As the 2013 college football season comes to a close the rumors begin to swirl about where players will fall in the upcoming draft. Naturally, the quarterbacks are the most scrutinized position and the 2014 draft class is stocked with talent. With several big names coming out and some flying under the radar, where do the quarterbacks stack up with one another?
If Philadelphia Eagles fans were hoping for a reunion between head coach Chip Kelly and quarterback Marcus Mariota, they can think again. The Oregon leader has announced that he will return to the Pac 12 school for another season. Mariota fell out of favor late in the season. He has been viewed as a first-round pick after putting up 3,412 yards and 30 touchdowns this season, while recording 3,994 yards of total offense, a school record. But late-season turnovers caused his stock to drop.
His decision has a ripple effect for the rest of the draft. The first ripple is for other underclassmen. The Pac 12 has several other decent underage quarterbacks. UCLA's Brent Hundley and Stanford's Kevin Hogan has both declined to comment on their commitment to returning next season. Having Mariota back in the conference throws a wrench into the plans.
With Mariota out of the picture, who are the other top prospects? Heading into the season, Teddy Bridgewater was the favorite, but after Louisville dropped off the map so did his draft stock. Of course if he has a strong combine, everyone will forget about the few losses he recorded this season. Bridgewater might still be the favorite, especially after the drop off of Johnny Manziel.
NFL scouts have been hot and cold on the NFL potential of the Texas A&M star and reigning Heisman winner. He was the quarterback that wowed everyone last year with his athletic ability, but this season Manziel has spent more time turning the ball over than sprinting for yards. Tie that into his reported attitude issues and scouts have soured on Manziel.
That leaves guys like AJ McCarron and Jordan Lynch as possible top options. After Alabama's loss to Auburn, McCarron will not have the chance to add one more BCS title ring to his finger, but he did enough to impress NFL scouts who have compared him to the likes of Tom Brady and Joe Flacco. Criticized as being a product of the Saban system, McCarron has done nothing but win throughout the majority of his college career.
Lynch is the underrated star here. His stock was possible helped after knee injuries knocked both Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger out of the spotlight. Lynch has a career completion percentage of 63. He has demolished several NCAA records and has shown amazing arm strength and accuracy. The problem? He plays for Northern Illinois and many knock the quality of his opponents.
The NFL draft will start to take shape once all of the underclassmen announce their intentions to either enter the draft or return. The order is falling into place as teams like the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns will all be picking early and looking for a quarterback.
