2. Trey Lance, North Dakota State
Size: 6-4, 224
The Good: 28 touchdown passes, no interceptions, 14 rushing scores, 1,100 rushing yards, one national championship. That was the guy’s 2019 season.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was at the FCS level, but the game, tools, and upside are there to translate to the next level with a little bit of time.
He’s missing the experience and reps to be ready from Day One, but the guy works and works and works. The unquestioned leader of that national title team as a redshirt freshman, he’s got the toughness and maturity to handle himself just fine.
And then there are the tools.
Right height, right size, right mobility, right throwing motion, right upside. The ONLY thing missing is …
Trey Lance meant business. #NDSUProDay pic.twitter.com/qvzroYMW3w
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) March 13, 2021
The Not-So-Good: Time. How much patience do you have?
Yes, just playing that one season matters, and it’s going to have to be hammered into him over and over and over again that he doesn’t have to be a franchise superstar right away.
He’s going to press, he’s going to want to show that he’s worthy among all the other great quarterback talents up top, and he’s going to make a whole lot of mistakes.
It’s going to take tweaking with those tools – the throwing motion has to be more consistent – and yeah, it’s going to take a whole lot of at-bats before he feels comfortable.
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Do you really want to be the GM that passes on what Lance could be?
This isn’t how the good GMs think, but if you miss on Zach Wilson, or if Trevor Lawrence doesn’t pan out, or if Justin Fields busts, you’re going to get roasted. If you miss on Lance and he becomes the next it quarterback, that’s going to be hung on you for the rest of your career.
The football world has been spoiled by Justin Herbert and Kyler Murray – it usually takes a little while for the top quarterbacks to rock at the next level.
Lance is the I Want To Win pick, at least right after …
Projected Round: Top Ten Overall
NEXT: 2021 NFL Draft Quarterback Rankings No. 1