NFL Draft 2021: Early top 10 quarterback rankings, analysis
6. Brock Purdy, Iowa State
There are a lot of people who think Purdy is the next first-round candidate after Trey Lance.
He has shown a gamer mentality at Iowa State and even though he lacks ideal size and velocity on his passes, Purdy anticipates throws and always has it on target.
7. Kyle Trask, Florida
Projecting just a little bit here because he has not even started a full season of college (or high school) football, Trask showed some really nice traits last year when he became the Gators’ starter.
He’s a big-bodied QB with some nice pocket presence, and a lot of confidence in his arm. He had a tremendous game last year against LSU.
8. KJ Costello, Mississippi State
There was already plenty to like about Costello from his time at Stanford, but how he fares in the air raid offense of Mike Leach at Mississippi State against SEC competition will be a fascinating collision of drastically different worlds.
Costello has a live arm and great size, so if he can put up big numbers under Leach he could be a coveted player next offseason.
9. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
Desmond Ridder has tremendous dual-threat abilities with a really strong arm and outstanding athleticism.
The issue here has been consistency and efficiency as a passer. He completed just over 55 percent of his passes last season for the Bearcats and will need to substantially improve that number to remain on the radar of NFL scouts.
10. Sam Ehlinger, Texas
Ehlinger has gotten the Tebow comparisons in his Texas career, but so did Dak Prescott at Mississippi State.
Ehlinger doesn’t need to be Peyton Manning as a pocket passer in the NFL to be successful, but he does have to become more consistent from the pocket and maybe a little less physical when he takes off with the ball.
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With that said, Ehlinger’s gamer mentality and ability to make plays on the move will be positives from NFL scouts, and if he can grow and develop as an all-around passer, he will be taken a lot higher than his current day three projection.