2022 Senior Bowl Quarterback Preview: Mobile Provides Proving Grounds
The Quarterbacks
Kenny Pickett
Kenny Pickett is obviously the favorite down in Mobile to finish as the consensus QB1. The strides he made in his final season with Pitt is something to behold. His process looks a lot better in the pocket, from the accuracy to every level, to the poise he has standing in the face of pressure. There are NFL throws littered throughout his tape, and he’s done some impressive things working outside of structure and off-platform at times.
The Senior Bowl will be a week for Pickett to not only secure that QB1 status, but display the leadership and command of the offense during practices to show coaches and scouts that this is the guy you want to bet on when the draft rolls around.
Malik Willis
Liberty’s Malik Willis is one of the biggest wild cards in the draft and perhaps one of the most polarizing, in terms of opinions and traits. The arm strength is there and the wow throws he can make are impressive, as is his ability to extend plays and make accurate throws on the run. Willis also thrives as a runner, with impressive speed and power.
The real question marks exist in structure and the quickness of the process through reads. It feels like Willis is just a tick late sometimes to get to that second read or even the primary. He’s definitely improved from the 2020 season which is a plus, but working on speeding that process up, along with his footwork, is important.
Willis didn’t have the best group of talent around him at Liberty, and this week will give him that opportunity. Eyes will be on him all week to see if he can stand out amongst the group.
Desmond Ridder
Desmond Ridder is the other polarizing guy at the position. His athleticism is excellent, and he has the moxie you love to see from the quarterback position. Ridder has some excellent throws on tape, and put together one of his best drives in a game-sealing win over Notre Dame this past season.
The questions for Ridder are what often happens early in games. It takes a while for Ridder to settle in, missing easy throws early and showing questionable footwork versus pressure. His accuracy has to take a leap as he transitions to the NFL, something that isn’t very common.
Carson Strong
With the strongest arm in the class, Carson Strong will be a must-watch down at the Senior Bowl. Every time he spins it the “oohs” and “ahhs” will echo throughout the stadium. The velocity he generates is impressive, and the command he has pre-snap is great. His processing skills post-snap are good as well, and he really took another step forward with Nevada this season, hitting some dynamite deep balls and fitting in some tight window throws.
The mobility is the big time drawback to Strong’s game. He won’t ever be the quarterback who extends plays and can make plays on the run while evading pressure. However, Strong can maneuver the pocket well. The other question is the knee. How will Strong look on the field and what will the medical teams find throughout the process?
Sam Howell
Sam Howell had the anticipation from many scouts and analysts for the 2022 NFL Draft entering the 2021 season. While the first game struggles against Virginia Tech are what stand out a bit, Howell played pretty similarly to how he fared in 2020, minus his top four weapons on offense.
Another quarterback who can generate good velocity, Howell has a magnificent deep ball and can operate in the quick game. Progressions are the main issue with Howell, as he’s very much a “lock onto read one” player. Showing he can do that this week with comfort in drills will be important.
Bailey Zappe
Bailey Zappe is the small school guy and really the only one of the five who hasn’t had first round buzz at all headed to the Senior Bowl. Still, though, Zappe is well-known because of breaking the FBS record for passing yards and touchdowns in 2021 for the Hilltoppers.
Zappe is a quarterback with good accuracy, good poise, and a flare for making some key throws under duress. His one drawback will be the arm strength, as pushing it deep and outside the numbers has been hit or miss. Zappe may not be more than a backup in the NFL, but showing he belongs this week will be important for his 2022 NFL Draft stock.