Washington Football Team: 5 non-first-round quarterbacks to consider drafting

There was a time when it seemed like Jamie Newman would have a chance to be a potential top-five quarterback in this year’s draft class. However, while he sat out what was supposed to be his final collegiate season at Georgia, some other players like Zach Wilson, Mac Jones, and Trey Lance rocketed ahead of him.

Newman is a quarterback that has always showcased tools during his college days and helped Wake Forest to win some games during his time there. He posted 2,868 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while completing 60.9 percent of his passes for the Demon Deacons in 2019. He also had 574 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 180 attempts.

Newman very much looks the part of a modern NFL quarterback. He has a good arm, solid mobility, and upside for the next level.

That said, there are also some shortcomings with Newman that need some work. As is usually the case with Day 3 quarterback prospects, Newman needs to improve his accuracy. When he hits his spots, he looks good, but his ball placement is inconsistent. But his most glaring problem is his pocket presence, which was on display at the Senior Bowl.

During the Senior Bowl, Newman held onto the ball far too long and was under a lot of pressure as a result. Perhaps he was just readjusting to game speed after having not played the 2020 season, but he struggled to make plays in the pocket and out of it. In some ways, it was reminiscent of Jarrett Stidham’s Senior Bowl performance where he let pressure get to him far too often.

Actually, the Stidham comparison is a decent one for Newman, though Newman is far more mobile and athletic than the former Patriots fourth-round pick. Stidham has a live arm and made some flashy plays in college, but at the pro level, he couldn’t win a starting job last year even over the struggling Cam Newton. That’s not to say that Newman couldn’t eventually win a starting job, but like his raw counterpart Stidham, it may take some time before he’s ready.

Newman may be a gamble worth taking at the right price, but Washington should only consider him if he’s on the board in the early-to-middle stages of Day 3. He would certainly be a different type of quarterback for Washington, at least, so perhaps that could appeal to them.