With the 2011 NFL Season behind us, and now that the New York Giants have been crowned Super Bowl Champions and will rightfully take the next few weeks to let their second championship season in five years really celebrate and resonate, 31 other franchises now turn their focus toward building a worthy challenger to overtake New York.
The Giants have done an amazing job building their team through the NFL Draft. They’ve put together a dominate defensive line with Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora, Linval Joseph and Mathias Kiwanuka through the Draft. They’ve also compiled a deep and reliable group of receiver led by Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Victor Cruz. Their tight ends, Travis Beckham and Jake Ballard were also products of their front office’s dillegence. They also have two candidates to become the 2012 version of Cruz -a breakout star who was only registering on the Giants’ radar- in former 3rd Round picks Ramses Barden and Jerrel Jernigen.
In no other sport is it more important to build from the ground up through the Draft. The final eight teams in left in the playoffs this year are a direct reflection of that, as the Giants, Patriots, 49ers, Ravens, Saints, Packers, Texans and Broncos have all done a tremendous job of acquiring yound talent and developing them into the type of player that fits their system perfectly.
With that in mind, over the next few weeks we’ll take a look at the top players in the 2012 NFL Draft as well as where they’ll fit in at the next level. We’ll start our Draft Preview with the most important position in team sports, the quarterback. This year’s Draft Class could have been one of the best we’ve seen since 2004 when Big Ben, Eli Manning and Philip Rivers entered the league. But once USC’s Matt Barkley and Oklahoma’s Landry Jones decided to return to school for their senior seasons -something Andrew Luck could have done too, unbelievably!- the entire class took a bit of a hit. That said, their are two elite prospects in this class that would have been considered “can’t miss” talents regardless of what year they entered the Draft.
Here is a look at the top quarterbacks along with a quick scouting report, where they fit in the Draft, current NFL comparisons (best case scenerio) and their most likely destinations.
1. Andrew Luck, Stanford 6′4″ 235lbsLuck is far and away the best quarterback prospect to enter the NFL Draft in the last two decades. By no means am I saying he’s going to be the best quarterback of all-time but he appears more prepared for the NFL than any quarterback that has entered the league in a long time. Some QBs -Cam Newton being the most glaring example- surprise us with their ability to read defenses, lead men and adjust to the speed of the NFL game but I’m not sure Luck could do anything that would shock NFL GMs or coaches next season, and that’s not necessarilly a good thing. The expectations are going to be exceptionally high for Luck -as they should be- and he’ll have to play at a LeBron-James-rookie-year level or better in order to meet them. Luck has the intelligence, mindset and leadership skills to step into an NFL huddle and be The Man from day one, a title he will certainly get regardless of which NFL team selects him. He can make every throw and is athletic enough to turn aborted plays into plus yardage with his feet. we’re looking at an NFL starter from day one and a player you can build you franchise around for the next decade.
Likely Destination: Unless the Colts believe Peyton Manning is 100% healthy and trade the #1 pick, Indianapolis will draft Luck and build their team around him for the next 10-15 years. it might be a tough decision but it’s one that 31 NFL General Managers would love to be strapped with.
NFL Comparison: Aaron Rodgers
2. Robert Griffin III, Baylor 6′2″ 220lbs
Griffin III became a household name for most people in the country midway through this season when he led his Baylor team to a series of big wins while compiling some of the best numbers the Big 12 has ever seen from a QB. But to true college football fans, RG3 has been on our radar since 2008 when he started as a true freshman and put up numbers that rivaled Tim Tebow. After tearing his ACl at the beginning of his sophomore year it was debatable whether or not he would ever fully regain his world class athleticism, thoughts he quickly put to bed at the beginning of his redshirt sophomore year. He’s made tremendous strides in his deep passing ability over the last three years but the one glaring statistic that NFL teams and experts should be obsessed with is the number of interceptions he’s thrown over the course of his career. In 2008 -as a true freshman in a conference that boasts some of the most athletic defensive backs and coordinators in the country- RG3 only threw 3 interceptions while leading a genuinely bad Baylor team to four victories. After a spectacular performance against TCU to start his junior year, RG3 got better as more attention was paid, eventually leading Baylor to 10 wins including upsets of Texas and Oklahoma on his way to a Heisman Trophy. He’s not yet in the same class as Luck as a true passer but he’s not that far behind either. In his college career, he RAN for almost twice as moany touchdowns -33- as he threw INTs -17- and his ability to make the big play is spectacular. Griffin III could end up being right up there with Rivers and Big Ben in terms of consolation prizes at the QB position in NFL Draft history. His composure, mixed with his intelligence and world class athletic ability make him one of the most impressive specimens to ever enter the NFL Draft.
Likely Destination: When was the last time you heard, “The Cleveland Browns are in great position to acquire one of the most dynamic players the NFL has ever seen,” come out of an analyst’s mouths? That is definitely the case in 2012 as the Browns currently have the 4th pick. If St. Louis decides they want to go in a different direction, away from Sam Bradford, they are also in the hunt, but that would leave Bradford in Cleveland’s hands, most likely for either the 4th or 22nd -which they receive from Atlanta in the Julio Jones trade- pick in this year’s Draft. Minnesota took Christian Ponder with the #12 overall selection last season and have to be privately kicking themselves in the teeth because every executive in the league would take RG3 over Ponder right now. After the dust clears and everything is said and done, I believe Robert Griffin III will be the face of the Cleveland Browns franchise heading into next season.
NFL Comparison: RG3 is unlike any QB that the NFL has ever seen. His mix of athletic ability, accuracy and pocket presence is truly incomparable.
3. Nick Foles, Arizona 6′5″ 240lbsI’m higher on Foles than a lot of NFL people. It’s not that I’m completely sold on Foles as much as I’m not sold on the rest of this year’s QB class. Foles has the size and arm strength to hang in the pocket and make every throw expected of him at the next level, 
but so do a lot of college QBs. It doesn’t mean that his game is going to translate to the NFL level but there is a lot more to like about Foles than those two obvious factors. The Arizona program was a complete mess this season and if it wasn’t for Foles they’re probably looking at a 1-win season. In losses to Oklahoma State, Stanford, Oregon and USC in games 2-5 of the season, Foles went a combined 136-193 passing (70%), to go along with a 9:2 TD-INT ratio while facing a tremendous amount of pressure. Foles is far from RG3 in terms of athletic ability but he manipulates the pocket really well and avoids sacks at inopportune times. Working behind an out-manned offensive line and across from a terrible defense, Foles made sure losses couldn’t be attributed to him during his senior season. In the right system, with the right team -which is about 50% of the reason whether a QB performs to his capabilities or not during his NFL career- Foles can be a very good starting quarterback at the NFL level. He has the experience that front office’s are attracted to as well as a reputation for positive performances in bad situations.
Likely Destination: I don’t see more than two Qbs being taken in the 1st Round this year, mainly because of the current talent at the NFL level and the overall lack there of in this year’s class. It would be smart for a team like the Bears to grab a QB to back up Jay Cutler considering his injury history and the fact that their season went down the toilet once they had to rely on Caleb Hanie under center. Denver is another possible place Foles could land depending on how sold John Elway and Co. truly are on Tebow. Personally, I’d rather have Foles as well as probably 40 other quarterbacks currently in the NFL instead of being held hostage by Tebow’s style of play.
NFL Comparison: Jay Cutler
4. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State 6′3″ 210lbsWhat’s not to like about Kirk Cousins? Early in his career he was in a battle for playing time with Keith Nichol. Cousins won the right to take snaps then turned Nichol into one of his top targets for the next three years. He’s led Michigan State to two straight ten win seasons -neither of which were expected- while completing about 65% of his passes in that time. He hasn’t had the best weapons in 
the Big Ten around him but turned BJ Cunningham into the school’s all-time leading receiver while throwing 45 TDs to 20 INTs -a few of which came in garbage time hail mary situations- in those two seasons. A confident leader, Cousins has the ability to move the pocket, make throws on the run and create time for himself and his receivers. He doesn’t have overwhelming arm strength but his accuracy is above average and his experience as a starter against top competition cannot be understated.
Likely Destination: Depending on who values his skillset, Cousins can go anywhere between the late-2nd to late-3rd round. Teams with stable QB situations are the most likely to take Cousins because he isn’t ready to step right in and contribute at the NFL level right now. Chicago, Houston, Green Bay, Pittsburgh and Detroit would enjoy Cousins’ services.
NFL Comparison: Colt McCoy
5. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M 6′4″ 225lbsTannehill is higher on a lot of Draft Boards than he is here but there are reasons for that. First of all, I’d like to see a little more experience coming out of college. Tannehill has only started for a year and a half since converting from wide receiver after the A&M staff had seen enough from former starter Jerrod Johnson. He’s well built, athletic and understands route running -having played the WR position for most of his college career- but needs to drastically improve his decision making in order to cut down on his INTs. After catching lightning in a bottle in the second half of his junior year -his first six games as the starting QB at Texas A&M were big wins- Tannehill never got a signature win during his senior year despite being surrounded by a talented group of wide receivers and a few high school All-Americans in the backfield. He probably has a higher ceiling than Cousins and Foles but he’ll need to get reps in order to reach that potential, something he’s not going to see next year in the NFL. Behind the right mentor with the right coaching staff and coordinators, Tannehill could be a steal in the third round but to take him in the first round would be an unnecessary risk in my eyes.
Likely Destination: Considering he probably won’t be able to step right in as a starter, he has to be seen as a high-ceiling developmental pick. If a playoff team can grab him in the late 2nd or early 3rd round after addressing their needs with their first two picks they could get a steal. Green Bay, Pittsburgh or Baltimore are places he could sit and learn but I wouldn’t put it past Miami or Washington to take him with the belief that his upside trumps his current flaws and try to rush his development.
NFL Comparison: Mark Sanchez
Best of the Rest
6. Brock Osweiler, Arizona State 6′8″ 240lbs - The Sun Devils let Osweiler air it out this season but they were enigmatic on both sides of the ball and never really created an identity. Having to adjust to a new coaching staff could be one of the reasons why Osweiler got out of Dodge. He can air it out and is more athletic than you would expect a player his size to be thanks to his 
basketball background but he would have benefited simply from the experience of returning for his senior year. Either way, he’ll go in the middle rounds and has a chance to carve a decent career out for himself.
7. Ryan Lindley, San Diego State 6′4″ 230lbs - Lindley put together a nice career for the Aztecs and even contemplated coming out last year. For his own good he returned to school and put som emore impressive stuff on tape. As with everybody on this list, Lindley can make all the throws necessary in the NFL and has above-average athletic ability. He has a ton of experience and is probably going to get nabbed by a West Coast team late in the fourth round.
8.Russell Wilson, Wisconsin 5′11″ 205lbs - Size is definitely going to be a question for Wilson but he has enough athletic ability and the over-the-top delivery necessary for a smaller quarterback. He’s already experience professional athletics as a minor league baseball player and his final season with Wisconsin proved he can adjust to multiple offensive schemes. If Wilson was three inches taller we’d be talking about a first round pick but he’ll likely fall to the fourth or fifth. Oh well!
9. Kellen Moore, Boise State 6′ 191lbs - Moore might have the appearance of a floppy-haired frat boy but he’s a stone cold killer on the football field. He has as much poise as anyone on this list and -despite everybody’s thoughts about Boise’s schedule- Moore has a lot of big game exposure. He’s gone toe-to-toe with SEC schools in his career and came out on top, one reason he became the all-time wins leader in D-1 history before he graduated. If there’s a place for Greg McElroy in the NFL, Kellen Moore should have a job come April. He’ll likely end up in the 6th round or later.
Wild Cards
- Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden is older than Aaron Rodgers. Unless a team believes he can come in right away and contribute I don’t really see a reason to draft a 29-year old who’s going to need a few years of tutoring before tacking the field. He’ll sign with somebody because he definitely can sling the rock around but some Draft Boards have him as a Top-5 QB in this year’s Draft. On talent, of course he is. But teams have to take into account that he’ll be on the wrong side of 30 when he’s ready to contribute.
- If the Denver Broncos are truly sold on Tim Tebow and the type of offense you have to run when he’s your quarterback, they should take a real hard look at Oregon’s Darron Thomas. After leaving school early -in part because he saw a battle for his position on the horizon- Thomas told NFL personnel that he wants to be a QB at the next level. He throws a decent ball at times and is experienced in the offense, so he’d definitely be a fit with the Broncos. It will be interesting to see Denver’s quarterback depth chart next season because it will be the tell tale sign whether or not they’re putting all their eggs in the Tebow basket.
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