The 2012 quarterback class is headlined by two players. One of which has the pedigree and has been projected to be the #1 pick of the draft for 2 years. The other is a guy that has all the tools (on and off the field) and made the world take notice after an award winning college season. Both Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are exactly what NFL teams look for both on the field but also off of it and in the community. But I personally think that Griffin is a better prospect then Luck. I know, I'll catch heat for it, but I just like Griffin III and feel he has the special "it" that the great quarterbacks have. Look at these career statistics and tell me which belongs to Luck and which belongs to Griffin:

800-1,192- 67.1%- 10,366- 78 td- 17- int (41/40 games played and started)


713-1,064- 67%- 9,430- 82 td- 22 int (38/38 games played and started)

Griffin's numbers are the first numbers on the list and compare quite favorably to Luck's, maybe even a tad bit more impressive. This is not to diminish what Andrew Luck has done and (most likely) will do. But what it does show is that Griffin is not that "project" some people think he is.

As for the rest of the draft I think you can find some value in the later rounds, but I also think you could find a potential bust after the two top prospects (who will be the top two picks in this draft).




My Top 10 Quarterbacks:

1. Robert Griffin III – Baylor – 6-2 – 223

The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner as the best college football player in the country, Robert Griffin III is a special talent with the type of elite physical tools and mental makeup that rarely comes along. A three-year starter with 40 career starts for the Bears, Griffin rewrote the record books at Baylor, having set 26 single-season, 20 career and eight single-game marks in his four years in Waco. Over the course of his career, Robert threw for 10,366 yards, 78 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions with a 67.1% completion percentage (800-1,192) while rushing for 2,254 yards and 33 touchdowns on 528 carries; his best statistical season came during his Heisman Trophy-winning junior year in which he threw for 4,293 yards, 37 touchdowns, and just six interceptions with a 72.4% completion percentage (291-402) and rushed for 699 yards and 10 touchdowns on 179 carries. Griffin brings elite intangibles, leadership, intelligence, and the work ethic that coaches and scouts dream about; he's a very confident player who got the job done off the field as well, earning numerous academic honors in addition to ranking seventh in his class and being his class president in high school. The way that he led the Bears during his junior season is something that simply can't be taught and brought back memories of Cam Newton's spectacular season in 2010. At Baylor, Robert led his team to victories over Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, TCU, and Washington in 2011, an enormous feat for a school that used to be considered one of the bottom-feeders of the Big 12. He has that "it factor" that talent evaluators look very closely for at the quarterback position. Having been scouting Griffin since he was a junior in high school, there is no doubt in my mind that he magically transformed from an athlete playing quarterback to a quarterback who is a phenomenal athlete in 2011. That transition began with his accuracy. Robert's completion percentage improved every year of his career (59.9% in 2008, 65.2% in 2009, 67.0% in 2010 in limited work, and 72.4% in 2011), showing his great work ethic and that he can be coached. Early in his career, I held the belief with Griffin that if somehow he could develop and polish his ability to throw the ball as well as improve his understanding of the offense he was running, he'd have the type of talent to do something special with it; it's almost inconceivable how much he improved from 2010 to 2011. To his credit, he has finally been able to capitalize on the limitless ceiling that he seems to have. Owning a fine build with enough height to see the field clearly, Griffin's raw athleticism allows for him to stay on the balls of his feet and move about the pocket with ease. Robert has a very strong arm to drive the ball down the field, as the ball simply explodes off of his arm with a simple flick of the wrist. He is more than capable of making any throw that an NFL quarterback needs to make. Of Griffin's 37 touchdown passes in 2011, 18 of them went for 35+ yards, showing his tremendous ability to throw the ball down the field accurately. In addition, he owns some of the best velocity that I've seen in the past six years, delivering the ball on a rope down the field. Griffin has a very quick release, showing the ability to deliver the ball in a hurry when being pressured. In his mechanics, he has a bit of a 3/4's to side-arm delivery at times, however when he plants his feet and steps into his throw, this should not be an issue. When he begins to scramble outside of the pocket, that is when the angle of his throwing motion tends to dip; this is a minor concern that may not need to be tweaked, but at least is worth mentioning. As mentioned, Robert's accuracy early in his career was not something to get excited about, often displaying the erratic passing that would lead you to believe that he was far from being an NFL prospect; in 2011, that accuracy improve to the point that he was capable of making any throw he wanted to. He showed a terrific ability to fire the ball into tight windows as well as use pinpoint accuracy down the field to drop the ball in the bucket in the only place that his receiver could make the catch. Griffin has done a great job of developing touch on his throws as well; early in his career, he floated the ball more than throwing it with precision, however he has improved to great extents his ability to put proper touch on his throws down the field, especially in putting it in the proper position for his receiver to run right underneath it. In addition to his accuracy, Griffin also developed his decision making and game managing skills, and as his just 17 career interceptions has shown, he does a fantastic job of taking care of the football and making good decisions. Having played in Baylor's spread offense, Robert has spent the majority of his career out of the shotgun and will need to get used to playing under center. However, as he's shown throughout his career, if he works hard at it, there should be no need to worry about whether he'll be capable of doing it. If I have any doubts, it's not with Griffin's physical tools, but rather with the mental aspect of the game. At Baylor, the Bears ran a "check-with-me" system in which Robert would walk to the line before his offensive coordinator sitting in the booth would read the defense, send an audible down to the sideline, and they would signal the call into Griffin, who would then change the play. The reason that I have more hesitation with Griffin than Andrew Luck is because Robert has not displayed the ability to walk up to the line, read the defense, and begin to change the play, or adjust the offensive line's protection scheme. While I'm not saying that he can't do it in the NFL, he just simply hasn't shown whether or not he can yet. As Cam Newton showed last year, this could be something to disregard completely after he learned how to do it, however it's likely the only question mark that I see in Robert's game. He's shown enough of an ability to go through his reads and progressions in college to suggest that he can continue to develop here, and being that he's a smart and instinctive player, I don't see any need to worry about him being able to continue to develop this ability at the next level. A former track star who advanced to the semifinals of the US Olympic trials in the 400-meter hurdles, Griffin's athleticism is rare and simply stunning at times. He's shown a consistent ability to escape the pocket while making plays that can only be described as special. His mobility is the best that I've seen in six years and he likely is the most athletic quarterback to enter the NFL since Michael Vick. Griffin has the straight-line speed (4.41 40) to out-run any defender to the end zone while also possessing the quick-twitch agility, explosion, and natural running style needed to make any defender miss in the open field. When he gets out in space with the ball in his hand, he has what it takes to take the ball the distance any time he moves past the line of scrimmage. Robert is an explosive athlete with the burst and acceleration to make plays in small spaces, and has even displayed his hurdling ability from track in jumping over oncoming defenders. His pocket presence is very good, showing the natural feel for where the pass rush is coming from, and possesses the vision to find the open crease in the defense and run through it to free himself from traffic. While he was given the freedom to tuck the ball and run if nothing was open down the field, this is something that he may have to adjust to in the NFL if his coaches don't want him to take off quite as often; with an athlete like Robert, there shouldn't be hesitation in letting him run, as he has the type of special traits that don't come along very often and he is a smart player who understands when to run. Durability does not figure to be a concern with Robert, however he did tear the ACL in his right knee three games into the 2009 season, which forced him to sit out the rest of the year. However, he bounced back and did not show any effects from the injury in 2010 or 2011. Robert Griffin III is a special player both physically and mentally, offering elite athletic tools, however also owning the type of confidence, leadership, and mental makeup that is rare. He's a complete prospect at the position and has everything that you look for in a future franchise quarterback in the NFL. The sky is the limit for Griffin's upside and potential, and I expect to see him have a long, very successful career at the next level.

2. Andrew Luck – Stanford – 6-4 – 234

The best QB prospect that to enter the NFL since Peyton Manning in 1998, at least that's what 99% of the scouts and draft experts say. Andrew Luck heads to the next level as the type of franchise quarterback prospect that only comes once every 10 to 20 years. A threeyear starter with 38 career starts at Stanford, Luck led the Cardinal to a 31-7 record over the course of his career while finishing second for the Heisman Trophy twice, as well as being named a two-time Offensive Player of the Year in the Pacific Athletic Conference. He helped lead a team that had endured seven consecutive losing seasons to three-straight bowl games, a near-chance at competing for a national championship, and the 11 games that Stanford won in each of the past two seasons is the most in school history. In his three years as the lead signal caller in Palo Alto, Andrew finished among the school's all-time leading passers, having thrown for a total of 9,430 yards, 82 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions with a 67.0% completion percentage (713-1,064); his best statistical season came in 2011 during his junior year when he threw for 3,517 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with a 71.3% completion percentage (288-404). As complete of a prospect as I have ever seen, Luck's intelligence, instincts, and understanding of the game are among the best to enter the league in the last 30 years; he owns the type of football IQ that you can only be born with. A proven leader who offers outstanding poise for the position, Andrew is a player who can be counted on no matter what the situation is, and is always capable of leading his team from behind for a victory; his consistency and reliability are two tremendous reasons why I am a fan of his. An elite game manager who takes care of the ball and doesn't make mistakes often, Andrew has displayed the short memory needed to bounce back from an interception to lead his team down the field to win the game. An extremely smart quarterback who was valedictorian of his high school, Luck brings the intelligence and controlled emotions that you can rarely find at the position. He is the best in the country at reading defenses, showing a simply special ability to walk up to the line, read the defense, and change the play if needed. He understands how to change protection schemes, audible from a pass to a run (or vice versa) and will be able to handle an NFL playbook from the first second that he enters the league. At Stanford, like with Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, Luck was handed a small number of plays and given the freedom to walk up to the line, read the defense, and call out which one he felt was best for that situation. His ability to make reads and checks at the line is unlike any other quarterback in the past 20 years, other than Manning. Andrew does a fabulous job of going through his reads and progressions, showing a quick, instinctive ability to cycle through his receivers and deliver the ball on time. A cool, calm, and collected quarterback, Luck's emotion on the field, or lack thereof, reminds me of the same way that Eli Manning looks down the field with a blank stare, showing no signs of being rattled in the most high pressure situations. There are few players that born with the type of composure that Andrew has. As a passer, Luck offers near-perfect mechanics with the smooth over-the-top delivery and quick release that you look for. He holds the ball chest-level high and is as polished from a mechanic standpoint as I've seen in six years. Andrew is an articulate, precise passer who displays the type of consistent pinpoint accuracy that you would expect from the first overall pick in the draft. He's as accurate in the short-to-intermediate range as he is down the field, also showing the ability to put absolutely outstanding touch on his throws. He has proven throughout his career that he is capable of dropping the ball in the bucket outside of the numbers and has an innate ability to throw the ball with enough loft to allow for his receiver to run under it and make an easy catch down the field. In addition, Luck has shown a very instinctive ability to throw his receiver open and lead him down the field, as to draw him away from coverage and place the ball where only his receiver can catch it; his ability to throw the ball into tight windows on a consistent basis is extraordinary. Andrew owns the arm strength needed to make every throw that an NFL quarterback needs to make. He is capable of driving the ball down the field with great arm strength and has shown that he can throw it 60-70 yards with ease. If there is one question in his game, and it's nitpicking at its finest, Luck does not throw the ball with the type of velocity that you normally desire. Rather than firing the ball to his receiver, he's more of a finesse passer who uses precision and touch to throw the ball accurately; he throws the ball more gently than aggressively. Andrew is far from a gun slinger, and to me, his velocity simply represents a different style of being able to throw the ball rather than whether or not he can throw it strongly. I'm very impressed with the way that Andrew shortens up his throwing motion and throttles down the speed of his throws on shorter-to-more intermediate routes, as he to be more precise and accurate while putting even more touch on the throw. Luck also played with three tight ends being his dominant go-to receivers in 2011 and was not forced to drive the ball down the field quite as frequently as you'd expect, which is one reason for the misconception that he can't throw it strongly down the field. Once he is in an NFL offense with legitimate receivers, he will be more than capable of increasing his velocity and throwing the ball with great timing. Andrew displays polished footwork with the smooth, fluid drop back that I look for at the position, and I would consider this to be one of his greatest strengths physically. He shows quick, nimble steps in his three and five-step drops along with a great understanding of how to step into his throws to increase the torque through his hips. These quick steps allow for him to speed up the process of delivering the ball and also adds to the escapability factor for him. He's one of the most underrated athletes in the draft, having posted the same 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine as Cam Newton did in 2011. Luck displays outstanding pocket presence with a natural anticipation and feel for where the pass rush is coming from. He moves about the pocket very well with little trouble keeping his eyes down the field while sensing where to move. The fact that Andrew was only sacked 23 times over the course of three years shows the type of pocket presence he brings to the next level. A deceptive athlete, Andrew reminds me of Aaron Rodgers with his ability to quickly take off and run with the ball down the field at the last time you'd expect him to tuck it and go. He has more than enough speed to make something happen with his legs, having rushed for 957 yards and seven touchdowns on 163 carries (5.9 yards-per-carry) during his three-year career. His excellent athleticism was put on display at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis when he recorded a 36-inch vertical jump, 10-foot fourinch broad jump, and 6.8-second three-cone time. One thing that I like about Andrew's game is his improvisational skills, as he does a very nice job of making something happen or getting the ball down the field when under pressure. He never gets rattled when the rush is in his face, and when he escapes the pocket, has shown a consistent and reliable ability to throw the ball accurately on the run. In addition, I'm very impressed with the great job he does of hiding the ball on play action fakes, truly looking like an NFL quarterback with the way that he executes the fakes before stepping back up in the pocket and delivering the ball down the field. He's also incredibly efficient on third downs and will be as reliable as they come when needing to pick up the first down. Having started 38 games over the past three years, Andrew proved to be the epitome of durable over the course of his career and does not have any known injury concerns as he enters the next level. Andrew Luck is a franchise quarterback with the type of rare instincts, intelligence, intangibles, and understanding of the game needed to lead a team into the future for the next 10 to 20 years.

3. Ryan Tannehill – Texas A&M – 6-4 – 221

The only player in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history to record more than 4,000 passing and 1,500 receiving yards in a career, Ryan Tannehill enters the NFL with one of the most intriguing blends of physical tools, athleticism, and instincts for the position. A quarterback prospect out of high school, Tannehill was asked to move to wide receiver as a freshman where he finished first on the team in receiving as a redshirt freshman and second on the team as a sophomore. After starting quarterback Jerrod Johnson began to struggle in 2010, head coach Mike Sherman asked Ryan to move back to quarterback where he immediately grabbed ahold of the job of led the Aggies to a 5-1 record to finish his junior season. In 2011, Tannehill led the team to a 7-6 season as the starter while throwing for 3,744 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions with a 61.6% completion percentage (327-531); Ryan finished his career with the Aggies having thrown for 5,450 yards, 42 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions with a 62.4% completion percentage (484- 774) and caught 112 passes for 1,596 yards and 10 touchdowns. Owning ideal size for the position, Tannehill is a tall quarterback who sees the field well and is comfortable working out of the pocket. An efficient quarterback whose precision and accuracy are his strengths, Ryan does a very good job of putting the right amount of touch on the ball to deliver it quickly and accurately down the field. He's displayed the ability to fit the ball into tiny windows, however he also has shown that he can drop the ball in the bucket down the field using great touch. Having only started for one full season at Texas A&M, he's still developing his ability to throw the ball with pinpoint accuracy down the field, however he understands how to put enough loft on it to let his receiver run underneath the ball, and in the short-to-intermediate range shows excellent accuracy. Ryan's arm strength down the field is very good, showing the ability to make every throw that an NFL quarterback needs to make. His velocity isn't elite, however he makes up for it with his fluid mechanics and getting rid of the ball quickly. Tannehill offers a fine delivery with a quick release, however with this only being his first full season concentrating on the position, he is still refining and tweaking his mechanics, but is far enough along that he shouldn't have any problems polishing it up at the next level. Although he looks more comfortable working out of the shotgun, Ryan also has experience working from under center as well, and shouldn't have any trouble doing either at the next level. His footwork in stepping into his throws is something that he will need to develop, as there are occasions when he will throw off of his back foot; he also doesn't drive the ball down the field, so developing more torque through the hips would be something that I would have him work on as well. Being that he is such a talented athlete, Tannehill offers outstanding mobility with the speed and agility needed to take off and make plays with his legs. Ryan does a nice job of keeping his eyes down the field while moving about the pocket and has a strong sense for where the pass rush is coming from. I'm impressed with his ability to throw the ball accurately down the field while on the run and outside of the pocket. Tannehill has a good understanding of how to read defenses and go through his reads and progressions, however part of his development at the next level will be the mental aspect of the game and gaining more experience here after having only done it for a short period of time while at A&M. Ryan has shown the understanding of how to use pump fakes, however there were times through the past two years when he would get caught staring down his receiver, which is something that he'll need to work on correcting. Over the past season and a half, Ryan has displayed the type of intangibles and leadership that coaches look for at the quarterback position. Ryan Tannehill offers all of the tools, skills, and instincts that you look for at the quarterback position. However, he's still in need of development and with his inexperience, isn't as far along in being ready for the rigors of the NFL as some of the other quarterback prospects are this year.

4. Brandon Weeden – Oklahoma State – 6-3 – 221

One of the most interesting quarterback prospects in this year's draft who began his professional career in Major League Baseball, Brandon Weeden enters the NFL owning the type of physical tools you look for in a top prospect, yet he has age limitations that could limit how high he is drafted. Originally drafted in the second round of the 2002 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees, Weeden played four seasons in the Yankees' minor league system before he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers; after two seasons in Los Angeles' system, Brandon was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the Kansas City Royals where he went on to play one season before seeing his baseball career get cut short by a torn labrum and tendinitis in his rotator cuff. Opting not to have surgery, but rather to switch sports entirely, Weeden hopped off the mount and onto the gridiron when he enrolled at Oklahoma State. After redshirting in 2007, Brandon was a backup as a freshman and sophomore before winning the starting job as a junior. In his two years as the Cowboys' starter, Brandon led Oklahoma State to a 23-3 record, including a Fiesta Bowl victory over Stanford to cap off his college career. Offering ideal size at the quarterback position, Weeden is a poised player who looks very comfortable when working in the pocket. Owning the arm strength to make any throw that an NFL quarterback needs to make, Brandon is capable of consistently dropping the ball in the bucket with excellent touch on his throws outside the numbers and down the field. In addition, Brandon has very good accuracy to all parts of the field, displaying the touch and precision that you look for in a top prospect at the position. A smart, instinctive player who makes good decisions with the ball, Weeden manages the game very well while also possessing some of that "it" factor that you look for in a quarterback to lead the team. Brandon's mechanics are ideal; he's a natural thrower who also understands when he needs to throw the ball with different angles to put better accuracy on the ball. His footwork is going to be a work in progress at the next level as he makes the transition from the spread offense in college to the pro-style one that he'll play in with the team that drafts him. Although he's going to need some refinement in dropping back from under center, as he played the majority of his team with the Cowboys in the shotgun, I do like the way that he steps into his throws, putting more velocity and torque into his delivery. Brandon displays adequate pocket presence with fine awareness for where the pass rush is coming from, however he doesn't offer the type of mobility to consistently get to the perimeter or make many plays with his legs down the field; his ability to move about the pocket is not ideal and he will need further development at throwing the ball on the run. One area that has some cause for concern is that Brandon will struggle at times when under pressure; he needs to be comfortable in the pocket or he can get rattled. One thing that his coaches will likely look to correct is the way that he pats the ball before throwing it; this will need to be corrected, as it gives defenders an easy chance to read when he is going to deliver the ball. Where the biggest concern comes from with Brandon is the fact that he is already 28-years old. Brandon Weeden has the physical tools to develop into a starter in the NFL, however his success at the next level will depend on how quickly he transitions from the spread offense in college to the prostyle one he'll run in the NFL as well as how quickly the team that drafts him is willing to throw him into the fire. He's the type of player that may need to play in the right offense in order to have success at the next level.

5. Kirk Cousins – Michigan State – 6-2 – 209

Michigan State's all-time leading passer, Kirk Cousins enters the NFL after having had a prolific college career in East Lansing. A three-year starter for the Spartans, Cousins threw for 9,131 yards, 66 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions with a 64.2% completion percentage (723-1,126); his best statistical season came as a senior in 2011 when he threw for 3,316 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with a 63.7% completion percentage (267-419). Also the winningest quarterback in Spartan history (27 victories), Kirk concluded his career ranked in the Top 10 All-Time in the Big Ten Conference in four different categories (completion percentage, passing efficiency, passing yards, and touchdown passes). Only the second three-time captain in Michigan State history (first sophomore to be named captain since 1949), Kirk offers the type of leadership, work ethic, and intangibles that coaches and scouts dream about. A smart, intelligent quarterback with adequate size for the position, Cousins has experience running a pro-style offense and is the epitome of what coaches look for in a game-managing quarterback. He has experience going through his reads and progressions, and although he's still developing here, has displayed a good enough understanding to show that he has some upside here. He has plenty of experience playing under center and in shotgun, also displaying great timing with his play action fakes. Kirk is a great decision maker with the ball, offering better than a 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio at the college level. Experienced in the pro-style offense, Cousins has great mechanics, holding the ball chest-level high with a quick delivery; his mechanics are close to NFL-ready. He displays good arm strength to deliver the ball 50-60 yards down the field and has enough velocity to make most of the throws that an NFL quarterback needs to make. He's not the type who will force many throws, but rather likes to play it safe. He typically does a good job of taking care of the ball and doesn't make many mistakes. Kirk throws the ball accurately in the short-to-intermediate range, and has shown the ability to drop the ball in the bucket as well as make accurate throws down the field, however his accuracy still is inconsistent and not where you'd like it to be at. In the pocket, he shows good pocket presence with a strong awareness for where the rush is coming from. He's a solid athlete who possesses the mobility to escape the pocket when it collapses. As much as there is to like about Cousins, I still have some doubts. He's not what I would consider a poised, confident, and collected quarterback, often struggling under pressure, and has shown that he will get sloppy with his mechanics and footwork when under pressure from the defense. He's not the type of quarterback that will be able to carry his team on his shoulders and go win the game singlehandedly. He shows flashes of having great potential and then other times you want to question whether he's a draftable prospect. Kirk Cousins has the intelligence, great intangibles, and solid physical tools to develop into a very good, reliable backup quarterback who has the potential to develop into a serviceable starter in the league.

The Next 5

6. Russell Wilson – Wisconsin – 5-10 – 203


7. B.J. Coleman – Tennessee-Chattanooga – 6-3 – 233


8. Ryan Lindley – San Diego State – 6-3 – 229


9. Brock Osweiler – Arizona State – 6-6 – 242


10. Nick Foles – Arizona – 6-5 – 244


Overrated: Ryan Osweiler

Underrated: Russell Wilson.

Small School Sleeper: B.J. Coleman is a former top recruit who originally signed with the University of Tennessee, is a quality small-school developmental quarterback prospect who projects early on as a fine No. 2 or more likely No. 3 quarterback. Coleman is a player that I would strongly consider drafting in the mid-to-late rounds if I were running a draft.

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I appreciate your scouting man. If I could, I would add one suggestion: with the larger blocks of text, it would really help readability to break them into appropriate paragraphs. A HUGE block of text is easy to get lost in, at least for me.

Keep up the good work.

Thank you for the feed back. I cut & paste from my blog site to put them on here and other sites. That's why the text looks a little different at times.

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Have we had a 5'10" starting QB since Doug Flutie?

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Isn't Senca Wallace about that height? He started some for the Seahawks. I assume you're refering to Wilson. His height is certainly and issue, but he can make all the throws and do it well. His intangibles are off the charts. It will be interesting to see how he does. I would like to see the Packers get him if possible, after our more important issues are covered. He is really fun to watch. My thinking is he will at least be a good backup. He is definitely a pass first QB but a very dangerous runner. That would make him difficult to prepare for. If Ted Thompson doesn't use a couple of lower picks to trade I'll be surprised if he does not take a QB.

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With all our weapons and Mike McCarthy drawing up the plays, can you imagine Wilson running halfback options in our system!? LOL. That would be off the charts. I suppose he'd have to be able to pick up blitzers on third down.

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