Quarterback is the premier position in the NFL. No matter what, conversations about football begin and end with the man getting paid the big bucks to make the throws. Even in a “down class”... nobody can stop talking about it. With the draft just around the corner, here are the top six quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft

6. Sam Howell, North Carolina

I really wanted to be a big fan of Sam Howell. What stands out right away for me is his toughness. It doesn’t matter how many times the offense falls apart around him, or how many times he gets knocked down, Howell has the toughness to keep chugging along. He has a good arm and can be a suitable downfield passer. He lacks game-changing mobility, but you cannot just ignore him as a scrambler.

Let's be perfectly clear. Howell isn’t just a perfect player who was held back by an RPO-heavy system (though it doesn’t do his evaluation any favors). I specifically remember watching North Carolina’s offense last year and pondering, “This is the guy who’s supposed to be a top-five pick?!” He has talent some talent, but he doesn’t move the needle in a lot of areas. Yes, he has a good arm, but his accuracy is simply adequate. His reads, when allowed to make them, are just passable. Sam Howell's footwork and composure in the pocket genuinely flair up my anxiety worse than a big test. I think he’s worth a shot late on day three as a developmental quarterback but there are better dart throws this year.

5. Carson Strong, Nevada

Despite being #5, Carson Strong has some quality attributes. As a pocket passer, he looks the part. He has a good command of the Nevada system and commands the pocket. He has acceptable accuracy at all levels of the gridiron and has the arm talent to make any throw on the field. As a pocket passer, he is more advanced than a lot of the rest of the class, but there are a few massive flaws in the Nevada seniors game. 

Right off the bat, you don’t need any experts to tell you that Carson Strong is not very mobile at all. At no point will the defense have to worry about Strong as a running threat. It goes further than that. Strong already struggles at times on film to escape defenders once the pocket collapses, something that will not go away against superior NFL athletes. His upside is limited by his legs.

Furthermore, that knee is a possible concern. There are times when you see Strong throw with just his arm. While he’s able to throw far due to his fantastic arm, it will hamper his accuracy down the field. He leaves me wanting a lot more… because again he does have a really good arm. I have fears about his ability to drive with his knee on short throws. Sometimes he does it… sometimes he just relies on his arm. Whether this is a knee issue or a mechanical flaw, it concerns me a lot moving forward. He needs to clean it up and prove the knee is not an issue if he wants to maximize his arm talent.

4. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati

I think Ridder was the quarterback who rose the most for me in the draft process. In a class full of 3rd-4th round players, I’m more willing to take a shot on Ridder than some of the others. That said, my concerns with him have still not gone away. 

He flat out struggles with accuracy. There were times when Alec Pierce had to perform his best Mister Fantastic impression and stretch his arms out to catch errant passes. There are instances where he’ll throw a dime into coverage… but those moments are far and few between. However you chop it up, he is not a complete player yet, and won’t be a year one starter despite turning 23 before the season. Currently, he’s a good college quarterback with some NFL traits, but those are some traits that I’m willing to bet on.

I’ve seen several people downplay his arm, something that I’ve wrongly done so in the past, but it is pretty dang good. There are throws on tape that are absolutely bonkers. His floor is higher than people think, as he’s going to be a dangerous running threat with his size and athleticism. While he started out very rough at the Senior Bowl, I believe he was the best quarterback at the end of the day. He needs the right situation, but he definitely can win in a Ryan Tannehill role. Don’t forget, Tannehill was also a trait-heavy quarterback coming out, and it took him some time and going to the right situation in Tennessee to really figure it out.

3. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh

Kenny Pickett was not the player I expected him to be upon evaluation. I thought we were going to get a surgical pocket passer. The kind of player who was a bit dull, but used his high football IQ and nuance to win. Basically, I expected him to be a better Jimmy Garoppolo.

Kenny Pickett was not nearly the game manager I expected, and that’s a good and bad thing. Pickett was more than willing to leave the pocket and make plays… with mixed results. He’s a pretty good athlete, so it’s something that he potentially can do in spurts in the NFL. I think he’s a player that will be better once reigned in a bit by a smart offensive coordinator.

I get why the league’s high on him. He’s going to be a coach's darling who is a leader and possesses a high football IQ. He’s just so limited. At Pittsburgh, he played a lot of times above his arm and athleticism. I’m really not sold that he’s the franchise-altering quarterback, but that doesn’t mean he’s bad at all. The most likely scenario is that he's Derek Carr.

2. Matt Corral, Mississippi

BOY Matt Corral is a tough evaluation. In his redshirt sophomore season, there were times when we saw a dynamic passer who looked the part of a star ready to take the league by storm. He could make all of the big-boy throws into tight windows. We also saw a quarterback who threw over five picks in two separate games… yikes. We all hoped that we’d see more of the dynamic Corral rather than the turnover king Corral… and we really didn’t see either version.

Corral’s 2021 film was mostly frustrating and boring and most of this was not his fault either. The number of times Lane Kiffin had Corral run the ball made me bang my head against the wall. Corral’s not a bad athlete, but he’s not an elite runner. You don’t want Corral running the ball a bunch during the game, much less the THIRTY rushing attempts he had against Tennessee. Matt Corral should not be rushing nearly 12 times a game, and it made his most recent film near useless.

Watching Corral, he honestly reminds me of Jalen Hurts with a better arm. Both were entering the league as developmental passers who were one-read and running quarterbacks. While Hurts is a bit of a better athlete, Corral does have a better arm. I will 100% take a shot on that. I think he’s further along as a prospect than Ridder, and his ceiling is higher than Pickett’s. He's still a volatile prospect, but in this weak class why not take the shot above some of the "safer" options?

1. Malik Willis, Liberty

I REALLY did not see myself having Malik Willis as the QB1 entering the season. But now? Nobody can convince me that he’s not. In a normal class, Willis would be the high potential 3rd-4th QB who receives the internet's adulation. With absolutely nobody standing out much, the potential of the Liberty quarterback is just too much to ignore.

Let’s get it out of the way: Malik Willis is not pro-ready. There are many “Traditional Quarterback” things that I’m not sure if he can do yet. I cannot say with conviction that tomorrow he can drop back and read the field… because Liberty NEVER let him do that! Play Calling this past year ranged from gimmicky hero-ball... to cruel and unusual punishment (such as bubble screen RPOs on the GOALLINE.) That system did no favors to Willis moving forward, not asking him to make reads as he will in the NFL… "just go out and make a play Malik!"

The tools are the best in the class and some of the best we’ve seen in some time. Willis will walk into the NFL and immediately be a top ten runner at the quarterback position, if not higher. He has a good case for being the most agile player in the class regardless of position. Not only the best running quarterback in the class, he most certainly has the best arm too. I didn’t really understand quite how special his arm was until I saw it in person down in Mobile.

Above all, I love his unwavering willingness to just chuck it deep. He just has that baller mentality where a bad throw or two will not inhibit him from taking a shot. He has all of the confidence in the world in his abilities, and that's what makes him different. Patrick Mahomes has all of the arm talent in the world, but what makes him unique is the ability to just pull the trigger and go for the throws others are too afraid to make. I don’t care how low his floor is. I’m not drafting to find the 14th best quarterback in the league. I want a quarterback who can change the trajectory of a franchise and that’s why I’m willing to bet on Willis.

Writer

-By: Jacob Keppen

A little under three months until the 2022 NFL Draft, the picture at quarterback is still as shaky as it was in early October. In an earlier article, I took a deep dive look at the position, trying to decipher if there is a signal-caller worthy of a high selection. The premise of whether or not one will get drafted with a high selection is misguided. More than likely a quarterback, or two, will be taken within the top 15 picks; it should not shock anyone if a team trades up for their guy. General managers will take a risk on a player, who will hopefully propel their team to success, even if the value is not there.

A lot has changed since that quarterback deep dive in October. Spencer Rattler, the player whose upside was expected to trump his reckless freshman mistakes, continued to pile up less than stellar tape at Oklahoma. His sporadic play resulted in his benching in favor of freshman Caleb Williams, leading to Rattler’s eventual transfer to join former Oklahoma assistant head coach Shane Beamer at South Carolina this offseason.

Rattler will certainly be revisited next year, but of the quarterbacks who remain in this class, a large portion participated in the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl. Despite countless opportunities in front of NFL personnel, no quarterback took over the QB1 mantle with a crazy week in Mobile. There were flashes from the six passers, but none could top Josh Allen or Justin Herbert’s level of Senior Bowl performances.

Kenny Pickett showcased the most consistent down in Mobile, unsurprising for the Heisman finalist. The New Jersey native was serviceable during the practices and passable during the game. Despite a good stat-line, his play was average. 

He managed to complete a long reception to North Dakota State receiver Christian Watson, but it was Watson who made a great catch on an underthrown ball. The pass will not be making Pickett’s highlight reel but it will make Watson's reel. The Pittsburgh quarterback did have a nice check down to Baylor running back Abram Smith, which resulted in a touchdown. Pickett ultimately didn’t hurt his stock but his play certainly didn’t help his case on the field either. Where Pickett won this week was in the interviews with NFL teams. Could Pickett be in play for Carolina at 6?

Malik Willis was exactly the quarterback he was at Liberty over the past two seasons. The electrifying Willis was easily the most exciting one in this group, with a ceiling that could result in being a potential top-five quarterback in the league. Willis’ arm was the best in Mobile, as the former Flames quarterback possesses a rocket launcher. The ball effortlessly flies out of his hand despite some of the worst lower half mechanics in the class. In the game, he gave his best Lamar Jackson impression to scouts, looking like the most elusive player in this draft regardless of position. 

He is a big-time project though, there is no denying that. Willis’ mechanics certainly will not be taught to kids trying to learn the position. He relies on his upper body to throw the football, reminding me a lot of Josh Allen’s issues coming out of Wyoming. While his arm is still extremely impressive, his mechanics keep him from being a consistent quarterback. 

Something to note: there was quite the buzz down in Mobile about Willis’ learning curve entering the league. Coming from an RPO-heavy offense at Liberty, he never really learned pro-level concepts. He will need to sit a year or two to learn and grow, but he could be a special player in the league. Malik Willis is the type of draft pick that either gets a front office staff a raise or earns them their walking papers.

Desmond Ridder had one of the weirdest Senior Bowl weeks in recent memory. He looked bad that first day of practice. The accuracy was inconsistent, and he was delivered late passes at a high rate. The second day was shaky too, but the rain ruined nearly every offensive player's day. The third day though? A flip switched for the Cincinnati signal-caller. He looked a lot more comfortable indoors, showing his arm talent a lot more than the previous two days. It looked more like the Desmond Ridder that torched SMU. 

In the game, Ridder was the best quarterback. The throw of the game was his play-action connection with Nevada receiver Romeo Doubs. He looked a lot more comfortable with the in-game setting, but the overall inconsistency is worrying. Ridder had a poor showing for most of the week. The shaky accuracy on tape was still there in Mobile. Interviewing well with NFL personnel will be crucial for Ridder. 

Sam Howell was simply okay this week and propped up by some mediocre practices by surrounding talent. He possesses a dynamic arm, satisfactory accuracy, and has quite the mobility. Nothing incredibly made him stand out at Mobile besides not messing up as much as others. He has talent, but he just didn’t do anything extraordinary here.

Everything said in my previous article about Howell still is true. He has a big adjustment from the RPO-heavy North Carolina offense, and he still fades away a bit too much on his throws. Matt Corral also will have the same learning curve. Neither quarterback should be expected to run the ball to nearly the same extent in the NFL, and both had offenses that muddy their evaluations. Neither quarterback’s tape is horrible... but both just leave you wanting more from them. Howell and Corral have plenty of arm talent, both able to make big-time throws, but they need to show more to be viewed as a franchise quarterback.

Carson Strong didn’t quite have the Senior Bowl fans hoped he would. Many believed that this would be Strong’s coronation… The event that catapulted the western gunslinger to the top of the quarterback rankings. He would answer all the doubts about his knee and mobility while proving that he was the most complete pocket passer amongst his peers. We did not see the best of Strong down in Mobile.

All week, the Nevada quarterback was incredibly inconsistent. It wasn’t his mobility that held him back, but rather shaky downfield accuracy. Passes sailed on Strong and his trademark velocity was not on display. Strong followed up a disappointing practice with a poor game performance. He threw an interception that should’ve easily been a touchdown, which was disappointing considering the deep ball’s supposed to be his specialty. The Senior Bowl doesn’t mean everything to an evaluation, and Strong’s film still speaks for itself, but it was not the best week for the Wolfpack QB.

Many will say it is a “bad” quarterback class, but it certainly doesn’t lack talent. There are not just small-armed game managers in this draft; there are potentially good starting quarterbacks. Most of the players lack the refinement seen in recent classes. NFL teams will take quarterbacks high. Now the question is... which one will be the first off the board?

Writer

-By: Jacob Keppen

While there are still two more weeks of exciting football left, it is important to recognize that two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time may have played their final game in the divisional round last week: Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. Both players are in completely different situations regarding their future, but all everyone wants to know is one thing, an answer. Whether that comes sooner or later is up to them, but despite that, let us dive into each player and give an outlook on what may happen.

Tom Brady

At age 44, it is unheard of what Tom Brady is doing. It is one thing to be in the league at that age, but to be playing at an elite level is almost unhuman-like. In his 22nd season, Brady set a career-high in passing yards at 5,316, while throwing 43 TD on a 67.5% CMP, the second-highest of his career, trailing only his legendary 2007 season in which he threw 50 touchdowns to only 8 picks. Brady led the Bucs to a 13-4 record and an NFC South title but unfortunately lost in the divisional round to the Rams. While unfortunate, Brady still has seven…. yes…. seven Super Bowls to lean on. It was truly an incredible season that people should not take for granted.

Before the game against the Rams, Brady had some candid comments regarding his future to the NBC crew, “I’d love to end on a Super Bowl…. But I think I’ll know when I know… But there’s a lot that’s inconclusive”. 

He then followed up to mention his family and how he has taken that into consideration. On the “Let’s Go!” podcast with Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray, he said, “It pains (Gisele) to see me get hit out there. And she deserves what she needs from me as a husband, and my kids deserve what they need from me as a dad”.

As it goes for Brady, this is the first time that he has really even mentioned retirement. All of us, as fans, analysts, teammates, etc., expected him to play forever. These comments are an abrupt reality that he will not and that the end may be coming sooner rather than later. Brady has also been open that he does not want a “farewell tour” to put it in the simplest terms, so him announcing a final season would be unlikely. Despite all of this, there is still a chance he returns to the NFL and is a top 5 quarterback yet again. This year alone he might win the MVP award. As stated before, it is all truly up in the air at this point and there are no signs, hints or rumors of a decision leaning one way or the other, so it will be just a waiting game now for the greatest player to ever step on a football field.

Aaron Rodgers

Next up we have QB Aaron Rodgers, who is coming off yet another MVP caliber season and is in the running as much as Brady is. Rodgers threw 37 TD to just 7 INT in 16 games played, missing one due to COVID-19. He also threw for 4,115 yards and completed 68.9% of his passes, leading the Packers to a 13-4 record and home-field advantage through the NFC. Unfortunately, Rodgers met his kryptonite, the 49ers, who beat Rodgers and the Packers without scoring an offensive TD in the game. Rodgers has never beaten San Francisco in the playoffs and may not get another chance to.

Controversy has circled around Rodgers and the Packers for almost two years now. Starting with the drafting of QB Jordan Love, to the relationship issues with Rodgers and the front office, to Rodgers and his constant comments regarding COVID-19, it has been anything but a smooth ship in Green Bay. Despite all of this, you still have to acknowledge that Rodgers is an incredible football player and is going to go down as one of the greatest players of all time. Once the season ended, comments started to swirl about his retirement again, which he has mentioned in the past. Like Brady, most of it is still up in the air.

On his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show”, Rodgers spoke about his future and what is next for him. He mentioned how he does not fear retirement and how it is truly up in the air. He also mentioned the state of the Packers in terms of what their plans are for the future, “Some of the factors are the direction of the team and the organization and how I feel like I fit in the future”. 

Rodgers also mentioned he will not wait long to make his decision in an effort to put the Packers in the best position possible to move on from him, “I understand that my decision does impact a number of other people’s decisions and I want to be very sensitive to that. I’ll definitely make a decision sooner rather than later…”.

 He mentioned the franchise tag deadline as a ballpark estimate because of the pending status of WR Davante Adams but stated he would not put a hard date on it, “There still is this thing called the franchise tag, which I don’t think 17 wants the franchise tag. No player ever wants the franchise tag, but that decision on that I believe is in late February. I think that should be enough time to make a decision by then”.

Unlike last season though, it seems that there are no issues between both Rodgers and the locker room, as it is solely going to be a business decision for both sides.

What’s Next?

There is a possibility that both players are out of the league next season, but also a possibility that they are both back. The true answer to what is next is, nobody really knows. Regarding Brady, it would seem more likely due to his age and his lack of comments in the past, but he has yet to commit to anything yet, so speculating about it would be an unfair and invalid assessment. As for Rodgers, there is a possibility that he goes to another team but ruled out retiring and then coming back a year later, similar to TE Rob Gronkowski and HB Marshawn Lynch. Like Brady though, he has not mentioned or rumored anything other than that playing next year is not guaranteed. 

From the team’s perspective, the Buccaneers would need a quarterback immediately if Brady were to retire, putting them in a tough position unless they can land a big-time QB like Russell Wilson or Derek Carr. For Green Bay, it may be time to look in the mirror. Their last two QBs were Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers and they only won a combined two titles in 30 years. That does not add upright. Regardless, QB Jordan Love would likely get a shot at the starting job, but it is going to be a completely different team next season with a ton of free agents. With all that being said, they can easily both turn around and run it back, but for now, we just sit and wait for decisions to be made.

Stats from profootballreference.com

Tom Brady comments from “Let's Go!” podcast, NBC, and CBS Sports

Aaron Rodgers comments from “The Pat McAfee Show”

Wirter

-By:Richie Dordas