Could the Jacksonville Jaguars draft one of the ‘second tier’ quarterbacks in 2018?
By Kathy Clark
Could the Jacksonville Jaguars draft one of the second tier quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft? The easy answer is “yes”. Since they may not get one of the top prospects at number 29, the team could have to look at the quarterbacks ranked below number six.
To start on a positive note, Russell Wilson is a third round pick so a starter at quarterback can be found in a later round. Most draft experts are consistent when ranking quarterbacks. Let’s take a look at quarterbacks generally ranked in the 6-10 range. Prospects that aren’t projected to be starters on day one, but could have value down the road. Most player specifics cited comes from draft profiles on NFL.com.
Luke Falk is 6’4’’ and weighs 225 pounds which is ideal NFL size. Also, Falk played for Washington State, a team in a major conference. Falk was first team All Conference in 2015, second-team All Conference in 2016 and Honorable mention in 2017. Positives are size, quick set up, quick release, and good timing. Negatives are questionable arm strength, limited mobility, and holds the ball too long. In addition, Falk had a down season in 2017 due to lack of protection. This led to too many sacks and interceptions.
To start, Riley Ferguson is 6’ 4’’ and weighs 210 pounds. Some pundits suggest he should put on weight due to a slim build. Ferguson played at Memphis in college. Positives are drops back quickly, sets up well, and comfortable in play action and bootleg situations. To add, Ferguson is accurate with timing passes. Negatives are wind up when throwing, poor ball placement at times, and some pocket panic.
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Mike White has good size at 6’ 4’’ and 225 pounds. He made second team All Conference in 2016 and 2017. White played for Western Kentucky. To begin, positives for White are a strong throwing arm, good accuracy, and throws a reliable ball on deep passes. However, he needs time to set up, has limited mobility in the pocket, and lingers on his first option rather than scanning the field for a better choice.
Kyle Lauletta played for Richmond. He has great size at 6’4’’ and 215 pounds. Lauletta’s greatest strength is his leadership. Equally important, Lauletta can play in the shotgun, under center, and in the pistol. Two potential negatives are underwhelming arm strength and jittery feet when under pressure.
Comments
It is obvious that each of these quarterbacks have some negatives. For example, three of the four didn’t play against top level competition. The experts rated them middle of the pack for clear reasons. As a result, they will be available in the later rounds. The Jaguars could chose one of these quarterbacks to develop for the future. Always remember that top five rated quarterbacks can be unsuccessful in the NFL, and mid-to-late round QBs can be diamonds in the rough.