NFL draft QB rankings 2017: Deshaun Watson, Mitchell Trubisky battle for No. 1

The quarterback class in the 2017 NFL draft is polarizing. That’s both as a whole and regarding each individual player. Because of how many teams need quarterbacks, we could see as many as four picked in the first round this year. But it also won’t be a surprise if just two go that early.

Which one gets taken first is unknown. For me, the top two candidates are Deshaun Watson of Clemson and Mitchell Trubisky of North Carolina. They’re closely rated as players, with Watson slightly getting the edge because he’s more experienced. Trubisky is obviously talented, but what do you really make out of a quarterback who started just one season?

The second tier of quarterbacks is Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer and Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes. Both players are loaded with talent but have flaws that will need to be coached.

Small school name to know: It’s a down year for small-school quarterbacks. The best of the group is Alek Torgersen of Penn. He helped himself at the East-West Shrine Game by showing off his arm strength and throwing velocity.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better big-game player in the draft this year than Watson. He picked apart the vaunted Alabama defense two straight years, and Nick Saban called him the best player in college football since Cam Newton. Watson is a stellar athlete for a quarterback and moves around the pocket with ease. Sometimes he relies on his athleticism too much, and he won’t be able to run as much in the NFL, but it’s an effective tool in his bag. And he knows how to protect himself.

As a passer he has an easy delivery and just throws a good, catchable ball. He tends to stare down his target, though, and it can get him in trouble. His 32 interceptions at Clemson are concerning. His downfield accuracy is just average, and he doesn’t attack the middle of the field a lot.

Is he a one-year wonder who couldn’t beat out non-NFL player Marquise Williams or truly a franchise quarterback? It’s unfair to fully declare it either way. But even the first part of that question makes Trubisky one of the greatest risks in this year’s draft because of the position he plays.

If you like Trubisky, it starts with his athletic ability. He can maneuver around the pocket effortlessly, climbing as pressure builds around him, and he can get out on the move well enough. He can place the ball in all areas of the field and has a good arm, throwing just six interceptions on 446 attempts last season. He also knows how to work through progressions and has a quick enough release.

If you don’t like Trubisky, it’s because of his inexperience and the issues that come with it. He sometimes struggles to pick up blitzes and his ability to read a defense can be questionable (this was most evidenced against Stanford when he threw two interceptions). His deep ball accuracy is inconsistent.

If you like the classic quarterback ideal, Kizer is the one for you. He’s a big-bodied pocket passer with a strong arm and average movement skills. Kizer played in a system at Notre Dame that made him read the whole field, and it shows in his ability to complete passes in every area. Although he completed just 58.7 percent of his throws as a junior, he can really place the ball in tight spots at times. It may seem like a strange positive, but Kizer has a build that allows him to stay in the pocket and take a hit.

One of Kizer’s main flaws is that he just holds on to the ball too long and he needs to become more decisive. He’s not bad at reading a defense, but he doesn’t throw with great anticipation or timing. He’s a player who will be best served sitting a year and figuring out his footwork and timing.

It wasn’t always pretty, but Mahomes was damn effective at Texas Tech. Although he started only 29 games in college, he still threw for more 11,000 yards and 93 touchdowns. While it was somewhat a result of the uptempo Tech Air Raid, Mahomes still had to make it work. He did, thanks to a good arm and athleticism. Mahomes can throw from multiple angles and while on the move.

He can also be frustratingly reckless when he gets out on the move and chucks the ball into multiple coverage. But funnily enough, it often worked for Mahomes. Some teams will love his ability to adjust and some teams will be scared because he’s not a refined player. Even though you can’t coach his creativity out of him, Mahomes is another player who will benefit from some refinement.

Webb is a big-bodied signal caller with a good release and a strong arm who can make passes all over the field. His touch on deep passes and fades is impressive. He has coachable traits that some team will love to develop, but pressure really gives Webb issues. When defenses come after him, it knocks off his timing and his accuracy drops.

In the rush to find the next Kirk Cousins, Peterman has been anointed the one. Here are the requirements for Cousins 2.0: Don’t be a first-round pick, possess good but not great tools and physical skills, and have pro-style scheme experience and accuracy. Those all describe Peterman. You can also add in his toughness in the pocket and good enough pocket mobility.

Peterman’s arm is fine, but he’s not going to launch a ton of deep passes. He could spin it a little better at times, too. He had some fumble issues that will need to be corrected.

After an impressive freshman season in 2014, expectations were high for Kaaya. He never actualized them on the field. He’s tall with a thin frame and really can’t move around that well. When opponents get into the backfield, Kaaya falls apart as a thrower and his accuracy nosedives. When the pocket is clean, Kaaya can be very good. He has excellent timing and throws with good anticipation. His touch on deep passes is on point. Plus, he played under center more than most college players and he has proper footwork.

Best of the rest:

8. Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss

9. Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee

10. Jerod Evans, QB, Virginia Tech

11. C.J. Beathard, QB, Iowa

12. Alek Torgersen, QB, Penn

13. Seth Russell, QB, Baylor

14. Cooper Rush, QB, Central Michigan

15. Sefo Liufau, QB, Colorado