The first day of the NFL Draft should be a mad scramble for quarterbacks as there are expected to be five or six taken in the first round. The NFL Draft is often a crapshoot, especially for quarterbacks as teams often reach in the hopes of drafting a franchise player. Below, we take a look back at the last 22 QBs who have gone in the first round of the NFL Draft, what the draft experts thought at the time, how their careers have turned out, and the six who could join them this year. The QBs are ranked by their pre-draft, Scouts, Inc. draft rating. 28. EJ Manuel — Buffalo Bills, 2013 source Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images Scouts, Inc. draft rating: 76 Pick overall: 16 What the draft experts were saying: “As gifted as any quarterback in the class, with a strong arm and good mobility. Scouts appreciate his leadership qualities and toughness, and hope he can improve on his consistency.” NFL.com Where they are now: After Manuel started ten games as a rookie … [Read more...] about WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The last 22 QBs taken in the first round of the NFL Draft and how this year’s crop compares
Qb washington redskins
Blueprint for Redskins in NFL Draft: Top choices for all 8 picks
WASHINGTON — Entering the 2018 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins need everything. I know it sounds a tad hyperbolic to say about a 7-9 team that narrowly missed the playoffs, but it’s true. Think the Redskins are set at QB? Alex Smith has three to four years here, tops. Like the cornerback depth? Surely you forgot Kendall Fuller is gone and Josh Norman is 30-years-old. Good at tight end? Jordan Reed is injury prone and Vernon Davis is 34-years-old. That said, some of the Redskins’ positional needs fare more dire than others. They probably won’t burn their first round pick on a QB since the demand is high and the best prospects are expected to be long gone by the time the ‘Skins’ 13th overall pick comes around. So here are the five players (in my order of value) the Redskins should select when they’re on the clock in Round 1, and who they should target in the ensuing rounds. Like WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to engage in … [Read more...] about Blueprint for Redskins in NFL Draft: Top choices for all 8 picks
Rising NFL draft QB Kyle Lauletta hangs on to college snubs: ‘That stuff sticks with me’
The words were offered in earnest, designed to save a close friend from his own reckless naivete. But his teammate's advice did little to dissuade Kyle Lauletta.The former Richmond quarterback playfully rolls his eyes as he re-enacts that indelible moment from seventh grade."He also tried out for quarterback, and I'll never forget," Lauletta recalled recently, "He told me: 'Kyle, I advise you to quit now. You're making a big mistake. You don't want to embarrass yourself.' "More than a decade and over 120 miles separate the 23-year-old from that unforgettable conversation and where he stands in this exact moment: on the University of Maryland's College Park campus, taping a pre-draft special for local TV.But old memories often forget to fade and instead hover in the recesses of our minds, coming to light when we least expect them. And now that Lauletta is on the cusp of accomplishing the dream he envisioned growing up in Exton, Pa., he can't help but remember the people, the coaches, … [Read more...] about Rising NFL draft QB Kyle Lauletta hangs on to college snubs: ‘That stuff sticks with me’
As Robert Griffin III evolves at QB, Ravens will have to figure out what still works for him
At his introductory news conference Wednesday, newly signed Ravens quarterback Robert Griffin III spoke mainly of the future: how he would better protect himself under center this season, how he had studied the trend of modern offenses in his year out of football, how he was excited to work with starter Joe Flacco.But even at a forward-looking media event, Griffin could not resist sprinting back to his superstar past, if only briefly. “When it's time to run for 70 [yards], I'll run for 70,” he said, evoking one of the most incredible highlights of his historic 2012 rookie season.Griffin, 28, has not come close to such a run in the past five years. Nor will he likely approach it at any point over the next five. Even if he indeed feels as healthy as he did coming out of college, as he said Wednesday, oft-injured athletes do not typically return to the athletic peak of their early- to mid-20s as they close in on 30. And so, just as Griffin will need to reckon with the physical … [Read more...] about As Robert Griffin III evolves at QB, Ravens will have to figure out what still works for him
New Ravens QB Robert Griffin III: ‘I probably haven’t felt this good since I came out of college’
A year out of football can do a quarterback like Robert Griffin III some good.The new Ravens backup quarterback said at his introductory news conference Wednesday that after years of promise spoiled by injuries, “I probably haven't felt this good since I came out of college.”Selected No. 2 overall by the Washington Redskins in the 2012 NFL draft and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Griffin started five games for the Cleveland Browns in 2016, his last action in the league. He was released in March 2017 and didn’t sign anywhere last season.Griffin, 28, said he feels like he’s 25, but has learned to better protect himself in the pocket and while scrambling, where he was most dangerous as a Heisman Trophy-winning dual threat at Baylor and in his early years with the Redskins.“I think that's kind of what [the Ravens] are excited about, [which] is I'm not just relying on what I did in the past,” Griffin said. “I want to show them the player that I … [Read more...] about New Ravens QB Robert Griffin III: ‘I probably haven’t felt this good since I came out of college’