2019 Senior Bowl Preview: Drew Lock Leads Quarterback Group

The Senior Bowl starts next week, so now is the time for positional previews. The quarterbacks are up first, and it’s an interesting group.

The Senior Bowl is the first big event of the annual NFL Draft process, bringing together the best seniors in the country to participate in a week of three practices followed by an exhibition game.

Every senior there is looking to elevate their draft stock and find their way into the first round, or even day two of the draft.

Always in focus is the quarterback group. 2019 looks like a down year at the quarterback position, but some have said that this is one of the more intriguing quarterback groups in Mobile in a while.

There are plenty of names that are sitting on the cusp of entering first round conversation, especially in the quarterback-driven NFL. Let’s take a quick look at who will be participating and what to watch for with each guy.

Drew Lock (North)

As the headline said, Drew Lock is widely considered the best quarterback prospect at the Senior Bowl for 2019.

Lock has the strong arm and velocity that teams covet at quarterback. However, at the beginning of the year, Lock didn’t look like a top quarterback.

He consistently went to his first read, and had issues with his footwork, most notably throwing off of his back foot a lot. Lock has improved down the stretch with his touch and accuracy down the field, along with his pocket movement.

He could re-enter first round talk with a good week.

Daniel Jones (North)

Daniel Jones has gotten first round talk lately, and he can cement that talk in Mobile. However, I’m not sure I see what others are seeing.

He operates well in a quick passing game, and can make the occasional play down the field with good touch on the football. Jones also, when he has time, moves defenders to create holes in the defense.

However, Jones does not handle duress well at all. Seeing Jones throw with more anticipation in Mobile may convince me he’s worth an early round pick.

Ryan Finley (North)

Right now, I think Finley is a more polished passer than people think. He has a quick release and gets the ball out where it needs to go in the short passing game. Finley, like Jones, does great work within structure and when his first read is available, especially with a back shoulder throw.

He also makes plays on the run, and can make accurate throws while doing so. Finley also needs to work on maneuvering the pocket when under pressure, and seeing more consistency down the field would go a long way to convincing teams he’s a franchise passer.

Trace McSorley (North)

The last quarterback on the North squad, Trace McSorley, has a smaller stature than the rest of his teammates. However, that height hasn’t stopped him from having a successful career at Penn State.

As far as a franchise quarterback goes, he needs major work. McSorley has accuracy inconsistencies at every level, even in the short passing game.

While he has good athleticism and can maneuver around the pocket, he doesn’t have the accuracy or decisiveness to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.