Bradley Ylitalo’s Scouting Notebook: Final Quarterback Rankings

I was far from the only one who had sizeable expectations for this group of signal callers. With Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, and Josh Allen I knew we had three potential top ten picks. And now after Baker Mayfield has taken an enormous step forward, and Lamar Jackson has continued to prove himself in all facets of the game, we now have five quarterbacks that should hear their name called on day one. These young men have somehow actually exceeded what I thought they would be.

I can’t remember a year in which the gap between QB1 and QB5 was so small. For fantasy purposes, you can make legitimate cases for any of these five that they should be in the top two or three. That’s why I had such a hard time splitting them up, even in my final rankings. As I will do with the other positional rankings, I will not only rank the prospects but place them into tiers to help paint a better picture of the talent landscape. It’s only week until the draft. Let’s get into some quarterback rankings!

Tier One

1) Josh Rosen, UCLA

The California golden boy will now make his way to the NFL. After three remarkable seasons in Los Angeles, he’s ready to make his mark at the next level. Rosen’s the best pure passer in this class. A pretty polished product, I expect him to put on a good showing as a rookie. Quarterback recruiting is a bigger crapshoot than any other position, but he’s made the rankers look smart by living up to his billing out of high school. He’s not going to be much of a threat with his legs but all the tools point to the Bruin being a long-term franchise quarterback.

[am4show have=’g1;’ guest_error=’sub_message’ user_error=’sub_message’ ]

2) Sam Darnold, USC

If not right away, Sam Darnold will be a starter very, very soon. And when he gets his chance, I think we’re going to see him blossom into a star. Although his release may be a little quirky, it’s damn quick. Add in his natural accuracy and pocket presence and you can see why many have him as their first ranked quarterback. A lack of consistent footwork might be the only thing that will hold Darnold down. He’s going to be a top-five selection for very good reason. I highly suggest taking a very long look at the USC product.

T-3) Josh Allen, Wyoming

Is anyone upset with me for having three players tied for the number this spot? I tried my absolute hardest to rank these prospects three, four, five, and I just couldn’t do it. Each of them has their own positives and negatives and should be valued differently for your specific team needs. Let’s start with the prospect for the rebuilder. Josh Allen may not start year one, or even year two. Still, if this kid can reach his ceiling, obtaining near Aaron Rodgers-like production is not out of the realm of possibility. I know his college production is scary but I really do think he’ll benefit greatly from NFL talent around him. Allen’s a major risk, and isn’t that kind of the fun part?

Allen under center going to drop back, step up in the pocket, and throw one of those darts that has me so excited about his potential! #nfldraft #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/nU89uDoX8v

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) March 13, 2018

T-3) Lamar Jackson, Louisville

Now onto the quarterback for contenders. A rarity from the quarterback position, Lamar Jackson has the tools to be an instant fantasy superstar. We’re talking about a kid that will most likely throw for 3,000 yards and seriously push for 900 more on the ground. I just hope we get many years of a healthy Jackson. I’m concerned about his accuracy as I am with Allen, but think he can make marked improvements with good coaching. Don’t be quick to go all in on Jackson, as his downsides are real. However, if you need some immediate help at the quarterback position, go ahead and grab your guy.

The flashes Lamar Jackson shows as a passer are damn impressive. #NFLDraft #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/2sNiz8r4sH

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) March 24, 2018

T-3) Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma

Mayfield is the quarterback for the playoff hopefuls who hope to be in contention in a few years. It’s not at all crazy to have the Sooner as your QB1. In fact, based on tape alone, he might just be there for me. It’s the 6’1 height that scares me just enough to drop him down to T-3. Look past that however and you see a tremendous talent. This kid isn’t just a great college quarterback. Mechanics, decision-making, accuracy, arm strength, mobility and so on – he checks all the boxes on film. Allen, Jackson, and Mayfield. We’ve got three potential game-changers here. If your team needs any quarterback help at all, they’re all terrific options.

Tier Two

6) Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State

Mason Rudolph is in a bit of a weird spot. In both getting to him and getting past him in these rankings, there’s a noticeable drop-off. I expect him to go in the mid second and really hope he lands in a situation like New England or Los Angeles (Chargers) versus Miami or Denver. I don’t know if he’s ready to contribute right away but do think he has some skills that point to him being a capable starter down the road. Don’t count on much from him as a runner. But as a passer, his mechanics, arm strength, and accuracy are beyond intriguing.

Tier Three

7) Mike White, Western Kentucky

At this point in the rankings, it’s pretty exciting to find a player with zero scary weaknesses. Unfortunately for White, there aren’t many notable strengths either. He’s got a toolset to work with. But he’s going to need some time to find his game in the NFL. Expect him to primarily be a backup and spot starter early on, and potentially develop into a formidable long-term option. With the right supporting cast around him, White’s consistent mechanics and solid accuracy could make him one of the more productive signal-callers of this class.

QB7 currently, really like Mike White! Lot of fun tools to work with for him. #NFLDraft #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/IcjnKizZ1X

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) March 8, 2018

8) Kyle Lauletta, Richmond

Every position group needs to have a dark horse. In this case, it’s Kyle Lauletta. The MVP of the Senior Bowl, he might just become a star with NFL players surrounding him. He won’t wow you with his arm strength. It’s the accuracy, decision making, and pocket presence that has us analysts so excited. The learning curve coming from Richmond might be a little steep, so give the Spider a few years. If he can capitalize on his skillset, he’ll make more than a few teams regret passing on him.

9) Luke Falk, Washington State

Luke Falk is just about as strong a QB9 as you’ll ever find. At this point, we’re usually talking about nothing more than late-round flyers. With Falk though, there’s legitimate promise we can be enthusiastic about. Very similar to Lauletta, his arm strength is a concern, while he shows great polish in terms of accuracy. He’ll need to make a name for himself quickly as he’ll turn 24 in his rookie season. Count on Falk being nothing short of adequate and solid throughout his career.

Tier Four

10) Riley Ferguson, Memphis

And… Now we make it to the late round fliers. Nothing against Ferguson, Kurt Benkert, and Chase Litton, I just have a hard time imagining them ever being viable starters. There is a reason they made this list though: they’ve all shown enough upside that should make them draft picks or at least priority free agents. Ferguson finished third in college football in passing in 2017, behind only Mason Rudolph and Baker Mayfield. He and Anthony Miller were near unstoppable. Ferguson has a 6’4 frame and can run well, but his mechanical and accuracy issues will be enough to scare a lot of teams off. Be careful not to fall in love with his flashy numbers.

11) Kurt Benkert, Virginia

Kurt Benkert is admittedly one of my draft crushes, but I promise I’ll be as unbiased as possible. Let’s get his warts out in the open. First off, he’s thrown 20 interceptions over the past two years, with some of them being real head-scratchers. Secondly, both his footwork and accuracy are going to need improving. There’s also a lot to like with Benkert. The Cavalier proved himself to be a nice athlete at the Combine and shows a lot of arm strength on tape. His wow throws are really impressive, but he has his lowlights as well. Overall, I think he’s worth taking a chance on but just know you’re not getting anywhere close to a sure thing.

Kurt Benkert. Easily one of the best throws I’ve ever seen! #NFLDraft #DraftTwitter @KurtBenkert pic.twitter.com/Bzdrl4yB7k

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) February 23, 2018

12) Chase Litton, Marshall

Chase Litton will be an interesting project for NFL coaches. The kid brings size and pure arm talent, yet is really lacking in terms of accuracy, decision making, and pocket presence. He had his moments at Marshall but threw 31 interceptions in his three seasons there. He’s got some tools but you have to remember that he’s is going to need some work. Only draft Litton in deep leagues where you can afford to get nothing from a quarterback for a few years.

Litton finds himself in a tough spot rolling to his left on 4th and 10, throws a dart. #NFLDraft #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/HpqnzhZFgt

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) February 22, 2018

That wraps up this edition of “Bradley Ylitalo’s Scouting Notebook”. Please leave a comment or question about a specific prospect, or fit for your team, below. Feel free to shoot me a question on Twitter (@NFL_Drafthub), I’m always happy to interact with football fans. See you next time!

[/am4show]