Rankings and what to watch for out of all the quarterback prospects invited to the 2020 NFL Combine.
2020 NFL Combine: Quarterback
Date: Thursday, February 27: QB
Live Stream: fuboTV (click to watch for free)
Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Network: NFL Network
From the college perspective. here are rankings and quick looks at all of the quarterbacks invited to the 2020 NFL Combine – and one who isn’t.
Before getting into the top five breakdown, here’s a ranking of the best of the rest and what to look for.
2020 Pre-NFL Combine Quarterback Best of the Rest Rankings
Number in parentheses is the projected round drafted before the NFL Combine.
18. James Morgan, FIU 6-4, 213 (Free Agent)
NFL Combine What Matters: There are a whole lot of NFL skills to like, and it starts with a special arm. He has the smarts and the skills to grow into a good backup, but is there enough in the overall package to be draftable?
17. Shea Patterson, Michigan 6-1, 202 (6)
NFL Combine What Matters: There’s a shot he goes from being a nice college quarterback to a solid NFL baller. Can he show enough arm strength to be more than a plucky backup who bounces around the league?
16. Brian Lewerke, Michigan State 6-3, 216 (Free Agent)
NFL Combine What Matters: Was it the team or the player? Great as a sophomore, miserable as a junior, and okay as a senior, does he have the raw skills worth developing as a key backup? He needs a workout to make him a late round flier.
15. Cole McDonald, Hawaii 6-4, 220 (Free Agent)
NFL Combine What Matters: A pure short-range passer who’ll be worth a late flier, he needs to show off a decent deep arm. More than that, is there anything fixable about his throwing motion? He can throw, but does he have any NFL tools?
14. Kevin Davidson, Princeton 6-4, 225 (5)
NFL Combine What Matters: Everything is there but the at-bats. He has the right size, the right arm, and the right accuracy, but he’s going to need a whole lot of work with an NFL quarterback coach along with a whole lot of time.
13. Jake Luton, Oregon State 6-7, 229 (6)
NFL Combine What Matters: He’ll show of the arm, size, and NFL passing potential to be draftable, but he suffered a frightening back injury two years ago. Everything turned out to be fine, and he was able to play, but the medical evaluation will be a key part of the puzzle.
12. Bryce Perkins, Virginia 6-3, 215 (5)
NFL Combine What Matters: NOT INVITED TO THE NFL COMBINE
It doesn’t make any sense. In a year when there aren’t any amazing quarterback prospects outside of the top six or so, how is a 6-3 ultra-mobile baller who hit 65% of his throws and all but carried his team to the Orange Bowl not at least given a look in Indy? Perkins will be drafted. Several quarterbacks at the combine won’t be.
11. Kelly Bryant, Missouri 6-3, 225 (5)
NFL Combine What Matters: In every workout it’ll be all about three things: accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. He has the size, mobility, and NFL arm and tools. More reps are a must, but there’s a world of upside with a little work.
10. Anthony Gordon, Washington State 6-2, 199 (5)
NFL Combine What Matters: He might not have the size, but he’s able to make every throw in the book. Arm strength is going to matter. He’ll need some developing, and he’ll be a great backup for a few years before he’s ready to roll, but he has the upside to be a higher-end Gardner Minshew or Kyle Allen.
9. Steven Montez, Colorado 6-4, 240 (5)
NFL Combine What Matters: The interview process will be everything. What’s missing? Why didn’t this work? If you were to build an NFL quarterback with the right size, right arm, and right mobility, it’s all there. He was fine at Colorado, but he never grew into a superstar … again, what’s missing?
8. Nate Stanley, Iowa 6-4, 243 (5)
NFL Combine What Matters: Can he move at all? The arm, strength, and pro-style passing tools are there, but he has to show accuracy on the run and has to show off decent enough feet to learn how to buy himself more time.
7. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma 6-1, 218 (3)
NFL Combine What Matters: Can he throw like a pro-style passer, and does that even matter? He doesn’t fit in any sort of box or a type – except for, possibly, Taysom Hill in a create-a-package way – but he’s a peerless leader that everyone will want, just because. Just draft him and figure it out.
6. Jordan Love, Utah State 6-4, 225 (Top 20 overall)
NFL Combine What Matters: GOOD LUCK, Indianapolis – and that goes for the combine and the Colts – trying to make a call. On tools and upside, you take him ten out of ten times over Jake Fromm and almost everyone else, but can he quicken his throwing motion?
Can he connect on the deep ball and not just be a mid-range passer. There’s a whole lot there, but he’s going to have to show enough to be worth a top 15 overall pick.
NEXT: Top 5 Quarterback Prospects Before the 2020 NFL Combine
5. Jake Fromm, Georgia 6-2, 220 (3)
Why He’s Here On The List: There’s an IT factor about him. Some guys just have the cool, calm, confident demeanor to handle any situation. It might be tempting to call him a high-end game-manager, but he doesn’t make a whole lot of big mistakes, and he never has a problem living the one-play-at-a-time cliché.
What The NFL Types Want To See: Arm strength – does he have any? No one’s going to confuse him with Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes when it comes to flicking his wrist and making something happen, but he has to at least prove he can make all the throws without laboring.
Bottom Line: He’ll be just good enough to be a rock-solid, restaurant quality NFL starter, but with little to no upside to be special. There’s no real bust potential, but there’s also a hard ceiling on what he can become with his lack of raw NFL tools and arm.
NEXT: No. 4 Pre-NFL Combine Quarterback
4. Jacob Eason, Washington 6-6, 227 (2)
Why He’s Here On The List: It never quite worked exactly like it was supposed to. The star recruit of star recruits, he’s got the pro look, size, and arm to be everything an NFL team is looking for. There’s a chance he becomes a great-value option late in the first round or early in the second compared to the other top passers.
What The NFL Types Want To See: It’s going to be impossible to show off in workouts what the scouts will have problems with on tape. Be stunned if Eason isn’t a superstar in every throwing drill, and he’ll be fine with the coaches in the interview room. He has to show off a ridiculous pro passing skill set that makes him a must-have to build around.
Bottom Line: He’ll be an NFL starter, but something was missing in college. Accuracy was an issue at times, and he was too easily replaced by Jake Fromm at Georgia. There aren’t a whole lot of humans – including in this draft – with his passing skill and talent. Someone will fall in love with his upside.
NEXT: No. 3 Pre-NFL Combine Quarterback
3. Justin Herbert, Oregon (Top 15 overall)
Why He’s Here On The List: In a draft loaded with massive calls to be made on everyone but Joe Burrow, Herbert is one of the more interesting prospects. Had he come out last year, he’d almost certainly be the starting quarterback for the New York Giants instead of Daniel Jones. He led Oregon to the Pac-12 title and a Rose Bowl win, and now he has another year of experience to go along with the best overall set of quarterback tools at the combine.
What The NFL Types Want To See: It’s going to be hard to judge him in workouts considering he’s going to look and throw like the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The interview process will be the key to his stock. He has the reputation of not coming across as a fiery field general, but does that matter if he can throw like he can?
Bottom Line: All that might be missing is that crush-the-other-guy-like-a-grape jerkweed streak – at least that’s the perception. There’s no real need to nitpick over a few down games and his inconsistencies – he almost always got the job done. Take him anywhere outside of the top ten and you’re getting a ridiculous steal.
NEXT: No. 2 Pre-NFL Combine Quarterback
2. Joe Burrow, LSU 6-4, 216 (No. 1 overall)
Why He’s Here On The List: How do you come off – arguably – the greatest season by any quarterback in the history of college football and not be the easy choice as the No. 1 overall pick? He’s a mature, fearless passer with the NFL deep ball accuracy and great movement for his size.
However, he’s only a one-year wonder – at least at the highest of levels – in a dream scheme with NFL talent around him making a whole lot of NFL players in an NFL offense. That was fine against college teams, but can it all translate into being a transcendent, Super Bowl-winning pro passer?
What The NFL Types Want To See: Arm strength. There aren’t any knocks on his 2019 season – there’s no fluky way to be that accurate that often in that many big games and situations. However, it would be nice if he could show off a next-level arm. He can throw a deep ball just fine, but the top pick has to be a power pitcher at times, too.
Bottom Line: It’s all nitpicking on the knocks. There’s almost no bust potential, but in a league full of young quarterbacks with ridiculous tools, can he show enough arm strength to be an MVP-caliber star? There are a whole lot of No. 1 overall draft pick eggs put in his basket – and he should be able to carry it just fine. Go ahead and make him No. 1 on this list, but …
NEXT: No. 1 Pre-NFL Combine Quarterback
1. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama 6-1, 218 (Top ten overall)
Why He’s Here On The List: This is with one gigantic, screaming caveat – if you really don’t think he can get, stay, and be healthy, then he’s in Joe Burrow’s spot here.
Obviously health is never guaranteed, but if you could promise that he’d start as many NFL games as Burrow, he’s it. He’s the truly special quarterback talent in this draft with the mix of arm, accuracy, and creativity to be the reason a team wins a Super Bowl.
Granted, he got to play on an elite team with elite talent – most games were light scrimmages – but that isn’t necessarily a knock. He got in a whole lot of easy reps, was solid in big games, and to put a nice spin on this, he learned how to play hurt. However …
What The NFL Types Want To See: The medical evaluation means absolutely everything. It’s not just going to be his hip problem. How’s the rest of the puzzle? Considering he didn’t take that many crazy hits, he suffered a whole lot of big injuries. It’s part of his game that he tries to do everything possible to make something happen, but he’ll have to learn to live to fight another day.
Bottom Line: How much of a risk do you want to take on his lack of durability? Do you really want to spend the next ten years holding your breath every time he gets popped?
However, he’s one of those guys who’s worth rolling the dice on.
For everyone who might have been off on the Deshaun Watson evaluation because of injury concerns – hand raised high and fast on this end – this isn’t a time to be scared … if the medical evaluations check out in Indy.
We’re in an NFL world now with Patrick, and Lamar, and Deshaun. If he can stay in one piece, Tua is going to be one of those one-name stars, too.
