2017 NFL Draft Top 10 Quarterback Rankings: Pre-Senior Bowl
By Erik Lambert
#3: Deshaun Watson (Clemson)
When it comes to being a proven leader who can will his team to victory, Deshaun Watson has taken that crown. His singular toughness, athleticism and playmaking ability were vital to Clemson upsetting mighty Alabama in the national championship game. On top of that he has a glowing reputation off the field. No baggage to speak of. Teammates love and respect him. Coaches can’t speak highly enough about his leadership or preparation.
So why isn’t he higher? His pure passing skills would be categorized as “okay-to-good.” Not great or elite. Watson has a decent arm in terms of strength. He can put it 45-50 yards down the field on target. However, his ball placement and accuracy can be erratic at times. This leads to frequent interception problems. Not a good thing when he’ll be facing smaller throwing windows in the NFL. Also don’t forget defenses are faster too, negating some of his heralded mobility.