Mason Rudolph solidifies top 40 NFL Draft status in bowl win

Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph should be drafted no later than the early 2nd round. He solidified that in Oklahoma State’s bowl game…

Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph is generally not considered among the top quarterbacks in this class like Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield, but should he be?

Rudolph has been one of the most productive and prolific passers in the country over the past three seasons, racking up 13,618 passing yards with 92 touchdowns and just 26 interceptions.

With a touchdown to interception ration greater than 3:1, and an ascending completion percentage, yards per attempt, and touchdown number every year the past three years, Rudolph should be getting more NFL hype than he is.

Because he plays at Oklahoma State, a school notorious for inflating the numbers of its quarterbacks, Rudolph is being given a bit of a raw deal. He will have to make significant adjustments at the NFL level, but he’s a smart player and strikes me as adaptable, and I think he’ll excel when given time in an NFL system.

We’ll get a chance to see him on display at the Senior Bowl with professional coaches, but how about his final collegiate game?

Rudolph’s consistent improvement at getting the ball downfield and his accuracy on deep passes are reasons to believe he can be more than just a backup type at the NFL level.

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I think the system he played in in college could hinder his stock a little bit, but after watching all of his games this year and comparing it even to last year’s tape, it’s clear that Rudolph is one of the most improved quarterbacks in the 2018 draft class and is a guy that NFL teams could build around.

Rudolph is pretty great at moving around in the pocket and making plays with his feet when he needs to, though not necessarily as a runner. He has an ability to escape pressure, and the evidence of his improvement in that area of his game is the fact that he took just 23 sacks this season, the least he’s taken in his entire career at Oklahoma State by six.

This, despite the fact that he dropped back to pass more than he ever has.

It wouldn’t shock me in the least to see an NFL team fall in love with Rudolph as a player and person, and make him a first round pick. I think he’s solidified himself as nothing worse than a high second round pick, showing over his career that he can complete a high percentage of passes to all areas of the field and not make many mistakes.

Rudolph finished his collegiate career with 26 interceptions, never throwing more than nine in a single season.

That’s pretty ridiculous, considering the amount he throws the ball.

He might not get top five consideration, but Rudolph is poised for a very long NFL career.

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