Three Potential Cardinal Quarterbacks

The Super Bowl closes, meaning NFL Draft season has officially begun. The order is set, and in only three weeks, some of the top NFL prospects will gather in Indianapolis to show NFL executives and scouts what they have to offer.

The weeks leading up to the Super Bowl we went ahead and looked at the Cardinals Offensive and Defensive Rosters, as well as name a few players the team could target. (Part One and Part Two). So after looking at players already established in the NFL, we look to the guys who are trying to make a name for themselves!

During my research of the following players, I wanted to focus on guys who the Cardinals have a legitimate chance to nab with one of their first three picks, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Patrick Mahomes:

By far the most intriguing Quarterback Prospect of the 2017 Draft is Patrick Mahomes out of Texas Tech. The 6’3, 220lb Quarterback has drawn the eyes of many scouts due to his ability to make big plays happen. He finished his college career completing 62% of his passes, 11252 yards, 93 TD’s and 29 INT’s. He was sacked 63 times in his career.

Scouts rave about his size and build, as well as his mobility. But what is the most intriguing part of Mahomes game is his arm strength. There are countless videos of Mahomes making deep throws seem easy, and dropping the passes into a bucket from 60 yards out.

But that is where the compliments end. Mahomes will be a project in the NFL. Coming out of Texas Tech’s “Air Raid” offense, will leave many questions about how he will transition to the NFL game. His biggest issues lay in his mechanics. He has inconsistent footwork, and a very long throwing motion. His decision making at times was very questionable, and while he did not miss many games, he was always hampered by an injury.

Most expect Mahomes to go in the early part of the second round. Some can see a scenario where teams will trade back up into the first round to get Mahomes in the latter half. As of right now it is still too early to tell where he will be going, but based solely on his physical abilities, Mahomes is a guy the Cardinals could fall in love with.

Brad Kaaya:

Here is a player who could have possibly benefited from another year in school. Kaaya was impressive his freshman year, but failed to get better each year in Miami. Kaaya did end with a 60% career completion rate, 9788 yards, 69 TD’s and 24 INT’s. He was sacked 61 times his career.

Kaaya is seen as mechanically sound, in a QB class full of questions. At 6’4, Kaaya has a good throwing motion and release point, and is willing to stand in the pocket to deliver a throw. His accuracy is good when he has a clean pocket. He had shown on numerous occasions his arm strength and when he had time to throw.

Scouts are concerned about the lack of build on his 6’4 frame. Kaaya only weighs 210 pounds. Many scouts would like to see him add 20 pounds. Kaaya is about as immobile as Carson Palmer, meaning he would need a great offensive line in the NFL. Many also cite his pocket awareness as something that will need work. When he does scramble, he fails to keep his eyes downfield, instead focusing on the impending pass rushers. There are also some concerns about his focus on football.

Overall, Kaaya has the potential to be a solid NFL starter. There are kinks to work out with him, and his lack of mobility and lack of pocket awareness will be big issues at the next level, but Kaaya has the arm and decision making to be a solid player in the NFL. Right now, Kaaya is projected to be a late third round, early day three pick.

Davis Webb:

The next player on the list was by far the best Quarterback at the Senior Bowl. Similar to Mahomes, Webb played in an “Air Raid” offense, which had limited progressions. Despite all that, Webb consistently went through all his progressions, before throwing it. Webb finished his collegiate career completing 59% of his passes, 9825 yards, 83 TD’s, and 34 INT’s. He was sacked 27 times in his career.

Webb is able to stand in the pocket, and remains calm when blitzed. He possess okay pocket awareness, sometimes waiting too long for his guys to get open.

Webb has times where he throws his mechanics out the window. This is emphasized when he’s trying to avoid the rush, and throws the ball. He never resets, and instead tries to deliver the ball on arm strength alone. While Webb is more athletic than Kaaya, he still fails to be a threat running with the ball. He showed a glimpse of it in the Senior Bowl, running for a first down on third and short, but most of the time he goes down too easily with the football.

Webb is easily a day three option, but with a good combine, could find his way into the Third Round. He’s a guy who will need a season or two to develop, but his arm strength and size, could make him a good NFL QB one day.

Are there any QB’s you personally would like the Cardinals to draft? Are there even any QB’s you would look at? Discuss and answer the Poll below!

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