit, and runs a play fake effectively.  Bradford can drop deep passes “into the bucket” and consistently steps into his throws.  He worked primarily out of the shotgun, and there are questions about his ability to read a defense when dropping back.  Bradford is recovering from shoulder surgery and durability is a big concern with him. 

2. Jimmy Clausen - Notre Dame, 6’2” 223 lbs. - Clausen improved each year he was at Notre Dame, and scouts love his willingness to attack the edges of the defense.  He throws with plenty of zip on his passes, and can effectively throw with touch as well.  Clausen knows how to toss jump balls into the end zone, and throws well on the run.  When throwing deep he can place the ball on the correct shoulder of his receiver, and keeps his passes away from defensive backs.  His feet are quick and he can throw off his back foot effectively when necessary.  Clausen is athletic enough to elude the rush and keeps his eyes down field when he breaks the pocket.  He showed good timing with his receivers and can drop deep passes “in the bucket.”  Clausen is a leader that will exhaust his reads before he breaks to run.  His form when throwing needs work, as does his footwork.  Too often Clausen will throw off his back foot when it’s not necessary. 

3. Colt McCoy - Texas, 6’2” 212 lbs. - McCoy is an exciting quarterback that can keep the play alive with his feet while keeping his eyes downfield.  He does a good job of creating space to throw by backing up or dodging pressure.  He is a patient player that can throw effectively on the run.  When pressured McCoy keeps his eyes down field and will only run as a last resort.  McCoy has a very quick release, and is really poised under fire.  He can stand in the face of the rush and still deliver the football accurately and on time.  His mechanics are inconsistent and he holds the ball too low.  He is also an inconsistent player that tends to lock on to his primary targets.  He sustained a shoulder injury in the National Championship Game and will have to be cleared medically before a team gets too excited about drafting him.

4. Dan LeFevour - Central Michigan, 6’3” 229 lbs. - LeFevour finished his career as the top touchdown scorer in FBS history with 150 total TDs.  He has a ton of moxie, and is a vocal leader that knows how to rally his team.  A former high school running back, LeFevour is an attacking scrambler that will take advantage of an unsuspecting defense with his feet.  He is the only player in NCAA history with more than 11,000 yards passing and 2,500 yards rushing.  His completion percentage improved every year he was in college, and his senior season he finished with a very respectable 69.7% efficiency.  When running the football he is not only deceptively fast, but he has “make you miss” ability in the open field.  When throwing the football he does a good job of looking off defenders, and can put passes in the right spot.  He gets proper air under his passes when throwing deep and has enough of an arm to make every throw in the NFL.  LeFevour’s mechanics are not textbook, and his arm strength is not the greatest (but it’s strong enough).  Scouts also are concerned that LeFevour doesn’t have enough patience when he breaks the pocket as he will often read and run.  LeFevour has chosen not to throw at the combine which we feel is a big mistake for a QB from the MAC who needs to answer questions about his game.

5. Jonathan Crompton - Tennessee, 6’3” 222 lbs. - Crompton did not do much during his college career until head coach Lane Kiffin came to the Volunteers.  He can throw with plenty of zip and effectively hit receivers in stride 20-yards down field.  He can put the ball in just the right spot where his receiver can get it, but a defender cannot.  He does a good job of carrying out play fakes, and is aggressive when going after the edges of the defense.  Crompton is a leader that can rally a team behind him, but is he merely a one-year wonder?  Scouts will look at his early film from Tennessee and not be impressed.  However, he made a transformation this last year under Lane Kiffin and could continue to develop as a solid quarterback with proper coaching.

6. Tim Tebow - Florida, 6’3” 236 lbs. - Tebow is the most debated quarterback in recent draft history.  His intangibles are off the charts, and he’s one of the best leaders in the history of college football.  Tebow is built like a linebacker, and can take big hits yet stay in the game.  He can throw on the run, and moves well behind the line of scrimmage.  He will get out in front of a running play and can block effectively for a wide receiver on an end around.  Scouts are most concerned about his ability to develop as a passer.  He primarily worked out of the shotgun at Florida, but during the week of Senior Bowl practice he improved his footwork when dropping back.  Tebow also improved his footwork when stepping into a throw (he used to take a larger than necessary step when throwing).  However, the biggest work needs to be done to his throwing motion.  Not only is his motion elongated, but he has a hitch in it where he stops at the bottom of the motion before restarting it to release.  He could be a Wildcat or gadget quarterback during his rookie season, but has a lot of work to do before he can develop into anything resembling a full time starter.

7. Jarrett Brown - West Virginia, 6’3” 219 lbs. - Brown is inexperienced as a starter, but flashed great arm strength and decision making at the Senior Bowl.  His arm is stronger than most of the quarterbacks in this class, and he can get away from trouble in a hurry with his athleticism.  He seemed to make strides during the week of practice in Mobile, and started making better/quicker decisions as the week went along.  Brown is certainly a project quarterback, but one that could develop into a fine starter someday.

8. John Skelton - Fordham, 6’5” 244 lbs. - Skelton draws comparisons to Joe Flacco because of his size, rocket arm, and the fact that he played at a small school. Skelton has the prototypical size for an NFL QB that scouts just love.  However, he is a project and showed why early and often at the 2010 Shrine Game practices.  He seems like a very coachable kid, and that alone will earn him a roster spot with some team in the league.  He sets up nicely in the pocket, and sees the field well because of his size.  He can throw deep routes with ease because of his arm strength, but needs to work on his touch when throwing underneath routes.

9. Jevan Snead - Mississippi, 6’3” 215 lbs. - Snead started his career at Texas, but decided to transfer when it became clear that Colt McCoy would be the starter.  It’s curious when a quarterback leaves because of competition (like when Joe Flacco left PITT because of Tyler Palko) and Snead did little to show he was a better quarterback at Ole Miss.  He has a good sense for the game, but gets flustered too easily and then starts to rush his decisions.  Snead also did not show the ability to read the second side of the defense during his final season of collegiate ball.  Too many times he would make his primary read and then just check down to a relief receiver.  He is also a quarterback that seems afraid in the pocket, and will feel the pass rush even when it’s not there. 

10. Ryan Perrilloux - Jacksonville State, 6’2” 218 lbs. - Perrilloux was one of the best high school prospects in the nation when he signed with LSU.  There are former coaches at LSU that believe when Perrilloux was there he was the #1 athlete on the team.  He transferred to Jacksonville State after problems arose off the field during his time with the Bayou Bengals.  He did a good job of putting up decent numbers at a much lower level of competition, but scouts wonder how he matured off the field.  His interviews with teams during the week of Texas vs The Nation went well, as did his performance in practice.  He has a very good arm, and showed plenty of velocity and accuracy to make it as a starter at the next level.  Some in the scouting community have commented that Perrilloux reminds them of current Buccaneers quarterback Josh Johnson, but with a better frame.  His off field incidents from years ago may keep him from being anything more than a late-round draft pick, but Perrilloux has the leadership, size, and arm strength to make it in the pros. 

11. Tony Pike - Cincinnati, 6’6” 212 lbs. - Pike proved to be a bigger project than some had expected with his struggles at the Senior Bowl in Mobile.  He has a big arm, and throws a great deep pass.  His frame is tall, but he’s not as filled out as he needs to be and could add about 15 pounds of muscle.  He played in a wide open offense at Cincinnati and seemed uncomfortable when coaches asked him to drop back in a traditional set.  Pike also failed to make quick decisions with the football when going through his progressions, and generally holds on to the football too long.  His mechanics and velocity are also inconsistent.

12. Zac Robinson - Oklahoma State, 6’3” 210 lbs. - Robinson played in a wide open offense at Oklahoma State, and had one of the best WRs in the nation to throw to (Dez Bryant), but he showed the ability to be a drop back quarterback in Mobile at the Senior Bowl.  Robinson threw with more zip than some had expected at the Senior Bowl.  He can move around well in the pocket, and will buy more time to throw with his footwork.  He needs to develop better timing when throwing down field, but should develop into a quality backup at the next level.

13. Matt Nichols - Eastern Washington, 6’2” 220 lbs. -  Nichols put up great numbers in college against a lower level of competition at Eastern Washington.  He looks really good when he moves around in the pocket.  Nichols does a good job of throwing on the run, and will look to make a big play rather than be overly cautious with the football.  The ball comes out of his hand hot, and he throws with plenty of velocity.  He’s not all about the rocket, and showed good touch when throwing downfield.  His ball placement was good when throwing deep sideline passes as he would regularly hit his receivers in stride over the outside shoulder.  He also threw a very nice deep out, which is a crucial throw to make in the NFL.  Nicholls will likely have to develop on a practice squad, but could be looked to for quality depth one day. 
 
14. Armanti Edwards - Appalachian State, 5’11” 185 lbs. - Edwards is a small quarterback, but has enough athleticism to develop ala Seneca Wallace.  He may not get drafted, but teams are intrigued by what he could do as an option or Wildcat quarterback.  He doesn’t have the arm strength to challenge a defense deep, but knows how to work underneath routes.  Edwards is very athletic and will keep a play alive with his feet while continuing to look down field. 

15. Mike Kafka - Northwestern, 6’3” 216 lbs. - Kafka is a tough, gritty, quarterback and impressed scouts at the Shrine Game this year with his arm strength.  He has a quick release and good accuracy on short and intermediate routes.  Kafka surprised some with his willingness to throw down field and challenge the edges of the defense.  He’s not the most accurate deep passer, but does throw with good deep touch.