Oct. 24--Besides Jared Goff and Connor Cook, here's a look at five other quarterbacks generating interest from NFL teams:
Jacoby Brissett, North Carolina State, fifth-year senior. He has very good size at 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, and terrific athletic ability to go with a strong arm. Brissett had a streak of 241 consecutive passes without an interception spanning the end of last season and the start of this season, but he has had up-and-down outings and NFL folks want to know why he couldn't beat out bad quarterbacks at Florida before transferring. As one scout said, maybe that's on former Gators coach Will Muschamp and a reason he's no longer in Gainesville.
Christian Hackenberg, Penn State, junior. His freshman year playing for Bill O'Brien, an experienced NFL coach, he looked like he could be a No. 1 overall pick. He has taken a step -- or steps -- back since O'Brien departed and hasn't maximized his skill set in the eyes of NFL scouts. Hackenberg's play has been "incredibly inconsistent," one college scouting director said.
Cardale Jones, Ohio State, redshirt junior. Jones might have been a mid-round pick last year had he entered the draft after only three college starts, but Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer benched him this week for J.T. Barrett. Jones has a huge arm and tighter throwing mechanics than you might expect for a 6-5, 250-pounder. If he's not good enough to start in college, though, he's probably not more than a developmental prospect.
Paxton Lynch, Memphis, redshirt junior. He was on the radar of NFL folks before spearheading a blowout upset of Ole Miss last week. Lynch entered the weekend completing 71.4 percent of his passes with 13 touchdowns and only one interception. He's 6-7, 245, and is "winning games he shouldn't -- and those things count," a college scouting director said. If Lynch keeps playing well, the buzz will grow.
Carson Wentz, North Dakota State, fifth-year senior. The level of competition is a concern, but Wentz looks like the total package at 6-6, 231. He moves very well for his size, has good accuracy and throws the ball well downfield. But Wentz underwent surgery Wednesday for a broken right (throwing) wrist and will miss six to eight weeks. If he returns in time for all-star games, he'll be interesting to track.
-- Brad Biggs
