2017 NFL Draft Quarterback Power Ranking: Faces of the Franchise

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech

Draft Twitter is a hell of a place, and nobody gets more buzz than Patrick Mahomes. I’m not going to say he’ll be a bad quarterback but he’s far from a good one. His mechanics are a big issue for me, and it starts with his footwork. Often, he’ll make throws off-balanced and needs to fix his ball placement. He holds the ball too low, and that could be the reason for losing six fumbles this past season. Toughness isn’t much of a concern with him, but he’s had his fair share of injuries. He had a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder but also had wrist surgery in December.

For what he does wrong, he does make some impressive throws. Pocket mobility shouldn’t be much of a problem as he’s able to get out of the pocket and extend plays. Arm strength isn’t something he struggles with, and he’s been relatively accurate. Over his career, he’s had a 63.5% completion percentage over his career. I love how quickly he can release the ball, but I do believe his throwing motion needs adjusting.

From 2015 to the 2016 season, Mahomes improved his decision making. Limiting the number of interceptions was a key for the Red Raiders to be successful and he did that. In 2015, he threw 15 interceptions and in 2016, he only there ten interceptions. There’s much belief that he’s got Brett Favre type of upside. Reason being is his ability on the run and his ability in play-action. With his ability to run a vertical offense, an ideal fit is the New Orleans Saints.

While he isn’t NFL-ready, spending some time behind Drew Brees could do wonders for the gunslinger.