The Green Bay Packers seem set at Quarterback for the foreseeable future, with Aaron Rodgers still in his prime and Brett Hundley a promising young backup. However, Ted Thompson’s mentor Ron Wolf always liked drafting a Quarterback in the later rounds and developing them, so the Packers current GM may look to do the same. There is also the possibility that Hundley could become a valuable trade commodity next year with a big preseason, so it would be a good idea to have another young passer waiting in the wings.
The Packers certainly won’t be looking at a Quarterback early, so the elite throwers will be off the board. Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch, Connor Cook, and Christian Hackenberg all figure to be drafted in the first 2 rounds. Dak Prescott was in the conversation for a first 3 rounds, but a recent DUI may have him slide down the board.
Ohio State’s Cardale Jones is a very intriguing developmental QB. He has incredible arm strength, a sturdy frame, and the athleticism to break the pocket when necessary. He doesn’t panic when things don’t go his way. However, Jones has very inconsistent accuracy. He can lock onto receivers at times, and his mechanics reflect how raw he is. Cardale has also been accused of being immature at OSU, which is not a quality NFL teams will tolerate out of their signal caller.
Jacoby Brissett started his collegiate career at Florida, and finished at North Carolina State. He has a NFL frame and a strong arm. Brissett moves well in the pocket and has shown the elusiveness to evade pass rushers, though he is not an elite athlete. He needs to improve in his decision-making and has to be taught to take some chances down the field. In my opinion, Brissett reminds me of Brett Hundley, and is the type of QB the Packers like.
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Western Kentucky’s Brandon Doughty is a low risk prospect. He was a three year starter in college, and provides all the intangibles and leadership skills you want out of a Quarterback. He has average arm strength, and like many QBs from a spread offense, struggles with going to his second or third read.
Stanford’s Kevin Hogan has great arm strength and has shown the ability to be accurate in all throwing levels. His accuracy is good enough for college, but needs to be more pinpoint for the pros. Hogan can lead his receivers into trouble with throws that are slightly off. He does have a long delivery of the ball, which will hold him back at the professional level (note: Aaron Rodgers had the same issue coming out and was able to re-work his throwing motion over several years).
Jake Coker from Alabama, has NFL size. He possesses good arm strength, but lacks the pinpoint accuracy to make him an elite prospect. Coker also has a wind up delivery that allows defenders to anticipate his throws. He will give a NFL coaching staff the type of prospect with intriguing talent to coach up.
Oregon’s Vernon Adams has drawn some Russell Wilson comparisons because he stands 5’11” and brings great intelligence and elusiveness to the QB position. Adams had a great East-West Shrine game and seems nearly impossible to bring to the ground at times. He has a low release point on his throws, which becomes an even bigger issue when combined with his height. There is a serious concern that Adams may get a lot of passes batted down in the NFL. He is lacking in arm strength, but seems to possess great leadership skills.
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While Quarterback certainly won’t be listed on team needs for the Packers this offseason, there is a possibility Ted Thompson would draft one late in the 2016 draft. There are certainly some intriguing developmental prospects available this year for Green Bay to consider.
