The Washington Redskins don’t have a major need at the quarterback position after trading for Alex Smith. Still, the team could choose to add a developmental project in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The quarterback position is the most valuable one in the NFL. Make no mistake about it. Teams with above average quarterback play are the ones who go on to have success. And teams with elite quarterback, they go on to win Super Bowls.
Right now, the Redskins are in a good position with Alex Smith at quarterback. That said, they lack youth at the position, as Smith is 34 and Colt McCoy is 31. For that reason, the team needs to look into adding a young quarterback in the draft.
By most accounts, the 2018 NFL Draft has a good quarterback class. All of the prospects are flawed in one way or another, but it is possible that the first three picks will be quarterbacks and that five of the top 15 players off the board will be quarterbacks. So, it’s a strong class and there are some projects who will be available later that could have some talent.
With that said, here’s a deeper dive into the top quarterbacks in the class. Here’s our quarterback Big Board for the position.
If the Redskins are looking for an underrated quarterback, Riley Ferguson would make a lot of sense for the team. Ferguson is one of the better developmental prospects who will be available in this class, and there’s a chance that he could be a Day 3 guy who develops into a high-end backup.
Ferguson was a solid starter at Memphis, and did a lot to keep his team competitive after Paxton Lynch left for the NFL. Ferguson has developmental potential and has one of the more consistently accurate arms in the draft.
Recently, I mocked Ferguson to the Redskins in Round 7 of a seven-round mock. At the time, I said this about his ability and his fit.
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"I happen to be a fan of Riley Ferguson. The former Memphis quarterback has some arm talent and was very accurate in college, completing 63 percent of his passes for 36 touchdowns and nine picks as a senior. He has a nice, 6-foot-3 frame and if he can add a bit of strength, he could become at the very least a quality backup. When the Redskins traded for Alex Smith, the move was viewed as a stopgap type move. He will likely be with the team for three to five years, so the team should probably add a developmental guy behind him just in case. Colt McCoy is a great backup quarterback, but he is 31 so he’s not a long-term answer at quarterback. The team definitely misses Nate Sudfeld’s presence, but Ferguson could be a capable replacement for him."
Ferguson seems like the kind of guy who would be an ideal fit as a project guy. He could learn from Alex Smith for a couple of years and possibly model his game after the veteran’s. That could allow him to become a solid quarterback if he can build up a bit more strength. As a Round 5-7 prospect, he could be a good value and might fit the range the Redskins will look at quarterbacks in.
Mike White is one of the more underrated passers in this draft. White transferred to Western Kentucky after a couple of years at South Florida. And to say that he panned out would be an understatement.
During his two seasons as the starter at Western Kentucky, Mike White was prolific. He completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 8,540 yards, 63 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions while leading the Hilltoppers to a couple of quality seasons. Moving forward, he will have a chance to develop into a very solid quarterback.
White has a nice 6-foot-4, 225 pound frame and he has a nice arm. While he might not be anything more than a Day 3 prospect, there’s a chance that with some development, he could turn into a starter. At the worst, he will be a high-level backup with a good frame. So, he may warrant a pick for the Redskins.
Either way, keep an eye on White. He could end up being a good NFL player and he will be a lower pick than he should be. For that reason, he could provide some nice value.
Luke Falk was a very accurate quarterback during his college career. He had a good career at Washington State, and he threw at least 30 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons. Falk is going to be a potentially solid quarterback and while he profiles as a backup at the start of his career, he could be a starter in the right circumstance.
Falk is the type of player who will end up being a quality value when he goes in the draft. As it stands, he is probably a late third to early fourth round pick. That said, he does compare to a certain player who recently became one of the highest players in league history.
WalterFootball.com’s Charlie Campbell recently wrote a scouting report on Falk and compared him to a familiar face. That would be Kirk Cousins.
"Scouting sources have compared Falk to Cousins, which makes sense. They don’t have great skill sets or overpowering arms, but they are accurate rhythm throwers. Falk and Cousins are the same height and both have a thinner frame. Cousins was a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, and Falk could go in the same range this year."
The Cousins pick worked out for the Redskins, at least for a few years, and landing Falk in the fourth round could be a logical replacement. He could be afforded a couple of years to develop and then could push Alex Smith for the starting job starting in 2020. That would be a good option for the team, and Falk should end up being a decent NFL player.
Prior to the start of draft season, not many were talking about Kyle Lauletta. He was just a small school prospect with late round potential. But as the offseason has gone along, he has steadily risen.
Thanks to a quality performance at the Senior Bowl and a solid Combine, Lauletta is being regarded as a potential Day 2 pick. He has a nice arm, accuracy, and experience. Though he played at a lower level than the other top players, he still has the necessary skills to be a quality quarterback in the NFL.
Our own Ian Cummings has been very high on Lauletta for quite some time. After the Senior Bowl, Cummings said the following of Lauletta’s performance and spoke of him as an option for the Redskins.
FanSided
"All week, Lauletta impressed scouts with his intangibles, fundamentals, and overall grasp of the game, and earlier today in the real contest, he showed that he could implement those traits in live action. In the third and fourth quarters, he extinguished an attempted comeback by the North squad, completing 8 of 12 passes for 198 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was almost perfect, showing an incredible combination of zing and touch on his tosses. He made all the throws. Slants, outs, fades, go routes. His footwork was superb, and his pocket movement was relaxed and very smooth. He was rather appropriately named MVP of the Senior Bowl, and it’s easy to see why. Lauletta showed that he can play, and maybe now, his name will start to latch on."
If the Redskins are looking for a mid-round quarterback, Lauletta could end up being their guy. He figures to go in either the third or fourth round, and while the Redskins don’t have a third round pick, they could consider Lauletta if he’s available in Round 4. Also, it’s worth not that there were rumors that the team was interested in him.
Lauletta would be a good developmental guy. For that reason, he could be one of the more realistic options for the Skins.
If you were to evaluate Mason Rudolph‘s numbers in a vacuum, you may identify him as the most talented quarterbacks in the class. Rudolph has been a very good starter for Oklahoma State during his college career, throwing for over 13,000 yards, 92 touchdowns, and just 26 picks during his four years with the team. He helped lead the squad to many successful seasons and has potential at the NFL level.
That said, there’s a reason that players aren’t evaluated in a vacuum. Context is important to evaluating players, and it’s worth noting that Rudolph’s production came in Oklahoma State’s spread offense. This system can inflate production a lot, so a deeper dive into Rudolph’s tool bag was bound to reveal a couple of flaws.
Upon watching Rudolph play, it’s clear that his arm is about average and he struggles at times to get the ball where he wants it. Rudolph also didn’t have to fit the ball into tight windows frequently because the spread offense was more about locating a wide open receiver. As a result, Rudolph will have to work on fitting balls into windows at the NFL level, improving his anticipation, and upgrading his ability to read the field. All are doable, but it may take time for him to develop.
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Rudolph is likely going to be an early second round pick. There’s a chance that he could sneak into the end of the first round if a team desperate for a quarterback moves up for him, but he has the makings of a second round pick. He’s going to be a good backup at the very least and with a year of development, he could be ready to be a starter at the NFL level.
If the Redskins wanted to get a second round quarterback, Rudolph would make sense. At the same time, they would be better off getting one of later round players if they are looking at it from a pure value standpoint.
Lamar Jackson is one of the many polarizing quarterback prospects in this year’s draft. The former Heisman trophy winner was a dynamic college playmaker and has a lot of athletic ability. However, there are some concerns that he never reached the 60 percent complete rate plateau, and that will have to change if he wants to be a quality NFL starter.
That said, Jackson has arm talent and athleticism and generally did a lot to carry a weaker Louisville team to victories during his career. Thanks to his good decision making, Jackson was able to complete passes and make big plays for the Cardinals. Again, he will need a bit more work before he can become a high-caliber NFL starter, but he has the potential to become a Michael Vick type playmaker.
WalterFootball.com’s Charlie Campbell recently gave Jackson a stock down because of some issues that were coming up during the pre-draft visits.
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"It made headlines when NFL Network’s Mike Mayock reported that NFL teams were having a hard time getting private visits and workouts set up with Jackson. Jackson’s mother is said to be handling those requests as they did not hire an agent. According to team sources, that was a big mistake. Team sources say there are list of self-inflicted problems from not having an agent that Jackson has had."
Campbell would go on to describe the problems, and they were related to his low Wonderlic score, his choice not to run the 40 yard dash, and his merely mediocre pro day. All of these problems could contribute to Jackson slipping a bit further than he would like.
While Jackson is still a potential top 15 pick, these concerns could force him into the latter half of the first round if none of the quarterback needy teams view him as an immediate starter. He could end up being a backup to start his career, but he still has the potential to be a great starter at the NFL level.
Josh Allen is rapidly rising and well could be the first quarterback off the board this April. That said, there is a lot to be desired about his game, and he comes in at No. 4 on the Big Board as a result.
There’s no question that Allen has a lot of physical talent. At the Combine, Allen launched a 70-plus yard pass that perfectly landed in the hands of the receiver. His arm strength is undoubtedly the best in the class, but that will only get him so far at the NFL level.
Allen’s struggles with accuracy at Wyoming were well documented. In his two years as a starter, he only completed 56 percent of his passes and struggled with turnovers at times too. His inability to hit receivers in stride and with good ball placement could make him a project at the NFL level who might need a year or two before being a quality quarterback.
With the First Pick
Again, there’s no doubt that Allen has the tools needed to be a quality quarterback. He’s got a 6-foot-5 frame, athleticism and mobility, and the strong arm that grades out highly among almost every scout. But, he needs to be able to put it all together to avoid becoming like some of the other strong-armed quarterbacks who failed in the NFL like Kyle Boller and Jake Locker.
I think that Locker is the best comparison for Allen, at the next level. Locker had some solid performances in the NFL, but never truly was able to be accurate enough as a starter. Allen could end up being the same type of player, or he could end up being a bit better. It’s hard to know.
Of the top five quarterback, Allen’s skill set is the most tools-based. He has everything he needs, but he needs a strong quarterback coach to help him progress and become a starter. Hopefully he lands in a situation where that will be possible. If he doesn’t, his development could be compromised.
After Sam Darnold‘s first season at USC, expectations were sky-high for him. He was one of the nation’s best players during his redshirt freshman campaign, and it was expected that he would improve as a sophomore. That didn’t end up being the case.
Overall, Darnold regressed as he lost some of his key contributors, many linemen and JuJu Smith-Schuster, to the NFL. His accuracy wasn’t as good and notably, he struggled to make decisions and didn’t look comfortable in the pocket. That could be attributed to the changes he dealt with, but at the same time, he should have been better than he was.
Darnold struggled with turnovers and awareness in the pocket, which will be a major problem if those issues continue into the NFL. If there’s one thing that NFL coaches hate, it’s turnovers. So, Darnold has to work on those if he wants to find success for as a starter.
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Darnold is probably going to be one of the first two quarterbacks off the board. I’m just skeptical of taking him as the top quarterback because of the turnover issues he had in his final season. There’s no doubting that he is one of the most talented players in the draft, as he has a strong, accurate arm and good size. But, confidence can’t be taught, and that’s a big area of improvement for Darnold as he transitions to the NFL.
Make no mistake: Darnold is a top 10 talent. He just is behind a couple of the other top quarterbacks in this class. But it’s not out of the question for Darnold to be the best quarterback in this draft class.
Of all the quarterbacks in this draft, there are none who are more intriguing than Baker Mayfield. The Oklahoma product was always underestimated during his college career, and many thought that he wouldn’t be able to be anything but a good college quarterback. He vastly exceeded expectations.
In each of the past two seasons, Mayfield was a big-time leader for the Sooners and in 2017, he led the team to the College Football Playoff. As the starting quarterback, Mayfield was prolific for the team and he put up some eye popping stats. He completed 70 percent of his passes for 4,627 yards, 43 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. Granted, part of that massive production was due to the spread-type Big 12 offense Oklahoma runs, but it also demonstrated that Mayfield has the ability to be successful.
Furthermore, Mayfield’s possesses a competitive spirit that goes unrivaled by most players. At Oklahoma, Mayfield was always fired up on the field, and that sometimes got him in trouble. That said, he obviously cares about winning and will bring passion to the team that selects him. He is a winner, and he will do everything he can to be a success.
As a player, Mayfield’s playing style is reminiscent of Drew Brees. Both are undersized passers, Mayfield is 6-foot-1 and Brees is an even 6-feet, but they have hyper accurate arms and elite level ball placement ability. At the NFL level, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mayfield have some similarities to Brees and if he can continue to be accurate, he will be a strong starting quarterback at the very least.
Mayfield won’t likely get as much love as a prospect as he deserves in the lead up to the draft. But the fact is that he is a winner and while he admittedly has some limitations, he will overcome them. Much like Deshaun Watson overcame his concerns with pass speed, Mayfield will overcome his size and become a quality contributor at the NFL level. The Heisman winner seems like a solid player and a great leader, and he deserves to be given more love as a prospect than he has gotten.
Josh Rosen has gotten knocks recently because of perceived attitude problems. His college head coach Jim Mora Jr. didn’t do much to quell these concerns when he recently called Rosen a millennial, and he also said the Darnold should go to Cleveland. These could be red flags, but they also appear to be overblown concerns.
The fact of the matter is that Rosen is the most talented quarterback in this draft class. Rosen has excellent arm talent, clutch ability, and he should be able to make any throw on the field in the NFL. The team that takes him will get a true starting caliber quarterback. It’s that simple.
The crazy thing is that Rosen could end up being the fourth quarterback off the board, as less talented passers rise because Rosen may not be a perfect fit with the NFL culture. Still, it would be foolish for a quarterback needy team to let Rosen slide, and I have a hard time imagining him go any later than the No. 5 pick to the Broncos. He’s just too talented not to go that high.
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Rosen is the cream of the crop at quarterback, but the top five quarterbacks in this class could all be starters sooner rather than later. This is definitely a good quarterback class, and it should be treated as such.