Editor's note: NFL.com analysts Lance Zierlein and Chad Reuter will provide overviews for each position group in the 2017 NFL Draft (April 27-29 in Philadelphia) over the next two weeks, continuing today with quarterbacks.
Note: Click through the tabs above to see overviews for each position.
We saw a tremendous April push of quarterbacks up the draft board a year ago, which saw a second consecutive season of quarterbacks going first and second overall in the draft. While Jared Goff and Carson Wentz followed in the footsteps of Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota in the previous season, we will not see it happen for a third year in a row.
There has been plenty of negative publicity about this season's quarterback class, but it's deeper than the 2015 class that produced Winston and Mariota. Deshaun Watson has given the ball away too frequently over the last three years, but good luck getting his back-to-back performances against Alabama defenses out of your head.
Mitchell Trubisky doesn't have much experience, but there are several boxes he is going to check from a physical standpoint. Patrick Mahomes and Deshone Kizer would have likely been first-round locks in the 2018 draft had they stayed in school, but they still have the traits and talent to get early round consideration this year. Oh, and Pittsburgh's Nathan Peterman might be the Kirk Cousins of this year's draft. It's not a great class, but it has potential.
Here's a glance at the 2017 draft's QB class.
Teams with greatest need at QB
Top 5 players at the position
Note: Click on a prospect's name for a complete scouting report.
1. Mitchell Trubisky, North Carolina: Full-field reader who has the arm strength, delivery quickness and mobility to be a quality NFL starter, but his lack of overall starting experience bothers some.
2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson: He is coming off of incredible back-to-back performances in national championship games against Alabama, but his troubling turnover totals are hard to ignore.
3. Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech: Sky-high potential with great confidence and a rocket launcher for an arm. Mahomes has to prove he can overcome bad habits mechanically and the stigma of being an Air Raid quarterback.
4. Nathan Peterman, Pittsburgh: Peterman isn't flashy and his arm is very average, but he throws with very good ball placement and timing. He's not a rah-rah leader, but he could succeed in the right scheme.
5. DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame: Kizer has the size and arm strength that should make him an early first-round pick, but his inconsistent accuracy and field vision could lead him to fall further than some expect.
Sources Tell Us
"He's got a great arm ... and he's mobile. He is going to drive his head coach crazy for the first couple of years and there is no getting around that. If it clicks for him and he's coachable, I think he could become a special quarterback." -- NFC executive on Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes
Most overrated
Davis Webb, Cal: There has been a growing buzz from the media that Webb could be a first-round selection in this year's draft. If that is the case, then I clearly missed out on game tape from secret underground games that took place because I don't see that type of grade in the games I watched. I like his size, pocket mobility and release quickness, but his lack of anticipation and inconsistency throwing outside the numbers are a big concern for me. On top of that, Webb is in that exclusive group of quarterbacks who are trying to crack the NFL code coming from Air Raid offenses.
Most underrated
Nathan Peterman, Pittsburgh: It didn't take very long into my tape work for me to see some things in Peterman's game that made me very excited. First off, he throws with excellent timing and anticipation, which helps to mitigate his average arm strength. Secondly, he can throw with the best ball placement of any quarterback in this draft. He has average size, an average arm and average numbers, but he is a full-field reader with anticipation and above-average accuracy. He has a shot to be this year's Kirk Cousins.
Boom or bust
Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech: It might not be a stretch to say that he will get a head coach a lucrative long-term extension or he will get that same coach a pink slip out of town. While DeShone Kizer deserves the "boom-or-bust" label as well, Mahomes is the headliner in the category. He has good size, tremendous confidence and a blue-chip arm, but his footwork and mechanics are a dumpster fire on tape and his penchant for improvising outside of the offense will drive coaches crazy. But the boom potential is absolutely there. Mahomes has good mental makeup and has proven he can handle the pressures of shouldering a heavy offensive load. I don't see a middle ground for him.
Sleeper alert
Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee: It's hard to come up with a "sleeper" in this year's draft, but Dobbs will get the tag this season. Dobbs has good size, is a very good athlete and has exceptional intelligence. However, he doesn't throw with accuracy and he doesn't always make great reads. He has traits to work with and there is a chance he can become a quality backup with the right coach and the right system.
Follow Lance Zierlein on Twitter @LanceZierlein.
