If you're a quarterback in the 2014 NFL Draft, you've likely heard your draft stock go from the highest of the highs to the lowest of the lows.
Take a look at the mock drafts page on NFL.com and you'll see that story played out on all of them. Just ask Teddy Bridgewater, perhaps the most controversial quarterback in the draft despite earning top honors at the position from analyst Mike Mayock.
One guy who has actually seen his name inch upward though is Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr. While most think he's more likely to sneak in at the end of the first round, a good workout at his pro day and increasing buzz could see him solidly land with a team higher up in the first round.
"I think we're going to see those four quarterbacks," analyst Daniel Jeremiah said on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft" about Carr, Bridgewater, Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel. "I think Derek Carr will be the fourth to join the big three to get into that first round."
Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine already labeled Carr as the best "natural thrower" in the draft this year and it seems others are catching on. While there's still plenty of time left to see players on the pro day circuit, the signal-caller that teams most want to put through a private workout might just be the nation's leading passer from last year.
"When scouts go to pro days, they do their homework on who's doing individual workouts with these players," Jeremiah continued. "Derek Carr, I'm told, has individual workouts setup with the Titans, the Cleveland Browns, the Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and St. Louis Rams."
The Titans, Browns and Vikings are three teams very much in the hunt for a quarterback at some point early in the draft, and all of those teams pick in the top 11. While the Raiders recently traded for Matt Schaub, they could still be in play to grab a passer with an eye toward the future.
The Rams, however, are a bit of a surprise to many if they are indeed looking for a quarterback. Given the injury history of Sam Bradford and the departure of backup Kellen Clemens to the San Diego Chargers, it certainly makes sense though.
"That's a team that could be a sleeper team in the quarterback market," Jeremiah said about St. Louis.
And what's the draft for if not for a few surprises?
Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.
