Top 2021 QB Prospects (Eliminated Update)

[Untouchable]

Preseason rankings = 1. Lawrence, 2. Fields, 3. Lance, 4. Newman, 5. Purdy

Updated rankings from what I've seen so far now that the Panthers have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.....

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Teddy Bridgewater's short contract length means the Panthers will probably look to upgrade the QB position in the future.  With 2 years left on his contract after the 2020 season and a potential out after 2021 it would be wise to get an insurance policy in the system or at the very least, an upgrade at QB2.  I'm going to post this early to see how this changes after next year plays out.

1. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson - He's been fantastic all year to pack up everything he already has on tape. Top QB prospect since his dismantling of Alabama in the Natty.  Hard not to like what he brings to the table either.  Talent around him makes his evaluation harder to feel truly comfortable with but he's the best QB prospect since Luck so he's going #1 without a question.  Here's a couple tape breakdowns from last year...

2. Justin Fields, Ohio State - Another prospect that is hard not to like but also another prospect that is a little harder to feel truly comfortable with your projection because of the scheme/talent around him.  He's not touching Lawrence, not even close, and I no longer think he's clear from being caught by the next guy on the list (if he hasn't been caught already).  He has been called Justin "Can't Read The" Fields in the scouting community in the past but he has shown some improvement over the last 2 seasons in that regard (and to be fair, after learning my lesson from Herbert, it might be the offense being run there). Here's some info on him...

3. Zach Wilson, BYU - I'm so close to moving him up to #2 and another ho hum Fields performance will do it. He had a very good year in 2018, then an injury riddled one in 2019 and now playing some exceptional ball again this year.  Buzz started surrounding him in October so I took a look and came away more impressed by him than any other QB in the draft not named Lawrence or possibly Fields. His is not going to measure 6'3" and he takes some wild risks but there is alot of playmaking ability here to like.  There is another drop off after him IMO.  Here's come clips of Wilson:

4. Trey Lance, North Dakota State - He's got traits/talent to develop and if you have the patience and ability to bring those plus traits out of him there is a big reward potentially waiting for you.  There will be questions about competition as he never did get that game against Oregon so he is now almost firmly in at the QB4 position in a "level" by himself pending athletic testing.  He did come into the season with some analysts rating him above Fields because they are such similar players and he is faster and has a stronger arm.

5. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati - He starts the next level for me.  If I'm taking a chance on a prospect I'm going to try and develop traits and he's another tools prospect. Big arm, size, has wheels and athleticism, but inconsistent on snap by snap basis (particularly with his accuracy).  He does a good job moving around the pocket and not panicking under pressure too. Georgia is by far his biggest test of his career in New Years Day and a good showing would solidify his draft stock. A bad showing would drop him below some of the others below.

OTHERS:

Kyle Trask, Florida -  I'm not a fan of Trask and haven't been all year.  The thing he is most praised for is making the right decisions which hasn't been something to translate to the NFL well without load of practice at that highest level.  He's not mobile which to me is a huge negative and I credit scheme and playmakers for most of his success.  Still there is some optimism because he hasn't been playing the position very long and has some technical aspects that can be worked out with his throwing motion.

Mac Jones, Alabama - You can basically copy and paste Trask's writeup down here too except there is less optimism because he doesn't have a throwing motion that needs a lot of work.

Jamie Newman, Wake/Georgia - I watch a good bit of him last year thinking he might come out but came away more impressed by his receivers (have another thread on him on this board).  Still he had 1st round buzz because he is a duel threat who can push the ball down field, can buy time, has good size/arm and doesn't freak out with pressure.  Without the tape against SEC competition, Newman now looks to be a Day 2 prospect at best as one of the last ones in this "second wave".

[Panthercougar68]

I have seen Brock Purdy from Iowa State and Tanner Morgan from Minnesota tossed around as possible first rounders next year as well.

[45catfan]

I was going to start a thread in the main forum about this 2021 QB class.  I'm wondering if the could be an ultra-rare 5 QBs or the rarest of rare 6 QBs taken in the 1st round?

One draft site has 9 QBs slated (by rank) to be taken in the first 3 rounds.  That is NUTS!  We know there is always someone that has a bust-out final season that rockets up the charts and another one or two that impress in the offseason workouts which drives up their stock.

The 2020 QB class was overall weak.  In the preseason (like now) it was the Herbert and Tua show.  That was about it.  As we know Burrow broke-out and Love (who was initially a 3rd round prospect) crept into the back of round 1.  So in a seemingly weak QB class, four QBs went in round 1, could 5 or 6 go in this next draft where the QB class is loaded?

[NCPanthrfan]

I wonder who will get to draft Trevor if there is no season this year.

[Untouchable]

Some other names that have popped up recently are Kyle Trask (Florida), KJ Costello (Miss St), Sam Ehlinger (Texas), Tanner Morgan (Minnesota), Kellen Mond (Texas A&M).

Costello should be significantly cooled off by now. It's Florida's WR and TE that should excite people more than Trask. No chance to see Morgan yet this season but he's had some really good skill position talent to make his job easy too. Some team is going to be really disappointed when drafting Sam. Most draft pundits are not impressed by Mond but I haven't watched him personally.

I'll add BYU's Zach Wilson. Saw his name start popping up a couple weeks ago and I came away more impressed by him than any QB in this draft not named Lawrence or Fields.

[Varking]

1A) Lawrence

1B) Fields

3) Lance

4) Newman

5) Trask

[nctarheelreincarnated]

Purdy blows, just like Sam Ehlinger. So, nix him off the list too. Not a fan at all. 

[Untouchable]

On 10/25/2020 at 9:09 AM, Varking said:

1A) Lawrence

1B) Fields

3) Lance

4) Newman

5) Trask

I know you spend some time looking into these things, so I'm curious why you are high on Trask? I personally can't see it.

On 10/26/2020 at 8:19 AM, nctarheelreincarnated said:

Purdy blows, just like Sam Ehlinger. So, nix him off the list too. Not a fan at all. 

Purdy is better then Ehlinger from what I've seen, but yeah I'm also not a fan.

[nctarheelreincarnated]

38 minutes ago, Untouchable said:

I know you spend some time looking into these things, so I'm curious why you are high on Trask? I personally can't see it.

Purdy is better then Ehlinger from what I've seen, but yeah I'm also not a fan.

He looked like poo vs Okie State the other day. I fully expect Okie State to get exposed against OU. Maybe even Texas. 

[Varking]

2 hours ago, Untouchable said:

I know you spend some time looking into these things, so I'm curious why you are high on Trask? I personally can't see it.

Purdy is better then Ehlinger from what I've seen, but yeah I'm also not a fan.

I’m sort of with you on Trask. I’m admittedly a Gator homer. Kyle Trask is currently following the footsteps of Joe Burrow just a year sooner. Where Burrow went and had an average year as a 4th year Junior and then dominated as a 5th year Senior at LSU, Trask is doing the same in his 4th year as Burrow in his 5th. It’s not just the yards, it’s the TD to INT ratio I love. He doesn’t run like Burrow and neither has a cannon for an arm but they can both make all the throws and they read the field well. 
 

Some analysts have Trask higher but I still need to see it for longer. To me the only three QBs that should go round 1 are the top 3 but teams always reach. Newman and Trask are the guys somebody comes back in the first round for. If Trask finishes the year with 35 TDs and 5 INTs in a shortened season against all SEC opponents it’s going to be hard to deny him a first or second round grade. Great size, good arm, the only knock on his game is that he hasn’t shown himself to be very mobile. 

[Untouchable]

40 minutes ago, Varking said:

I’m sort of with you on Trask. I’m admittedly a Gator homer. Kyle Trask is currently following the footsteps of Joe Burrow just a year sooner. Where Burrow went and had an average year as a 4th year Junior and then dominated as a 5th year Senior at LSU, Trask is doing the same in his 4th year as Burrow in his 5th. It’s not just the yards, it’s the TD to INT ratio I love. He doesn’t run like Burrow and neither has a cannon for an arm but they can both make all the throws and they read the field well. 
 

Some analysts have Trask higher but I still need to see it for longer. To me the only three QBs that should go round 1 are the top 3 but teams always reach. Newman and Trask are the guys somebody comes back in the first round for. If Trask finishes the year with 35 TDs and 5 INTs in a shortened season against all SEC opponents it’s going to be hard to deny him a first or second round grade. Great size, good arm, the only knock on his game is that he hasn’t shown himself to be very mobile. 

Thanks for sharing. What I consistently see with Trask is floaters into very open windows or to mismatches just going up and snatching the ball. I give more of the credit to the scheme or talent at other positions not stuff I can't see translating well to the NFL for Trask. That's why I just can't get on the hype train.

[Varking]

43 minutes ago, Untouchable said:

Thanks for sharing. What I consistently see with Trask is floaters into very open windows or to mismatches just going up and snatching the ball. I give more of the credit to the scheme or talent at other positions not stuff I can't see translating well to the NFL for Trask. That's why I just can't get on the hype train.

I’ve seen what you see as well. Part of why the offense has worked in Kyle Pitts. 9 quarters of football, almost 300 yards and 7 TDs at TE. Everyone hyped him up this year and he is out producing the hype. Hope he is healthy enough to play the next few games. 

[nctarheelreincarnated]

If we're not getting one in 2021, I want this kid. 6'1 and can flick the wrist like Mahomes. Love his arm talent. 

[Untouchable]

2 hours ago, nctarheelreincarnated said:

If we're not getting one in 2021, I want this kid. 6'1 and can flick the wrist like Mahomes. Love his arm talent. 

Yeah I already have an eye on him for the future.  RS Freshman so he could be a couple years out still.