Top 10 Quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft: No. 10 Nate Stanley, Iowa

History

Starting off this top ten countdown, we have Nate Stanley, the Iowa Hawkeyes senior. Stanley is not what you would call a flashy quarterback. In Iowa, he never had a season where he threw for more than a 60 percent completion rate. Sure, he may have had -115 yards rushing on 49 attempts in 2017. Stanley isn’t an exciting quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Despite his less than stellar play in college, Stanley found ways to win. He finished his senior year at Iowa amassing the second-highest number of yards in Hawkeyes history. He also set record the school record for the longest pass and longest passing touchdown in the 2019 Outback Bowl against Mississippi State, according to the school’s website.

Stanley may not have been as exciting to watch as some quarterbacks on this list, but for three seasons in a row, Stanley led Iowa into a bowl game and won in each postseason game.

Stanley started every game for the Hawkeyes since 2017, starting 39 times and amassing a 27-12 record. Despite receiving almost no national attention, the young quarterback was able to lead this team for three consecutive winning seasons. On a roster that traditionally loses several offensive line players a year to the NFL.

Stanley showed leadership skills while at Iowa, becoming a permanent team captain in 2017 and retaining the role every season after that. In just his first season starting, Stanley led Iowa to a stunning upset over Ohio State 55-24, a team ranked third in the country at the time.

While Stanley may not be the biggest name on this list, it is not impossible to see him succeeding down the line when he has spent some time in the NFL. Iowa runs a pro-style offense, which makes him a good candidate for general managers who are looking for a backup quarterback.

One of the positive things about having a backup quarterback familiar with a pro-style offense is the ease they can pick up a playbook in the NFL and learn it. The familiarity Stanley would have with several NFL team’s play designs makes him an attractive backup option in the 2020 NFL Draft.

In 2019, several NFL teams lost their starting quarterback for some or all of the season, forcing coaches to rely on backups to carry the team. Playoff teams like the New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles were all required to lean on backups this season.

The Tennessee Titans installed backup Ryan Tannehill and he led them to the AFC Championship game. The Eagles won a Super Bowl two years ago with then backup Nick Foles. Having a competent backup quarterback on the roster can be the difference between seeing the playoffs and writing off the season once the starting quarterback goes down.

Stanley would be able to come into the league with a better baseline of quarterback knowledge compared to other quarterbacks.