Fantasy Football

2016 NFL Draft: Quarterbacks

This is my first of a four-part series this week. We will start Draft week off with the quarterbacks. This is not a prediction in what order these QBs will be drafted but rather my rankings through my own personal evaluation. These guys could be future stars in your fantasy football leagues.

1. Paxton Lynch, Memphis
Most analysts have Lynch third at best, however, I view him as the top prospect in this year’s draft. Personally I don’t believe any of these quarterbacks are worthy of a top 20 pick, nonetheless, Lynch will likely be one of three QBs selected in the top 10. While he’s still a work in progress, his athleticism and big arm give him a ton of upside. He can throw on the move and is an experienced and proven decision maker. His biggest issue is footwork that must improve on timing routes and accuracy on deep balls. Improving his footwork will help remedy the majority of his issues as a passer.

2. Jared Goff, Cal
Goff is the most NFL ready quarterback in this draft. Despite playing in a spread offense, no one will be a better option Week 1 of 2016. His ability to get the ball out quick and pick apart defenses with accuracy is impressive. However, he also has issues of his own, the first being the fact he isn’t familiar with playing in an NFL offense. Like Lynch, he could also use some improvement with his footwork and improve in the pocket.

3. Carson Wentz, North Dakota State
After a great Pro Day and Senior Bowl, Wentz has become the darling of this draft. With that said, I believe he’s going to be a major bust. His struggles with timing routes and over-willingness to take off from the pocket are issues, but my bigger concern is his experience. When I say experience, I am not referring to his completion at North Dakota State. He only played one full season in college and has a lot of work to do. He’s going to be thrown to the fire too quick after being a top-two pick on Thursday and it may ruin him.

4. Connor Cook, Michigan State
Scouts are very mixed on Cook, but I’m a fan. I love his poise and arm strength. He’s physically built for the NFL and is mentally more than capable of handling the jump. There is a chance he could be pretty good right out of the gate. After Goff, Cook is the most NFL ready QB. His biggest issue will be working on his mechanics and sticking with them when under pressure. He tends to abandon his mechanics way too often and it will hurt him on the next level.

5. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
Prescott is another guy that mentally is ready to make the jump. He can take control of an offense and make quick and good decisions. His arm strength is impressive and his awareness is a strong attribute. He’ll have to improve his mechanics before he’s a viable NFL quarterback. Also he tends to key in on one receiver instead of taking what the defense gives him.

6. Cardale Jones, Ohio State
Jones is the most polarizing QB in this draft. Physically he’s a monster. He’s a refrigerator shaped gentleman with a rocket launcher for an arm. There is no denying his potential and upside. However, he needs to hone his craft and get better at his position. The issue is he tends to rely on his athleticism too much. He locks onto one target, struggles with timing routes and will try to beat defenders with his arm instead of anticipating and reading defense. If he doesn’t fix these issues, he’ll be a bust. On the other hand, if he does improve, he has elite ability.

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