*On the heels of the NFL Scouting Combine, draft prospects are prepping for their respective pro days. With Deshaun Watson, one of the top quarterbacks in this class, participating in Clemson's pro day Thursday, NFL Network analyst and former NFL quarterback David Carr breaks down the five other signal callers he's most looking forward to seeing at their pro days: *
1) Mitchell Trubisky, North Carolina
Pro day: March 21, 9 a.m. ET
What we know: Trubisky has some improvisational skills and can throw from different angles. He's a talented player and reminds me of Blake Bortles in terms of his frame and mechanics. He is accurate at times, but still a work in progress, because he hasn't had a ton of game experience. I do think we've seen him make more pro-level throws than some of the other quarterbacks in this draft, and he has a good feel for the game.
What I need to see: I haven't seen him make a ton of throws downfield, so I have questions about his arm strength. Is he able to make the deep throw? And I've seen him make some decent throws in general, but Trubisky was never really under duress at North Carolina. Because he doesn't have a ton of experience, I want him to show me something that makes him special. Does he have franchise player-type stuff?
Pro floor:Ryan Fitzpatrick. Pro ceiling:Aaron Rodgers.
2) DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame
Pro day: March 23, 11 a.m. ET
What we know: Kizer is probably the guy with the most potential and upside in this QB class. He was in and out of the lineup at Notre Dame, and he was hesitant to pull the trigger a lot of the time. Kizer can get through progressions and he's not in a hurry to bail on a play. His pocket presence reminds me of Jameis Winston, as his feet don't get panicky and he stays poised in the pocket for a mobile QB. When Kizer is involved in the run game, he looks a lot like Cam Newton. He's a bigger guy who can take a hit.
What I need to see: I don't see a lot of weaknesses with Kizer, but when he is inaccurate, it's due to his mechanics. He's such a talented player that sometimes he can get away with some throws in the college game with arm strength and talent. He can't do that in the NFL.
I went to the NFL Scouting Combine expecting the most out of Kizer, and I left unsatisfied. He didn't have a great day. He was very robotic in his mechanics, and it didn't help him. I want to see him relax at his pro day and be the raw guy we saw at Notre Dame.
Pro floor:Robert Griffin III. Pro ceiling:Cam Newton.
3) Brad Kaaya, Miami
Pro day: March 29, 8 a.m. ET
What we know: Kaaya played more pro-style offense in college than a lot of other quarterbacks in this class. He is polished, and his mechanics are very similar to those of Deshaun Watson. He shows accuracy, but can struggle in that area when moving outside the pocket.
What I need to see: Kaaya looked good at the combine, as he was very consistent with his drops and mechanics. A weakness that I've seen on tape is downfield throws. I want to see him deliver accurate balls on deep, post and corner routes.
Pro floor:Cody Kessler. Pro ceiling:Kirk Cousins.
4) Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech
Pro day: March 31, TBD
What we know: I didn't expect much out of Mahomes or Kaaya at the combine, but they both surprised me. Mahomes, in particular, is such a fun quarterback to watch, and I'd pay money to see him compete. He has a smooth throwing motion and a ton of arm talent. He often took snaps from the shotgun but also does well under center.
What I need to see: I want to see deep throws from just about every quarterback, but this is especially true for Mahomes. A lot of the downfield throws he made at Texas Tech were off-schedule. I want to see him execute a deep throw in the rhythm of a play. It would do him good to do a lot of play-action drops. One big question I have: Can he throw an intermediate/deep pass with personality? All quarterbacks can heave a fastball to the second level, but can he drop it in over the linebackers and get it to the receiver before the safety gets there? Kurt Warner was the best at this, and I saw Mahomes do it at the combine. But I want to make sure he's capable of making that play all the time. He is a player teams can take a chance on.
Pro floor: "Bad" Jay Cutler. Pro ceiling: "Good" Jay Cutler.
5) Seth Russell, Baylor
Pro day: April 5, 9 a.m. ET
What we know: Russell is athletic, fast and can throw from all angles. He has a big-time arm and is pretty accurate. At Baylor, he had a great year before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in November. He had the potential to be in the Heisman Trophy race if not for the injury. It was the second season-ending injury Russell had in college -- he suffered a neck injury that sidelined him for a chunk of his junior season. He has a bright career ahead of him ... if he can stay healthy.
Russell looked great at the combine, considering he was limping and trying to do drills on one leg. He participated with an injury and didn't care how that would affect his draft stock, which showed me a lot. He had the right trajectory on deep throws in Indianapolis, but he struggled in distance because he couldn't push off his leg. He was the only quarterback who, after his drills, every person high-fived. I can tell just from that moment he is someone who can lead a group.
What I need to see: Baylor's pro day is huge for this kid. Because he's been out since November, it's important that he's able to throw well, along with being accurate. Russell is going to be a project, but I think he's going to be a steal.
Pro floor:Ryan Tannehill. Pro ceiling:Tony Romo.
Follow David Carr on Twitter @DCarr8.
