A brief look at the top quarterbacks who are available in the 2016 NFL draft:
Carson Wentz, North Dakota State
His size (6-5, 237 pounds), athletic ability, command of the football and overall makeup elevated him into the discussion for the No. 1 overall pick, despite his relatively limited exposure with the nation’s dominant Division I Football Championship Subdivision program. In roughly 1½ seasons as the starter, Wentz completed 63.3% of his passes for 4,762 yards and 42 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. He missed half his senior year with a broken wrist on his throwing arm but returned to lead the Bison to their fifth straight national title. Wentz, 23, is competitive, polished and humble. Unlike many college quarterbacks, he has experience playing under center and calling plays in a huddle. Now he must show all that can help him make a huge leap to the NFL level.
Jared Goff, California
The favorite to go No. 1 to the Los Angeles Rams, Goff was Cal’s quarterback as a true freshman and started 37 games over three seasons, setting 26 school records in the spread-out “Bear Raid” offense. He completed 62.3% of his passes for 12,220 yards and 96 touchdowns with 30 interceptions. Goff, 21, checks a lot of boxes: smart enough, will work hard enough, good pocket feel and movement, good mechanics, good feet, good enough athlete, will stand in and take hits. He’s a natural passer with an easy, quick release. But there are questions about how he drives certain throws, which could come into play when the windows get smaller in the NFL. Goff has a relatively slight build (6-4, 215), so he may need time to get stronger, too.
Paxton Lynch, Memphis
He’s the biggest passer of the bunch (6-7, 244) with the biggest arm. He’s physical and moves exceptionally well for his size. But he might be the furthest from being ready to play, having operated almost exclusively from the shotgun in a Tigers offense that didn’t give him a ton of responsibility. Lynch, 22, completed 62.9% of his passes for 8,865 yards with 59 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. He’ll have to start from square one learning to call plays in the huddle, play under center and process. (Think Alex Smith coming out Utah back in 2005.) If Lynch can pick up the mental side — which could take a year or two — his upside is very high.
Connor Cook, Michigan State
In three seasons as the Spartans’ starter, Cook threw 70 touchdown passes against 21 interceptions in an offense that emphasizes downfield passing, and his 34-5 record made him the winningest QB in school history. He has played in big games and made big-time throws. But there are questions about his game, including inconsistent accuracy and command of the football, as well as his personality, maturity and leadership. He rubs a lot of people the wrong way, coming across as scripted in interviews and selling himself as something he’s not. That makes his draft stock a wild card at a position where teams maximize scrutiny of intangibles.
Christian Hackenberg, Penn State
He probably was misevaluated early in his career, yielding expectations he couldn’t meet amidst the Nittany Lions' cholarship losses and a coaching change. And Hackenberg, 21, hasn’t exactly dispelled concerns about his game during the pre-draft process: accuracy, footwork, overall mechanics. He started all of his 38 career games at Penn State, completing just 56.1% of his passes for 8,457 yards, 48 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. He moves well for his size (6-4, 223) and can make plays with his legs but tends to stand in the pocket too much. He’s said to be smart enough and work hard enough, so why isn’t the tape better? He’s a project.
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