McSHAY SCOUTS EVERY QUARTERBACK
Expectations are different for every quarterback who accepts an invite to Mobile. Here's what
ESPN NFL draft expert Todd McShay is hoping to see out of every signal-caller this week, along with their
quarterback ranking from Scouts Inc.:
Drew Lock, Missouri
Team: North |
Uniform number: 3 |
QB ranking: 3
Big (6-3, 228), athletic and equipped with a strong arm, Lock is a poor man's
Patrick Mahomes. It was his first year in a pro-style offense, as well as his first season making pre-snap checks and kills, setting protections and making full-field progression reads, and it took him some time to catch up mentally. Lock still needs to be more consistent with his decision-making under pressure and his accuracy, which stems from inconsistent footwork. But there's no denying his talent. He is the most naturally gifted of the Senior Bowl quarterbacks, and I think he has the most to gain during the week.
Will Grier, West Virginia
Team: South |
Uniform number: 7 |
QB ranking: 4
Grier is the biggest name in arguably the best top-to-bottom class of pass-throwers that I've scouted at the Senior Bowl. He has just average size (6-foot-2, 221 pounds), but he's a good athlete and can extend a lot of plays with his feet. He has a gunslinger arm and good accuracy on all three levels. However, Grier likes to see his wide receiver open before throwing, so I'll be looking for him to throw with more anticipation this week. He was the first quarterback to
sit out his bowl game and will surely be answering questions about that all week long.
Ryan Finley, NC State
Team: North |
Uniform number: 15 |
QB ranking: 5
Finley has a tall but somewhat linear frame at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds, and his velocity is average on zip throws. But I think he has adequate-to-good delivery quickness with an over-the-top stroke, and he shows very good touch and anticipatory accuracy. Finley is particularly adept at leading receivers, and he gets the ball out on time, going through his progressions quickly. He is coming off one of his worst career performances in the
Gator Bowl, but he ought to really impress coaches in QB meetings and have a steady week to help his stock in Mobile.
Daniel Jones, Duke
Team: North |
Uniform number: 17 |
QB ranking: 6
Jones is one of the best-coached QBs in the class with three seasons under David Cutcliffe and having spent time with the Manning family. He has adequate-to-good arm strength, but he has a longer, slower delivery. He really needs to speed it up without messing with his natural mechanics too much. I saw a lot of shorter throws to wide-open windows from him at Duke, so I'm looking forward to seeing him make more intermediate and downfield throws this week. I wouldn't call him a twitchy athlete, but he has adequate pocket mobility to extend some plays and rare top-end speed for a 6-foot-5, 220-pound QB -- a real pursuit-angle killer in the open field.
Jarrett Stidham, Auburn
Team: South |
Uniform number: 8 |
QB ranking: 7
A 6-foot-3, 215-pound pure passer with impressive natural arm talent, Stidham was an up-and-down performer as a two-year starter at Auburn. But the system didn't feature many intermediate anticipation throws, which makes it hard to evaluate that aspect of his game -- a very important aspect for the NFL. So the biggest thing this week is seeing him make those throws as he works with Kyle Shanahan's
San Francisco 49ers coaching staff in Mobile.
Gardner Minshew, Washington State
Team: South |
Uniform number: 16 |
QB ranking: 8
Minshew put up huge numbers in a passer-friendly system, completing 71 percent and throwing 38 touchdowns to nine interceptions this season. The
Baker Mayfield-esque energy and confidence stand out. Minshew can make full-field reads, and he displays adequate arm strength and above-average accuracy on tape. But he needs to show he can hit the strike zone when working with smaller windows. Scouts will want to see how the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder does under center with the timing of his drops and anticipating throws this week. Right now, he is a Day 3 prospect.
Trace McSorley, Penn State
Team: North |
Uniform number: 9 |
QB ranking: 10
Yes, he's undersized (6-foot, 198 pounds), but he can hold up physically -- I love his toughness -- and he's an elite competitor. McSorley completed a high percentage of throws but had a lot of short passes and 50-50 balls. I really want to see him fit the ball into tight windows down the field this week. McSorley is a Day 3 prospect who could wind up sticking around as a backup in a West Coast system -- which we will get a peek at this week with Jon Gruden's
Oakland Raiders coaching staff leading the North team.
Tyree Jackson, Buffalo
Team: South |
Uniform number: 3 |
QB ranking: 16
Jackson is massive (6-foot-7, 245 pounds) with a huge arm and good mobility, but he's inconsistent with his lower-body mechanics and ball placement. He lacks touch on some short throws and needs to keep his eyes up while moving in the pocket. The biggest thing he needs to show in Mobile is the ability to process quicker. He gets stuck on his primary target too long. Even so, Jackson has a lot of developmental upside as a Day 3 project pick.
Note: Wondering about Clayton Thorson? The Northwestern quarterback pulled out of the Senior Bowl.
