Every year we hear about the NFL being a quarterback driven league and that doesn’t appear to be changing. The majority of teams find their franchise quarterback through the NFL Draft and this year there could be as many as 9 teams looking to select a quarterback early. This quarterback class has some very intriguing prospects but none that are sure fire franchise quarterbacks. This group includes players with with big arms and amazing athletic ability but they all have at least one significant question mark.
2011 NFL Draft Quarterback Rankings
Probably the most intriguing thing about this group is the talent that could be available after round 1. It is possible that Jake Locker, Ryan Mallett, Christian Ponder, Colin Kapernick, Ricky Stanzi, and Andy Dalton could be selected after the 1st day of the draft. Check out my complete rankings and draft range for each of my top 10 quarterbacks after the jump. Please leave your thoughts and comments! Also check out the Scouting Reports for each of our quarterbacks.
1.
MissouriDraft Range based on my evaluation: 10th-15th pick
Draft Range based on Rumors- 3rd- 15th pick
Thoughts: Gabbert is a big strong armed quarterback that has a ton of potential. He is very accurate in the underneath and intermediate passing game. However, he struggled to consistently complete the long ball and has limited pocket presence. He will also need to work on taking snaps from under center and adjusting to a pro style offense.
2. Cam Newton- Auburn
Draft Range based on my evaluation: 10th-20th pick
Draft Range based on Rumors- 1st- 20th pick
Thoughts: Newton is an extremely gifted athlete with a ton of charisma. His talent and potential are hard to overlook and that is why he is ranked at the #2 spot. However, I have real concerns about this ability to read defenses and diagnosis post snap information quickly.
3. Ryan Mallett- Arkansas
Draft Range based on my evaluation: 15th-32th pick
Draft Range based on Rumors- Late 1st round - Mid 2nd Round
Thoughts: Mallett is another big armed quarterback that has been productive throughout his college career. The biggest thing with Mallett are the concerns over his off the field character. If those concerns can be laid to rest he could find himself back in the mid 1st round discussion.
4. Christian Ponder- Florida State
Draft Range based on my evaluation: Early to Mid 2nd Round
Draft Range based on Rumors- Late 2nd Round
Thoughts: I have been a strong supporter of Ponder’s since late this season. He is the most technically sound and NFL ready of this quarterback class. I love his anticipation and overall accuracy which should allow him to be a successful quarterback in the NFL.
5. Jake Locker- Washington
Draft Range based on my evaluation: Early to Mid 2nd Round
Draft Range based on Rumors- Mid 1st to Early 2nd
Thoughts: Locker has all the physical tools and leadership ability needed to succeed. However, his production and inconsistent accuracy are cause for real concern.
6. Andy Dalton- TCU
Draft Range based on my evaluation: Early 3rd Round
Draft Range based on Rumors- 2nd Round
7. Colin Kaepernick- Nevada
Draft Range based on my evaluation: Early to Mid 3rd Round
Draft Range based on Rumors- 2nd to 3rd round
8. Ricky Stanzi- Iowa
Draft Range based on my evaluation: Late 4th Round
Draft Range based on Rumors- 2nd to 4th Round
9. TJ Yates- North Carolina
Draft Range based on my evaluation: 6th Round
Draft Range based on Rumors- 6th to Undrafted
10. Pat Devlin- Delaware
Draft Range based on my evaluation: 6th Round
Draft Range based on Rumors- 6th to Undrafted
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