1. Separating from the pack at quarterback
There are legitimately three quarterbacks in the 2017 NFL Draft that could be the first at that position off the board. This list includes the likes of Deshaun Watson, Mitch Trubisky and DeShone Kizer. After that, Pat Mahomes of Texas Tech is sitting there as a potential Day 2 pick. Heck, he could even sneak into Round 1. It surely is an interesting dynamic to look at with such a wide open class at this position.
The good news here is that these quarterbacks are actually taking part in the combine. After years of top-end signal callers deciding against throwing, that won’t be the issue in Indianapolis at this year’s combine. It gives these four young men an opportunity to prove they can make every throw on the field in an environment adjusted for specific NFL-caliber arm talent.
Arm strength won’t be an issue for any of these quarterbacks. Instead, it’s going to be interesting to see how they handle three, five and seven step drops while being tasked with throwing the route tree. This will give us a clear indication of which quarterbacks can actually hit pro-level passes at efficient clips. It’s been an issue for other top-end prospects at this position in recent years.
More than anything, we really want to see how Watson performs in Indianapolis. He’s the most accomplished of this group. However, the Clemson product has failed to separate himself from the pack as of yet. He will surely have that opportunity in Indianapolis.