2017 NFL Draft Top 10 Quarterback Rankings: Pre-Senior Bowl
By Erik Lambert
The quarterback class for the 2017 NFL draft is going to dominate every football media outlet for the next four months. It’s just the reality of the position.
Teams that don’t have quarterbacks are desperate to find one. So all the big names in this crop will be examined with microscopes and fine-tooth combs to see if they have any potential franchise-caliber ability. Do any exist? It’s too early to tell, but there is plenty of talent in this group. So who is the best of the bunch. The following is a breakdown of the top 10 currently in the class. These rankings are subject to change as the predraft process moves forward.
#10: C.J. Beathard (Iowa)
The stock of Iowa starter C.J. Beathard has undergone some remarkable swings over the past couple months. At the beginning of 2016 he was a likely day two pick. Then he started pushing for possible 1st round consideration and now most see him as a surefire late round option. What happened? In reality Beathard didn’t have as good a year this past season than he did in 2015 and some of his faults are ones that scare NFL teams.
Chief among them is his bad tendency to hold the football. This has resulted in him taking lots of hits and sacks. This despite playing in an offense geared around running the football. His arm is average-to-okay and though accurate can make some poor decisions under pressure. To top it off he doesn’t throw for a lot of yards or touchdowns. He’s got some ability but he’s in need of a ton of work in order to sort out his flaws.