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14 QBs Broncos Could Target in 2022 NFL Draft
The Denver Broncos made the controversial decision to pass on a quarterback to draft cornerback Patrick Surtain II at pick No. 9 overall. The Broncos purportedly did not ‘love’ Justin Fields or Mac Jones — the top-two QBs left on the board — so it made sense to pass on a signal-caller.
After all, that early in the draft, a team wants a player that it loves, including the whole coaching staff, instead of one that garners a lukewarm response in the building. The decision to start Teddy Bridgewater is a harbinger that Denver will be looking to settle the quarterback position after this season.
There is plenty of depth in the 2022 draft class, but the overall talent at the top is less than its 2021 counterpart. This could be good news for the Broncos in the event that the team finds itself out of position to land one of the top QBs in the draft.
One of the most common questions we get on Mile High Huddle's seven-nights-a-week live-stream podcasts boils down to what the 2022 quarterback class looks like. The 14 quarterbacks I'm going to break down today are viewed as the top guys heading into the 2021 season.
Of course, that doesn’t mean they'll all move up draft boards or even declare for the 2022 draft. However, this class shows good promise.
Plus, there are about six or seven more QBs that didn’t make this list that could 'pop' during the season — ala BYU's Zach Wilson last year — forcing their way into the NFL conversation by January.
Let's break it down, starting with the top of the class.
Spencer Rattler | Oklahoma
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The Sooners quarterback has all the tools in the world to be a great quarterback. For many, Rattler is college football's clear No. 1 quarterback going into the season and Lincoln Riley's offense should help him shine even more.
What stands out with Rattler is how well he plays outside the pocket when things start to break down offensively. There's one primary concern with him, though, and that is his attitude.
This goes back to a few years to his featured appearance on the Netflix show QB1: Beyond the Lights, where Rattler's attitude was apparent. Of course, that was a while ago when he was a high school prospect making the jump to Division I football, and very likely he has grown and matured since then.
However, it's something teams will have to confirm and the NFL will get plenty of opportunities to do so.
Sam Howell | North Carolina
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There is a lot to like about Howell. He has a decently strong arm and throws a pretty deep ball. He also has decent athleticism to use his legs when the opportunity arises.
Despite that, there are plenty of concerns with Howell’s game that will need to be answered. The first is, he has to prove he can do better making the more routine throws — something he struggled with a lot, especially the placement of his passes.
The second concern boils down to how much of Howell's production is because of that Tarheels offense and the weapons he's had. How much of that production was because of Howell?
This season should provide some answers regarding the weapons he had, as most of them are now in the NFL, including Broncos' rookie second-round running back Javonte Williams.
Malik Willis | Liberty
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There isn’t a quarterback in the class that matches Willis in terms of arm talent and few match his mobility. He's a playmaker that blew up college football in 2020 for Liberty because he was so dynamic.
It's undeniable that Willis has all the physical tools to be a franchise quarterback, but he needs work with his overall mechanics. One of his concerns is the consistency of his mechanics, as his physical traits can be so dominant at the college level.
However, the processing speed at times can lag, leading to some bad decisions on his part. You can teach the football side of things, but you can’t teach the physical traits, which is why Willis will be so coveted by NFL clubs.
Kedon Slovis | USC
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Watching Slovis play last season was rough as he displayed multiple consistency issues and terrible play. However, he is highly accurate with his passing so it's very alarming how often he puts the ball in harm’s way.
Slovis' arm strength also doesn’t help him as defenders could quickly jump routes due to the lack of velocity. The Trojan QB will have to cut back on being loosey-goosey with the ball, and if he does, he could cement himself as a top-5 prospect in the class.
Slovis has a lot of similarities to Mac Jones with his play style. By relying on timing, anticipation, and football IQ, Slovis could keep himself in the first-round conversation.
Phil Jurkovec | Boston College
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There is no question that Jurkovec has the athleticism to be an effective quarterback, and he was very effective passing the ball outside of the pocket. In addition, he the football IQ to keep the ball moving by picking the correct targets. However, he shares a concerning trait with Slovis.
Jurkovec doesn’t have the arm strength to push the ball or hit all the throws in the NFL. For example, one of the hardest throws is a quick-out route because it’s about timing with velocity. In Jurkovec's case, the ball’s nose would plummet too often, hitting the field or getting caught at the lowest point.
Carson Strong | Nevada
Strong has the natural arm talent and athleticism to be successful in the NFL, but the issue is, he isn’t the most mobile of quarterbacks. As the NFL is prioritizing QBs being able to create for themselves and buy more time, this could hurt Strong during the draft process.
Nevertheless, as the college season gets underway, there are multiple reports that he could be a big riser up draft boards.
Desmond Ridder | Cincinnati
Ridder has a good arm and athleticism — and he isn’t afraid to use his legs to buy time or even move the ball. However, he sometimes makes bad decisions on where to go with the ball and has consistency issues with his placement.
Ridder has three years of good and consistent production but he needs a fourth year, showing key improvements, to move up draft boards.
Matt Corral | Ole Miss
Like Ridder, if Corral can clean up his ball placement and decision-making, he could move up draft boards. He has the physical tools with his arm and athleticism but can make some boneheaded decisions resulting in turnovers.
Those problems were highlighted in two games during the 2020 season, where he threw 11 of his 14 total interceptions.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson | UCLA
When watching Thompson-Robinson, it is easy to see why he is such an intriguing quarterback option. His ability to push the ball, with reasonable accuracy, and use his legs, can translate to the NFL.
The problem is, the Chip Kelly offense at UCLA simplifies things and makes it so easy for quarterbacks that reading a defense isn’t asked of them, which leaves a significant question mark for Thompson-Robinson.
J.T. Daniels | Georgia
Daniels' arm strength is more than good enough for the NFL but he doesn't offer the ideal mobility modern NFL teams covet. His placement will need a lot of work, and it starts with his throwing base; plus, his decision-making can be a head-scratcher.
It's easy to see the intrigue with Daniels, but there are plenty of reasons to be concerned with his playstyle in the modern NFL era.
Jayden Daniels | Arizona State
During his freshman year, Daniels was the hot-topic quarterback because of what he can do as a runner and passer. After only four games in the 2020 season, that buzz has cooled, and plenty of questions now follow him around.
Daniels needs to show many signs of development when it comes to being a quarterback and more consistency with his technique.
Malik Cunningham | Louisville
While he isn’t as talented as Willis, Cunningham has many similar traits and weaknesses. Cunningham's decision-making and technique need to be improved, more so than Willis, but he has a good arm and the legs to be a dual-threat quarterback in the NFL.
He has a long way to go with the football aspect, but plenty of boom-or-bust potential with his traits.
Emory Jones | Florida
There is undoubtedly a good mixture of tools and athleticism with Jones, but he lacks consistent technique and decision-making. He shows significant improvement in those areas this year, he could sky-rocket up draft boards.
However, even if Jones doesn’t show growth there, he has an excellent chance of getting drafted somewhere late Day 2 or early Day 3 because of the tools and athleticism.
Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.
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