Finding the right fit for the 2020 draft quarterbacks

Scheme fit and landing spot are critical to the development of a QB. What teams make sense for this year’s quarterback class?

The more we study and evaluate prospects, the more we in the media come to a rather uncomfortable truth: Despite all the time we spend watching tape and breaking quarterbacks down and debating traits and skill-sets, none of it matters.

Why?

Because what matters more to a potential NFL prospect, especially at the quarterback position, is the scheme fit and landing spot.

Take the last two Most Valuable Players. Sure, there were some who believed Patrick Mahomes could be a great NFL quarterback, but is Mahomes reaching his level of play under a Jeff Fisher? Or Lamar Jackson. He also had believers, but he needed the right organization to buy into what he brings to the table as a quarterback.

Landing spot and scheme fit matter.

Looking at some of the prospects in this draft, where are the best landing spots for them?

Joe Burrow: Cincinnati Bengals

Let’s get the obvious selection out of the way first.

Burrow to the Cincinnati Bengals with the first overall selection makes too much sense. Almost to the point that if you pitched this as a movie, studio executives might call it a bit “over the top.” A hometown kid comes back to Ohio to resurrect a franchise that badly needs saving. Along the way he helps raise money for a downtrodden area of Ohio while collecting his Heisman Trophy.

But the “Rise of Burrow” is real, and why he fits with the Bengals is a reason why.

Last summer when everyone, myself included, was studying the potential draft quarterbacks Burrow was certainly on the watch list. I was perhaps more hopeful than others that Burrow could develop into an intriguing prospect, as I highlighted in this piece for the Matt Waldman Rookie Scouting Portfolio. As I wrote back in July, “[d]igging into his film a bit more uncovers flashes of what you want to see from a young quarterback, and what NFL scouts are anxious to discover.”

While anticipation throws over the middle were something Burrow was showing a year ago, this past season he demonstrated three things critical to his NFL fit: Pocket presence, ball placement and processing speed. This season, Burrow showed that he could handle pockets breaking down around him while still extending plays, he could deliver on almost every throw with tremendous ball placement, and he attacked defenses as well with his mind as he did his physical traits.

In addition, under Joe Brady the LSU passing game evolved as well. During Burrow’s 2018 campaign, the Tigers relied on a heavy amount of maximum protection concepts in the passing game. The numbers were pointed out by Neil Hornsby from Pro Football Focus:

Interesting piece on Joe Burrow in @peter_king 's FMIA today. It mentioned the way LSU had reduced the # of pass protectors this year. While I knew something of this I'd never run the numbers so I did… Pretty stark. pic.twitter.com/gE2M3OSqMt

— Neil Hornsby (@PFF_Neil) February 24, 2020

On an overwhelming majority of LSU’s passing plays in 2019, Burrow was in effect the sixth man in protection.

Aside from quarterback, offensive line is a critical piece the Bengals need to upgrade in 2020. Even if Jonah Williams lives up to expectations at left tackle and Trey Hopkins shows he was worth his recent contract extension, there are still holes that need patching. With the OL a question mark, a quarterback with a proven track record of pocket management, quick decision-making and the ability to handle things when protection breaks down – or he is the sixth man in the protection scheme – makes a great deal of sense.

Finally, consider Zac Taylor’s system. Given his background with Sean McVay, the Bengals implement a lot of quicker passing concepts that attack the defense and create space. Spacing concepts, West Coast concepts, all designs that will be very familiar to Burrow given what LSU was running last season. Mix in some A.J. Green over the top, and now you’re cooking with gas as an offense.

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Bears shouldn’t ignore QB position in NFL Draft

While the Bears have many roster needs this offseason (TE, OL, CB, S), they cannot ignore the quarterback position in the 2020 NFL Draft.

We’re roughly two months into the Bears offseason, and the main topic of conversation has revolved around the quarterback situation. And rightfully so.

Mitchell Trubisky is entering his fourth season with Chicago, and the Bears haven’t gotten the results they were expecting. While the entire Bears offense struggled in 2019, Trubisky was a big reason why. Trubisky regressed mightily in his third season, and his future has been called into question.

While many mock drafts have had the Bears targeting other position groups of need like tight end, offensive line and defensive back, Bleacher Report warns that the Bears shouldn’t ignore the quarterback position in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Chicago Bears do not have a first-round selection because of their trade to acquire Khalil Mack. Therefore, it may be hard to land a quarterback who could challenge Mitchell Trubisky for the starting job. However, the Bears should still consider a signal-caller if the opportunity to get one presents itself.

If Chicago believes a second-round prospect such as Georgia’s Jake Fromm can upgrade the position, it has to make the pick. Sticking by Trubisky would be a big mistake.

While you figure the Bears will be interested in drafting a young quarterback, exactly which round remains to be seen. If the Bears decide to use one of their second round picks on a young signal caller, they could possibly target players like Utah State’s Jordan Love, Georgia’s Jake Fromm or Washington’s Jacob Eason.

Chicago could also wait until the later rounds to draft a developmental prospect, perhaps Washington State’s Anthony Gordon, Colorado’s Steven Montez or Florida International’s James Morgan.

It’s true that the Bears have multiple areas of need on their roster. But one of the biggest is quarterback, which means Chicago must do their due diligence in fixing the position in every way possible.

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5 QB prospects Bears should watch at NFL Scouting Combine

The Bears are expected to target a veteran QB in free agency, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if they also drafted a young QB to develop.

Easily the biggest offseason conversation surrounding the Bears has been how they’re going to handle the quarterback position.

While Mitchell Trubisky has been named the starter for the 2020 season, that’s not guaranteed beyond this season or even at the start. Which means the Bears will likely be in the market for a new quarterback.

Chicago is already expected to target a veteran signal caller in free agency, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if they also drafted a young quarterback to develop.

With that in mind, here are five quarterback prospects the Bears should watch at the NFL Scouting Combine next week:

1. Jordan Love, Utah State

Utah State quarterback Jordan Love is the kind of player the Bears would love — an athletic, dual-threat quarterback with a big arm. But Chicago certainly wouldn’t be the only team in need of his services.

Love certainly regressed in his senior season, throwing for 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 2019 compared to 32 touchdowns, six interceptions in 2018. But his upside is enough for the Bears to consider taking a chance on him if he’s still on the board come the second round.

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2020 NFL Draft: Potential late-round QB targets for the Browns

The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine is one week away. Before we all know it, the NFL draft will be here as well. Browns nation has been talking about what new general manager Andrew Berry will do with the 10th overall pick. Yet, Days 2 and 3 could just as important for Berry and his staff.

In later rounds, Andrew Berry could look at selecting a quarterback the team can develop into a long-term backup for Baker Mayfield. The 24-year-old Mayfield is the Browns starting quarterback and that’s not going to change anytime soon. But it’s not the worst idea in the world to find someone that can back him up and come in to try and keep things afloat if Baker were to get injured or something happened to him.

Here are three options at potential quarterback targets:

Bryce Perkins, UVA

Perkins can bring athleticism style to the QB position. In 2019 he rushed for 769 yards and 11 touchdowns. Perkins has also shown the ability that he can be steady passer as well. He completed 64.4 % of his passes in 2019. He threw 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Athleticism and accuracy are part of a recipe for success in the NFL. It gives teams a different look. Perkins could turn into a serviceable/long-term backup quarterback in the NFL. He has plenty of room for growth.

Kelly Bryant, Mizzou

A quarterback that was once viewed as the next DeShaun Watson for Clemson. Then came Trevor Lawrence who beat out the veteran quarterback which then led to Bryant landing Missouri. In 10 games with Mizzou, Bryant threw 15 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He had a completion percentage of 62%. He has rushed for 17 touchdowns from 2015-2019. He has sneaky athleticism but isn’t going to be the fastest quarterback.

Like Perkins, Bryant has plenty of growth in his game overall. But playing five years of college ball could benefit him to have an easier learning curve in the NFL.

Anthony Gordon, Washington State

Here is a guy that hasn’t been talked about much but may actually be an earlier pick than most expect. Gordon was in the air-raid offense ran by my Mike Leach at Washington State. He had a tremendous amount of success statistically there. In 13 games, he completed 71.6% of his throws He ranked 2nd passing yards at 5,579, and also 2nd with 48 touchdowns, also throwing 16 interceptions. Needless to say, his stats are impressive.

Gordon may be more advanced in the passing game than most quarterbacks in the 2020 draft. This may be reach for Browns as someone who can be long-term option. In other words, a team like the Chargers, Patriots, Raiders may select Gordon as someone who can replace their current starting quarterbacks.

2020 NFL Draft: QB prospects Colts should watch at NFL combine

Here are the QBs the Colts should watch at the Combine.

The Indianapolis Colts are in a position to select a quarterback early in the 2020 NFL draft. With the Nos.13, 34 and 44 picks in the first two rounds and plenty of quarterback prospects coming out in this year’s draft, the Colts have plenty of options if they want to add a young player to the quarterback room.

All eyes will be on Indianapolis at the end of February as the NFL Combine will be underway. This will give the Colts the chance to meet with prospects and watch them run through drills on their home turf.

Here are some quarterback prospects to watch at the 2020 NFL Combine:

Joe Burrow | LSU | Age: 23

The presumptive No. 1 overall pick, Burrow threw 60 touchdowns last season and led his school to the National Championship and won the Heisman. The Colts won’t get a chance to draft Burrow, who is likely to go to the Cincinnati Bengals with the first pick in the draft.

Burrow is ranked No. 1 in Draft Wire’s quarterback rankings for 2020.

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2020 NFL Scouting Combine: List of quarterbacks expected to attend

Here’s a look at the quarterbacks the Seattle Seahawks could watch at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this month.

The Seattle Seahawks have had a revolving door open at the backup quarterback back position over the last couple of seasons.

Often relying on veteran backups acquired via free agency, could general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll be looking to this year’s NFL draft to find someone to play behind starter Russell Wilson?

If so, here’s the complete list of quarterbacks planning to attend the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, which will be held from Feb. 23 to March 2 in Indianapolis.

QUARTERBACKS
Kelly Bryant, QB, Missouri
Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
Kevin Davidson, QB, Princeton
Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
Anthony Gordon, QB, Washington State
Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
Brian Lewerke, QB, Michigan State
Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
Jake Luton, QB, Oregon State
Cole McDonald, QB, Hawaii
Steven Montez, QB, Colorado
James Morgan, QB, Florida International
Shea Patterson, QB, Michigan
Nate Stanley, QB, Iowa
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

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Colts’ 3-round mock draft

Taking a stab at a three-round mock.

Now that the month of February is here and the Super Bowl is just arriving, all of the attention surrounding the Indianapolis Colts is focusing on the 2020 NFL draft and the upcoming free agency crop.

A lot is going to change before the draft arrives at the end of April. Some players will be re-signed and free agency will play a major role in how the Colts go about their draft process.

Before it arrives, we will be going through several mock drafts with different scenarios. It’s not always about trying to get each pick right but seeing what the crop could look like when making certain decisions.

Using The Draft Network’s simulator, here’s a three-round mock draft in which the Colts decided to wait on a quarterback:

13. DT Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina

Most of Colts nation is hoping the front office will use this pick on a quarterback such as Jordan Love or even Justin Herbert if available. Both were in this simulation, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Chris Ballard will pull the trigger.

Ballard mentioned this offseason that the “three-technique drives” the defense. This could be a precursor to using their first-round pick on a talent like Kinlaw, who would immediately compete for the starting spot.

A penetrating and disruptive interior defensive lineman, Kinlaw would be a perfect fit for the Colts defense. Add in his high character and incredible story, and Kinlaw seems like one of the perfect fits for the Colts.

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5 standouts from the 2020 Senior Bowl that should be on Bears’ radar

There were several prospects that flashed throughout Senior Bowl week, and some that should be of interest to the Bears.

The Senior Bowl is officially in the books. Following a week of practices and meetings with scouts, the Senior Bowl culminated in a 34-17 win for the North.

There were several prospects that flashed and elevated their draft stock throughout the week, and there were a few that should certainly be of interest to the Bears.

The Bears have several needs to address this offseason, and there are some intriguing prospects that could certainly help them do that.

Here are five players that impressed this week during the Senior Bowl that should be on the Bears’ radar.

1. EDGE Bradlee Anae, Utah

The Bears are in need of help coming off the edge, and one player that raised his stock at the Senior Bowl was Utah edge rusher Bradlee Anae, who was an absolute force during Saturday’s game.

Anae made life difficult on Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts Saturday. He simply couldn’t be blocked, and he came away with back-to-back sacks of Hurts in the second quarter. He also affected one of Hurts’ throws that was easily intercepted by Ohio State linebacker Malik Harrison.

Anae projects to be a top 50 prospect, and luckily for the Bears they have to top-50 picks at No. 43 and No. 50. If Anae is still on the board when pick No. 43 rolls around, you have to imagine it’d be hard for the Bears to pass Anae up.

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3 backup quarterback options the Seahawks could pursue in 2020

The Seattle Seahawks will once again be in the market for a backup quarterback in 2020. Here are three options they could look into.

It’s the least used position on the Seattle Seahawks 53-man roster, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important.

Russell Wilson’s improbable run of not missing a single game will eventually come to an end, and when that happens, Seattle will want to ensure their backup quarterback is ready.

This team has cycled through backups annually for the past few seasons, and with Geno Smith set to hit free agency – and likely looking for a job where he will actually play – it looks like the Seahawks will have another backup again in 2020.

Seattle has primarily looked for veteran free agents who fit the team’s scheme to play behind Wilson, but they also broke the mold in 2018 when they drafted Alex McGough in the seventh round – a sign they may be willing to develop some talent, even if McGough ultimately lost the job and signed elsewhere.

Here are three options, two on the free agent market and one via the draft, Seattle could pursue to backup Wilson in 2020.

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4 Apple Cup participants the Seahawks could target in the NFL draft

The Seattle Seahawks will certainly have scouts at the 2020 Apple Cup on Friday. Here are four players they could potentially draft.

The Apple Cup – the annual game between the University of Washington and Washington State University – is set to kick off at 1:00 p.m. on Friday.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wouldn’t offer a prediction on the game itself, but he expects a good game between the two 6-5 teams.

“I wouldn’t know how to call that one,” Carroll said on Wednesday. “It’s going to be a really good game. I really don’t care who wins. I just hope it’s a really good game and they have a lot of fun.”

Recently, the Seahawks have shown a keen interest in drafting and signing local talent, which makes this game even more interesting for Seahawks fans – regardless of if they have a rooting interest in either squad.

Will Dissly and Ben Burr-Kirven are two recent draft picks out of the University of Washington, while recent players Darrell Daniels and Shalom Luani were both Washington State Cougars.

Although draft season is still a ways away, here is a look at four players who will play in the Apple Cup who could find their way into the blue and green next season.

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