INDIANAPOLIS -- Missouri's Drew Lock is widely regarded as the third-best quarterback prospect behind Oklahoma's Kyler Murray and Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins in the 2019 NFL Draft.
A confident Lock, however, doesn't see it that way.
"I think every quarterback is going to tell you they're No. 1, so I'm going to sit here and tell you I'm No. 1," Lock said Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine. "It's not my job to go and critique quarterbacks; I just know a lot about me."
The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Lock then offered his point of view on why he should be regarded as the top quarterback in the draft before Saturday's quarterback drills, where he will put his talents on full display.
"I know that I've been through a certain amount of adversity at the University of Missouri that will get me ready for the NFL," Lock said. "I know I'm athletic enough to be in the NFL and I'm going to prove that tomorrow. I know that I have the arm strength to play, I can make any throw on the field and I know I have the creativity out of the pocket to make plays when the pocket breaks down. I'm just a really confident guy."
Lock's production backs up his self-assuredness given he left Missouri with 12,193 yards passing and 99 touchdowns, both ranking second in school history behind former Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel, who totaled 12,515 yards and 101 touchdown passes.
He also established an SEC single-season record with 44 touchdown passes in 2017, and capped off his senior season in 2018 with 3,498 yards passing and 28 touchdowns with eight interceptions while working with a new offensive coordinator, Lock's third in four years at Missouri.
Through it all, Lock endured to post prolific passing numbers on his collegiate career. He also proved mobile, rushing for 437 career yards and nine touchdowns. And while it might be easy to discount Lock's high opinion of himself, don't just take his word on it.
His college teammate, wide receiver Emanuel Hall, backed up his signal-caller when asked about Lock at the combine.
"Drew is one of the most talented and most reliable quarterbacks I've ever played with," Hall said Friday. "No matter what, whether he's getting rushed or whether he's throwing off his back foot, the ball's going to be there. It's going to come with some velocity, so it's like you better have your hands ready.
"He's a really good leader and I think his talent speaks for himself. He's, in my opinion, the best quarterback in this draft. I think that a lot of things he has done has not been seen, especially at the University of Missouri. And so I have had a privilege to play with him, and I know he's going to go on and do some great things."
Lock will have every chance to impress team evaluators Saturday and again at his pro day workout ahead of the NFL Draft in late April.
While it remains to be seen if he'll leapfrog Murray or Haskins in the pecking order of top quarterback prospects, Lock is sure to command attention during the draft from any team in need of a quarterback should Murray or Haskins go off the board before Lock.
