Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater or Derek Carr are considered the top four quarterbacks in the 2014 NFL Draft. Which second-tier QB will end up having the best NFL career?
I like Jimmy Garoppolo a lot. He has all the tools you want to work with. He has quick feet, a quick release, and he's more athletic than a guy like AJ McCarron. He can get outside the pocket, create and make things happen. He did a great job at the East-West Shrine Game, and then he went to the Senior Bowl, where I thought he was the second-best QB there behind Derek Carr.
I'm taking AJ McCarron. I know people like to call him a game manager, but he does it better than anyone else. I don't think he gets enough credit for what he's done at Alabama. You look at his arm strength, talent, accuracy; I believe he'll be a starting quarterback in the NFL for a long time.
This won't surprise many who follow me on Twitter, but I think Tom Savage will end up having the best NFL career of the second-tier quarterbacks in this draft. I have him ranked No. 40 on my top 50 prospects list. While he's my sixth-ranked QB, I think he has more potential than almost all of them. He needs work, but the raw skills are undeniable. He has an arm like Troy Aikman's, and no other quarterback in this draft can say that. The other two I think have a chance to be special are Jimmy Garappolo and Aaron Murray, but I'd still rank Savage ahead of them in terms of having a better NFL career.
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- Chase Goodbread College Football 24/7
McCarron's has shortest learning curve of all QBs
AJ McCarron's overall command of the QB position makes him a compelling choice. Whether he's brought in to compete as a starter or to groom behind a quality veteran, McCarron will bring a ready-made quality that others don't have. He's been an under-center quarterback, unlike some others, and he'll know the pro offense inside and out. He understands when to throw the ball away, reads defenses well, and minimizes turnovers like nobody else in college football has the last three years. Against an SEC schedule, that makes for the shortest learning curve of them all.
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- Mike Huguenin College Football 24/7
Garoppolo has most room to eventually grow into starter
I'm not sure any quarterback outside the top four can be an NFL starter, but I think Jimmy Garappolo has the most potential. He draws raves for his quick release and you don't have to be a scout to realize he does get the ball out quickly. If he can learn for two or three seasons behind a good veteran, I like his chances of one day becoming a serviceable starter.
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- Bryan Fischer College Football 24/7
McCarron could produce a solid NFL career
I'll tell you which second-tier quarterback won't have the best career (which probably means he, of course, will) and that's Tom Savage. Sorry if I don't get all of the sudden love for the draft's hottest quarterback prospect. One guy who I do think will be able to turn in a pretty solid career is AJ McCarron. He's underrated in terms of accuracy and has decent enough arm strength to make just about every throw. He's not going to wow you terribly, but he's going to manage the offense to a point where it's in a good position to put up some points. I like Jimmy Garappolo's release, too, and he could be intriguing with the right team.