NFL Draft: 3 college football prospects to watch Thursday night

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LINCOLN, NE – NOVEMBER 04: Quarterback Clayton Thorson #18 of the Northwestern Wildcats warms up before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

Clayton Thorson

If you step back a couple of years you can pick out Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins, and Drew Brees as Big Ten quarterbacks who made it big in the NFL, but over the last couple of years the same can’t be said. Christian Hackenberg, J.T. Barrett, and Nate Sudfeld won’t be more than backups

Thorson has played 39 games as the Wildcats starting quarterback, but he’s coming off ACL surgery on his right knee following the Music City Bowl. He’s listed as questionable for Thursday night against Purdue.

He’s got the prototypical size at 6’4, 226 lbs and looks the part on the field with a wide base. He stands in strong versus pressure, but he doesn’t protect his body at all. On scrambles when he has an opportunity to slide, he lowers his helmet trying to gain an extra yard versus linebackers.

Thorton didn’t pick up or evade pressure brought on by Penn State last year, though some of the plays he’s left one on one with a lineman. There’s not a lot of stepping up in the pocket from Thorson, but he can roll away while keeping his eyes down the field.

We’ll see how the supporting cast around Thorson does this year after Justin Jackson departed for the NFL. His offensive line is comprised of three redshirt seniors, a redshirt junior, and a true sophomore.

We’ll see if his knee is ready for the start of the season, just nine months removed from ACL surgery.

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