An Early Look at 2021 Quarterbacks

With the 2019 college football season over and all underclassmen having made their decisions, it is time to start prepping for your annual devy drafts. It is never too early to start looking ahead as you prepare for your drafts to get an edge on your league mates to dominate your leagues.

This series of articles will look ahead to the 2021 class to give you a quick rundown of the top players at each position. With superflex becoming one of the most popular formats, what better place to start than with the quarterback position?

1. Trevor Lawrence, QB Clemson

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Trevor Lawrence is one of the most polished college quarterbacks I have ever scouted. All he has done since stepping on the field for Clemson is wow everyone. He checks all the boxes as far as his size, arm talent, mobility, and football IQ. With another year to improve, he should remain a very highly-ranked devy asset, even in non-superflex leagues.

Trevor Lawrence’s ball placement is SO GOOD! The DB is all over his WR and he throws it perfectly backshoulder to where only his guy can get it! Incredible! My 2021 QB1! #devy pic.twitter.com/diw2o9EqcI

— Optimistic Bengal (Caleb Pierson) (@PiersonNFL) January 8, 2020

2. Justin Fields, QB Ohio State

There is a debate to be had that Fields should be the top-ranked quarterback in devy. However, I don’t think he is as polished as Lawrence is. Fields remains a terrific devy asset. He can sling it downfield and has great deep ball accuracy. His baseball background also helps him make some very good throws outside the pocket on the run. If he can clean up some of the short-area accuracy inconsistency, we are going to have a crazy battle for the top spot on this list next year.

https://twitter.com/RayGQue/status/1210292085124980736?s=20

3. D’Eriq King, QB Houston

Before my mentions are filled up with people disagreeing with me, just hear me out. I understand D’Eriq King doesn’t have the most ideal size to play quarterback, but this a player who can throw the football. With smaller quarterbacks like Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson excelling at the same height as King, I think there is a potential spot for him in the NFL. There are still things he needs to clean up in his game but his upside cannot go unnoticed. He can burn you with his speed on the ground, has a beautiful deep ball, and can throw with good touch at all levels of the field. After a redshirt year in 2019, King should be very fresh for 2020 for whichever team lands him in the portal.

4. Brock Purdy, QB Iowa State

Purdy is someone I see ranked at number three for a lot of analysts and comes in one spot short here at four. He is a gunslinging quarterback with a big arm but can also do damage on the ground. Having already played in 23 games for the Cyclones, he doesn’t lack experience. He will need to work on his accuracy and decision-making in 2020 to stay atop this list. If he can improve on his game, he has a good chance to be a future first-round NFL Draft pick.

5. Kellen Mond, QB Texas A&M

Next up is one of my favorite 2021 prospects. Mond is a former four-star prospect out of IMG Academy. He is still a raw prospect who needs to develop as a passer and not rely so much on his mobility but still has the talent to develop into a good quarterback. He is inconsistent at times but has displayed moments where he looks like an NFL quarterback with some of the plays he is capable of making with his blend of arm talent and his calmness in the pocket. His fourth year at A&M will be crucial as it will be his last chance to improve on his decision making and consistency.

https://twitter.com/CaseyBake16/status/916855302871535617?s=20

6. JT Daniels, QB USC

This was one of the hardest players to rank on this list. I was very high on JT Daniels after an impressive freshman campaign for the Trojans. As a freshman, he displayed incredible arm strength with very impressive deep ball accuracy for someone as young as him. Unfortunately, he would suffer a devastating season-ending ACL injury in his first game in 2019. He will now face an uphill battle with Kedon Slovis, who came in and played fantastic in 2019 for the Trojans.

7. Jamie Newman, QB Georgia

Georgia fans didn’t have to worry too long about who is potentially going to step in for Jake Fromm in 2020. Just days after Fromm declared for the draft, news broke about Georgia landing transfer quarterback Jamie Newman, previously with Wake Forest. He had a successful season in the AAC for the Demon Deacons in 2019, showing his ability to beat you with his arm or legs. He will be surrounded by a very talented supporting cast consisting of George Pickens, Zamir White, a five-star tight end in incoming freshman Darnell Washington, and three incoming four-star wide receivers. Plus, with the new addition of offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Newman’s stock is on the rise.

Grade on Deep Throws (20+ yards):

1. Joe Burrow: 98.5
2. Jamie Newman: 96.5
3. Dustin Crum: 96.3

pic.twitter.com/yKfXQJbiDB

— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 11, 2020

8. Adrian Martinez, QB Nebraska

What a let down 2019 was for Martinez. After a promising freshman year, a lot of people were very high on him going into his second year in 2019. His injuries plus an apparent sophomore slump left many devy owners asking for more. If you own him, you likely bought him at a price than he is today. But do not panic yet. With an off-season to recover from injuries, there is still a chance for him to come back and get back to how he looked as a freshman. There is a lot of upside to his game, but he will first need to secure the starting quarterback job in 2020.

9. Sam Ehlinger, QB Texas

The end of this list is currently made up of players I don’t currently project as ‘NFL players’. Despite Ehlinger being a successful college quarterback, I don’t see his game transferring to the NFL level. While he is super athletic with a strong arm, his decision making, inconsistent accuracy, and lack of deep place touch make him a fade for me and someone who probably doesn’t need to be rostered in devy leagues. He would have to make huge strides in 2020 to get back on my radar and rise back up this list.

10. Mac Jones, QB Alabama

Jones comes in just inside my top ten. There were a few others who could have gone here, but Jones has the most room for improvement compared to guys like Ian Book who could have gone here. Jones stepped in for injured Tua Tagovailoa in 2019. In his three games he started to end the season, he threw for ten touchdowns, two interceptions and 937 yards. He did enough to put himself in the conversation to be the Tides starting quarterback in 2020. Being in this conversation means he has to remain at the end of your watchlist for players whose value could rise significantly in 2020.