Buckeyes have quietly become three-point specialists
March 4, 2020
Christian Yelich, Francisco Lindor, and why the two have nothing to do with each other: While We’re Waiting
March 5, 2020The Cleveland Browns had a disappointing season where it began with so much promise and hope but ended with just more dysfunction and change. With the poor season, the Browns completely remade their coaching staff and front office, bringing in Kevin Stefanski as the head coach and Andrew Berry as the general manager to lead this franchise into the future. The Browns still have a lot of work to do this offseason to fix the roster and get this team back into the mix of contention. The biggest opportunity of improving this roster is through the 2020 NFL Draft.
WFNY is here for you to get you familiar and ready for the 2020 NFL Draft. With this in mind, I will be examining each of the positions in the draft, giving my top five prospects at each position group, while also giving my thoughts on the overall class for each position.
The series begins with the most important position on the roster: Quarterback. Here are my top-five quarterbacks and my overall thoughts on the quarterback class in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Top Five Quarterbacks
1. Joe Burrow, LSU
2. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
3. Justin Herbert, Oregon
4. Jordan Love, Utah State
5. Jacob Eason, Washington
Best of the Rest: Bryce Perkins (Virginia), Jake Fromm (Georgia), Tyler Huntley (Utah), Anthony Gordon (Washington State), James Morgan (FIU), and Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma)
Which quarterback do you feel stronger about than most people?
I really like Bryce Perkins of Virginia. He is just outside my top five. He was a program changer at Virginia, leading the team to a winning record in back-to-back years when the school hadn’t seen a winning record in the last six seasons. On the field, he is a dual-threat quarterback with great elusiveness to avoid the rush and keep the play alive. He can make big plays with his feet. As a passer, he shows good short to intermediate accuracy, while also showing the ability to make some big-time throws. In the Lamar Jackson era, Perkins should get a chance to run an offense that utilizes his dual-threat ability.
Who is your No. 1 quarterback in the class and why do you believe he is the best quarterback?
Joe Burrow of LSU is my No. 1 rated quarterback after putting up one of the best college seasons of all time for a quarterback. He shows great accuracy to all fields, but his deep throw touch is extraordinary. His ability to throw off-platform and under pressure really separates him from the rest of the class. He pairs that ability with great pocket awareness and movement. On top of all this, he is a good athlete who can make plays with his feet if he needs to.
What are your thoughts on the overall quarterback class? How would you rate the class?
This is a good class of quarterbacks. I think there are two elite level quarterback prospects in the class, Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama. There are then two quarterbacks a step or two behind the leaders in Justin Herbert of Oregon and Jordan Love of Utah State, who should warrant first or early second-round selections. The rest of the class is filled with prospects with unique traits or abilities who could be developed into eventual starters, but just need coaching, time and be placed in the right situation.
Who has the best single skill set and what is that skill set?
There are a lot of great skill sets in this class, but I believe the best skill set is Burrow’s accuracy to all levels of the field. According to Pro Football Focus, he had an 81.9% adjusted completion percentage last season. His touch and ball placement are elite, allowing his receiver to catch the ball in stride.
Who is a sleeper quarterback who you are keeping an eye on?
The sleeper quarterback I am keeping an eye on is the same one I am higher on than most, Bryce Perkins of Virginia. Perkins can affect the game with both his legs and arms. He is a dynamic player who was a program cornerstone at Virginia, leading the school to two winning seasons after a long stretch of losing.
What is the impact of this quarterback class to the Browns?
I think this class impacts the Browns indirectly. The number of quarterbacks who go in the top ten will affect the talent that falls to the Browns at No. 10, including the top tier class of offensive tackles. The more quarterbacks who go in the top 10, the more talent that falls to Cleveland. Directly, the Browns may look at a developmental quarterback in later rounds.
