We had a chance to see some of the top quarterback prospects in college football play in key games Saturday. Here are my observations on four of those signal-callers, as well as a wide receiver prospect who caught my eye.
Petty doesn't have Round 1 look
Baylor's Bryce Petty continued to put up huge numbers Saturday, throwing for 510 yards and six touchdowns in an incredible comeback win over TCU. He flashes some incredible touch throws, but he also sprinkles in a handful of throws where he's way off the mark down the field. Even on Baylor's game-winning drive Saturday, he had a chance to make some stick throws and he wasn't close. That's an area where he has to be more consistent.
We all know there's a great demand for franchise quarterbacks in the NFL, but right now, I don't view Petty as a first-round guy. He has a good arm, good size and his intangibles are off the charts, as we saw Saturday when he showed toughness, leadership and poise in helping Baylor overcome a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit.
However, a lot of his offense is based on on-schedule throws. I want to see him play when he has to move around the pocket a little bit and not just be able to lock onto his first read. He had some balls get away from him vs. TCU, and he's not asked to make a lot of post-snap decisions in Art Briles' offense. That part of his game will require close examination from NFL evaluators.
Mariota outshines Hundley
The Oregon-UCLA game was must-see viewing for NFL teams that are interested in a quarterback.
There was a clear winner in the battle between Marcus Mariota and Brett Hundley, though.
Mariota bounced back strong from a loss to Arizona last week. One of my biggest takeaways from the game Saturday? Mariota is a dynamic runner, and he should utilize that part of his game more often. He rushed seven times for 75 yards and two TDs. His burst as a runner was on full display, and it was impressive. His ability to run is what makes him special.
Passing-wise, when comparing Mariota and Hundley on Saturday, Mariota was much quicker working through his progression. Mariota is the better all-around player right now.
As for Hundley, he did a nice job running the ball (22 carries for 89 yards, TD), and that's the best thing he has going for him at the moment. He's not very refined as a passer and his awareness isn't where it needs to be.
I haven't seen the type of progress I was hoping to see from Hundley this season. He still has a long way to go.
Prescott keeps rolling
Mississippi State's Dak Prescott threw a couple picks in a win over Auburn. Teams are starting to catch on to the beautiful back-shoulder fade he throws, and the Tigers picked one off Saturday. He forced a throw on the other pick. Aside from those two plays, I think he played really well.
I love his toughness -- he'll hang in the pocket, take a hit and still get the ball where it needs to be -- and he didn't panic when Auburn cut the Bulldogs' lead to eight in the third quarter.
I like him more and more every time I watch him play.
Second-round appeal for Baylor WR
Senior Baylor WR Antwan Goodley put up gaudy numbers Saturday, making eight catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns. He's similar to another impressive WR prospect, Stanford's Ty Montgomery, in that he's very strong and willing to go up and get the ball.
From what I've seen of him thus far, I think he's a solid second-round receiver.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.
