1. Paxton Lynch, Memphis--Tall (6’7”) and well-built athlete with the strong arm to match. Three-year starter who showed steady mechanical improvement, with a noticeable spike in his final season. Outstanding touch and ball placement on intermediate and deeper throws. Very real threat with his legs, powerful and crafty runner with vision and balance. Excellent on the play fake and bootleg, has the presence and quick thinking to make the right decision once out in space. Can drive the ball with tight mechanics and a strong core. Throws comfortably on the move, resets quickly and keeps his eyes up. Willing to come off his primary read and greatly improved his processing speed and decision making in ’15. Rarely puts the ball at risk, will throw the ball away if the play isn’t there. Has a preternatural calmness and steadiness to him. Very positive leadership presence, moves on quickly from his own mistakes and does the same for his teammates, very akin to Ben Roethlisberger in that regard. Didn’t fret when falling behind to Ole Miss and proceeded to light up the Rebels defense, featuring several NFL prospects.

Does not have a quick or compact delivery. While he’s improved, Lynch still throws too many passes with an awkward platform or incorrect feet. Arm throws shorter passes instead of incorporating his shoulders and hips, and as a result his ball placement on throws under about 10 yards is often poor. Deeper throws do not maintain velocity unless he uses proper mechanics. That’s true for every QB but more so for Lynch. When teams adjusted to take away his simpler throws it took him more time than expected to adjust. College offense was often simplistic and often relied on getting the ball out of his hand quickly from the shotgun spread. Frequently had to only read part of the field. Doesn’t feel the backside pressure innately. Operated out of the pistol and shotgun, will need to learn footwork from under center. Was not asked to unleash the deep ball very often.

The good thing is, almost everything “wrong” with Lynch can be improved upon with coaching and experience, and the things he does well already translate very well to today’s NFL. I have a feeling he will always have some bad days, and he desperately needs to sit behind a veteran for a year or two until he gets a grasp on the speed and intricacy of the NFL game. He reminds me of Vinny Testaverde, an exceptional athlete who needed time to become a pretty good NFL quarterback. Hopefully Lynch gets that time, because his ceiling is really high. Worthy of a top 10 pick, but again only if the drafting team has a short-term QB already and doesn’t need Lynch to play as a rookie.

2. Connor Cook, Michigan State--Prototypical size (6’4”, 217 at Combine) with a good-not-great arm. Four-year starter and consistent winner at a Top 10 program in a pro-friendly offense. Has made NFL reads and throws, taken snaps under center and already has a mastery of NFL drops and timing. Can quickly diagnose the defense pre-snap and adjust accordingly. Excellent at all the little things such as play action fakes, looking off the safety, progressing through options, taking what defense gives him. Gets the ball out of his hands quickly, both from a timing and release standpoint. Has the feel to throw a receiver open and keep the ball where the defender can’t make a play. Good-not-great pocket mobility, keeps his eyes down the field nicely while sliding around. Accuracy is generally quite good but can be streaky. Will have series of drives where he’s not on target and he tends to miss high and inside on outside throws in those instances, a major no-no. Mechanics can be inconsistent, notably his back foot and front hip. As one scout at the Western Michigan game noted, “he throws against his toes” too much, meaning he’s not squaring his target consistently.

Was not a full-time team captain, though he was in essence for the final four games for the Spartans. Not Mr. Popular with his teammates off the field, though on the field they strongly supported Cook to a man. Has an insulated personality that won’t fit in every locker room or coaching staff. Doesn’t offer much more upside than what we’ve seen from him already. That makes him both the most NFL-ready quarterback in this class but also one with a lower ceiling than some others. The low completion percentage (less than 60% in over half his games the final two years) and streaky accuracy are very likely to persist at the next level. For a team needing a starter in 2016 or a long-term insurance policy behind an established starter, Cook is worth a late first-round pick. For a team looking for greatness in 2017 and beyond, they’re best to look elsewhere. To compare him with recent Spartans QBs, he’s a better prospect than Drew Stanton and Brian Hoyer, and his NFL ceiling is equivalent to the Kirk Cousins who led Washington to the NFC East title in 2015.

3. Carson Wentz, North Dakota State--Small-school wunderkind who rocketed up thanks to hype and merit at the Senior Bowl. Athletic at 6’6” and with strong posture in the pocket. Light on his feet, has some dual-threat ability. Can really spin it on the run, and can do so moving to his left. Arm strength is very strong, can comfortably throw rockets 50+ yards. Has the ability and willingness to fit the ball into tight windows. Has great presence and poise in the pocket, feels and reacts to the rush at a very high level for an FCS-level QB. Carries himself with confidence and an expectation of being great.

There are real flaws. Despite being a mobile runner, Wentz is often flat-footed at the top of his drop. Has a longer, slower release than others, though it has shown improvement. Not an anticipatory thrower beyond his initial read. Needs to work on his ball placement and touch on perimeter throws. Very much a reactionary thrower and that leads to accuracy and timing issues, really showed in Senior Bowl practices (I was there) where his throws were often a count late. Field vision is spotty, will see what appears to be the correct option sometimes but either not see it or ignore it on others. Doesn’t seem to trust his eyes at times, which leads to timing problems and also leads to him using too much arm and elbow torque on his throws trying to compensate for the slight delay. Will turn 24 in his rookie year with just 22 starts at the FCS level.

Taking Wentz where he is going to be drafted--in the top 5--is a big leap of faith. His entire overall game is inconsistent, as you would expect coming from his level of play and his level of experience. A good QB coach has an awful lot to work with; if Wentz hits even 90% of his full potential he’ll be an above-average NFL QB. The size, arm, mobility, confidence and drive are all there. If he catches up to the speed of the game…? Worth a first-round pick, not a top 10 pick, to me, with a lot of risk built in.

4. Vernon Adams, Oregon--Former FCS star at Eastern Washington who transferred his senior year to Oregon. Playmaker extraordinaire who plays quarterback much like Allen Iverson played point guard in the NBA. Very heady, fast-thinking, artful dodger with outstanding quickness and presence. Not shy about taking what the defense gives him, be it the run or pass. Throws a tight spiral with impressive zip. Very natural feel for the right touch on passes all over the field. Can drill the anticipatory throw outside the hashes. Had no trouble making the step up in competition into the PAC-12, ask USC or Stanford. Always on his toes and offers incredible agility in any direction. Very natural, charismatic, organic leadership shone at both Oregon and the Shrine Game, where he was far and away the best QB. Has a mastery of creating a throwing lane.

He’s short at 5’11” and is built like Iverson, smaller-framed with lots of lean muscle but little bulk. Has small hands and often carries the ball loosely. Takes unnecessary sacks and doesn’t always have a strong feel for the speed or angle of the rush. Needs to trust his eyes and arm more, showed some reluctance to pull the trigger and let his receivers make plays in coverage. Can get tunnel vision on his desired pre-snap target. Missed some wide open options. Doesn’t protect himself as you would expect of a smaller QB, takes some unnecessary big hits (see TCU game, where he left and did not return). Comes from a simplistic offense that will require major adjustment. Had some issues taking snaps from under center in Shrine Game week and his accuracy was shaky on shorter throws, which was intermittent at Oregon and EWU as well.

Adams is a playmaker and embraces that role. His size and propensity to improvise are not going to be for everyone, but he has continually thrived in the face of doubt. He has a rare presence about him that can handle the pressure and elevate his teammates. Adams has all of the positives and promise of Johnny Manziel coming out with none of the negatives at almost exactly the same size. Manziel went 22nd overall. Adams isn’t the overall athlete or runner, but isn’t far off either. He deserves a look as early as the second round, though I suspect he won’t be drafted before the sixth round. Give him a fair shot and he could be great, significantly better than the guys above him here. I hope he gets it.

5. Jared Goff, California--Rhythm passer with outstanding touch and pinpoint accuracy on short and intermediate throws. Can stick the anticipatory throw on the money. Progresses through reads quickly and efficiently. Very good at hitting receivers in stride with just the right placement. Three-year starter who was asked to elevate a struggling program. Decent pocket awareness and presence, steps forward and slides around nicely. Has a little running ability but prefers to throw after resetting quickly. Confident in both his arm and the offensive system. Good height (6’4”) but appears slightly built in playing at around 210 pounds. College offense was simplistic and based on quick releases to predetermined options. Does show the ability to move beyond those and manipulate the defense, but this must continue to develop.

Showed a tangible decline in accuracy and decision making when pressured. Balls will sail high and throws under pressure often have suboptimal velocity. Has zero feel for LBs dropping in coverage and struggled throwing into zones more than you expect from an alleged top-flight QB. Arm strength is average for NFL and can be lacking on throws across the field. Ball security is often flippant, threw 13 INTs as a senior and has a long history of fumbling the ball (26 or 24 career fumbles, depending on your source). Took a lot of unnecessary sacks and big hits waiting for the big play potential down the field instead of hitting his underneath options. Did not look extraordinary when facing better defenses (USC, Stanford, Utah) and was overmatched vs. Oregon’s speed two years in a row. I don’t see the franchise-altering QB some do, but he can become a quality starter on a team with good weapons. Second-round talent to me in the mold of (but stylistically divergent from) Sam Bradford, but he’ll almost certainly be drafted in the first half of the first round.

6. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State--Went from non-prospect to intriguing potential in a senior season where he morphed into a pocket passer. Has always been a very impressive dual-threat runner playing the Tim Tebow role in Dan Mullen’s offense. Dramatically improved his patience, delivery, accuracy and overall skills despite playing behind a line that lost four long-time starters to postseason all-star games. Has a very easy, natural quick release and plus arm strength. Big and physical, both in the pocket and as a runner. Still learning nuances like looking off the defense and reading the defense on the fly. Does not protect himself well and the internal clock in the pocket is quite slow. Doesn’t shift his weight consistently while throwing and can be pigeon-toed when throwing. Must continue to show improvement quickly or else patience could wear thin. Has a lot of tools but the box is still pretty unorganized. Worthy of a 4^th-round pick as a developmental project.

Late note: Prescott was arrested for DUI the night after I wrote his summary. Not a good sign, to say the least.

7. Brandon Doughty, Western Kentucky--Very prolific epitome of the wide-open non-power-5 conference ball. Completed almost 70% of his passes at over 9 yards per attempt his final two years while spraying the ball all over the formation. Quick, clean release from the pocket. Good at manipulating the coverage with ball fakes, eye discipline and quick footwork. Very adept at finding weaknesses and going after them until the defense adjusts. Arm strength is better than many would have you believe but is only 6/10 and goes down when pressured. Can get rattled by pressure. Field vision needs work, often missed seeing wide open targets in his progression. Did not stand out vs. SEC competition or during Shrine Game week. Not a great athlete. Best fit in a fast-paced offense with 11 personnel as base. Has some upside but the underwhelming arm and mobility are real downers. Several prospects rated below him here have much higher ceilings but Doughty is more apt to actually hit his.

8. Cardale Jones, Ohio State--Massive (6’5”, 253 at Combine), long-levered, very raw and inexperienced project. Showed out in final three games of Ohio State’s national title run as a redshirt sophomore, where his power as a runner and fearless nature set the world on fire. Stands tall and strong in the pocket with a wide stance and incredibly powerful base. Arm strength is almost surreal; throws the ball with amazing velocity and it doesn’t wane even on deep throws. Can throw with zip even when not set. Has a fair sense of timing and accuracy on deep throws. Can rip it into tight windows, but often doesn’t have any awareness of how tight the window might be.

Awareness, vision and ability to read the defense are all primitive. Anticipation throws are nonexistent, has to see it before he throws it. Touch, ball placement and timing on shorter routes are all atrocious. Throws nearly every pass at max velocity, and when he takes something off it gives the effect of a knuckleball. His throws sorely lack trajectory. Receivers often have to work hard to make receptions. Lost his starting job in 2015 with erratic play and ongoing issues with decision making. Has thrown just 270 passes in three years of college football. Brashly confident, for better and for worse.

Jones has definite high-end potential with his arm strength, fantastic size, fearless nature and confidence. His ability to throw with zip while under duress and on the move is the literal definition of awesome. Incredibly tough runner, but even so he prefers to stand and deliver from the pocket. Alas, he’s wildly inexperienced and raw, with many serious flaws to his game to iron out before he’s even a worthy NFL backup. The team taking him in the middle rounds needs to be aware he was optimally the third-string QB at a good college program for good reason. I’d take him in the 6th round and pray he learns quickly enough that he isn’t just wasting a roster spot his entire rookie contract. Extreme boom/bust prospect. Compares to a less-polished Zach Mettenberger, but could be the next Joe Flacco too. I wouldn’t bet on it.

9. Matt Johnson, Bowling Green--Undersized (5’11”) gunslinger with a fantastic deep arm and a fearless belief in it. Operated the same base offense as Baylor runs, a wide-open spread passing attack where receivers were frequently in isolated coverage. Good mover in the pocket and can roll out with his eyes down the field. Velocity persists well down the field, always on a tight spiral with optimal trajectory. Has a kind of hop into his throwing platform that needs work even though it’s quick and his release is compact. Not a great runner but will pick his spots (see Memphis game). Missed almost all of 2014 with a hip injury and turns 24 when the season begins. Would be higher up this list if he were bigger, younger and more mobile. Strikes me as a backup who can catch lightning in a bottle for half a season and parlay that into a long career. Mike Martz would love him. Fifth-round pick to me, but Johnson won’t be drafted.

10. Trevone Boykin, TCU--Fun-to-watch 6’ pocket jitterbug with a great arm but also excellent ball placement on throws over the middle. Very adept at creating proper throwing lanes and quickly deciding where to throw. Incredibly slippery and nifty in avoiding the pass rush, and has the athleticism to make defenses pay for disruption without production. Outstanding, reliable productivity in the red zone. Strong leadership presence for a top-10 program. Has no real consistent throwing motion or delivery and that can make him maddening at times. Has to learn to step into his throws and not fall off or cross himself on the follow-through. Doesn’t appear to ever progress beyond his second read, though that could be by design of the offense. Arrested on felony assault charge just before TCU’s bowl game for hitting a police officer. If Boykin can ever clean up the mechanics and prove the arrest was a mirage, he’s got a chance to fit into the Russell Wilson mold. The warts are very real, however. Worth drafting, may or may not happen because of the arrest and his lack of size.

11. Vad Lee, James Madison--Georgia Tech transfer who blossomed in Harrisonburg. A strong athlete at 6’1” and 225 pounds, has plus arm strength and throws cleanly and pretty accurately on the run. The Durham, NC native is a dual-threat in the vein of Marcus Mariota, with a lot of designed runs but also the option to throw off the run as well. He was coached to attack, and he does so with gusto--at times too risky. But he’s also got the ice water flowing in the veins, and Lee is most definitely a field general. The vision, the feel for the defense, the quickness of processing information around him, the ability to control the defense with his eyes and posture, those are all NFL-caliber and far more developed than many of the QBs who will be drafted in the first two rounds. Improved his accuracy down the field as a senior, a big step for his NFL chances. Lack of height and questionable decision-making are legit criticisms. Worth a fifth rounder to me.

12. Brandon Allen, Arkansas--Smallish (6’1”) three-year starter who wasn’t regarded as a prospect until showing dramatic improvement in his ball placement and decision-making as a senior. Loves to throw on the move, off play action and on designed bootlegs. It helps mitigate his lack of height and skittish pocket presence. Quick, compact release and can uncork it when asked. Makes anticipatory throws to moving targets, the biggest improvement in his game. Has experience under center. Impatient in the pocket and gives up too quickly on deeper options. Greatly benefitted from a fearsome rushing game that kept LBs and safeties attuned to the run, an advantage he won’t likely get in the NFL. Did not throw the ball well on the cold days during Senior Bowl practice and his small hands are a concern. Reminds me of Matt Flynn. Draftable.

13. Jeff Driskel, Louisiana Tech--Florida transfer who took a major step forward in his senior season in Ruston. Has worked very hard at throwing a tighter, cleaner ball. Accuracy went up almost 10 points (to 62.4%) and that came despite attempting many more throws down the field than he did for the Gators. Has strong mobility and can throw quickly on the move, can also run with some power. Hard to ignore just how ineffective he was at Florida, but the guy in 2015 looked like a legit prospect. Arm strength did not impress during Senior Bowl week; he was either throwing it inaccurately with high velocity or babying it to get it in just the right spot, and those tendencies showed on film too. Very humble and hungry, was universally well-liked and respected by his teammates and NFL observers in Mobile. If he continues to work on the accuracy, he has the tools and mentality to be at least Chase Daniel in the NFL. Worth a late-round pick for a team that has multiple picks in a round.

14. Christian Hackenberg, Penn State--Former wonderboy recruit who made quite a splash as a freshman with now-Texans coach Bill O’Brien and Jaguars star WR Allen Robinson. Without those two assets in his corner, Hackenberg has consistently been one of the least accurate, inefficient and disappointing quarterbacks in college football. Finished 96^th out of 100 qualifiers in completion percentage and was dead last on 3^rd down. Often looks completely lost during the play. Has absolutely no ability to handle pressure, either from the defense or the game situation. Suffered mechanically playing behind an atrocious offensive line, and that must be fixed quickly. The great size and fantastic arm--I saw him throwing in warm-ups at Michigan in 2014 and his arm is every bit as awesome as Matthew Stafford’s--are still there, and some NFL coach will think getting him out of the toxic Penn State offense will cure all that ails him. I’d be more inclined to agree if I ever saw a guy who tried to be a positive leader and took coaching, but “Hack” often whined and pointed fingers on the sidelines, something his opponents cited often when asked about him. At best, he’s a less athletic Jake Locker. He will be drafted in the first three rounds. I would consider him at Mr. Irrelevant on the faint chance of recapturing his former promise.

15. Kevin Hogan, Stanford--Proven winner in a diverse, pro-friendly offense. Has good-not-great accuracy from the pocket, great feel for timing. Impressive field general with innate leadership that was once questioned but is now a major asset. Much better athlete than advertised, proved it at the Combine. Consistently finds to open target and is great at seeing the entire field both before and after the snap. His arm strength is below-average, somewhat the result of a throwing motion that looks like a guy trying to throw a pumpkin over a high fence. Though it improved his senior season, Hogan still has an overdeveloped panic gene when pressured, especially up the gut. Doesn’t throw a tight spiral and his longer throws often require his receivers to come back on the ball.  His curve is ascending upward but the top of that curve is being a decent career backup a la Shaun Hill. Could be in the league a long time.

16. Josh Woodrum, Liberty-- 6’3”, 225-pound Roanoke native does a lot of things the NFL asks of a quarterback quite well & proved it during NFLPA Bowl week. He has the arm strength to fit the ball into tight windows, and his ball placement and timing to hit receivers on short and intermediate routes is impressive. Woodrum has a strong command of his offense. He hasn’t been asked to attack down the field much or work to manipulate the defense; the Flames offense wanted him to make the quick presnap read and get the ball to the playmaker as expeditiously as possible. That’s good, because the biggest complaint I have on Woodrum’s game is that he lets the pass rush get to him more than it should, both physically and mentally. There is a lot to work with in Woodrum, but he’ll need a patient and instructive QB coach to ever do more than hold a clipboard. I’d consider him in the seventh round. As with Lee above, this is taken from Draft Prospecting the State of Virginia.

17. Nate Sudfeld, Indiana--Big (6’6”, 235) three-year starter who had stretches where he really impressed with his accuracy and savvy risk-taking. Can survey the field and has the arm to challenge deep. Hits moving targets down the field in stride and with purpose. Much like Ryan Mallett, he throws with an inordinately wide base and stride and his accuracy struggles when he can’t step into that. Has serious issues throwing the ball short and/or low, was glaring during Shrine Game practices. Doesn’t have much touch on throws that aren’t his primary read. Middling athleticism that isn’t as functional on the field as it should be. Very mature, grounded man who should embrace being a third-stringer whose career likely peaks playing the entire fourth preseason game in his second season.

18. Jake Rudock, Michigan--Transferred from Iowa, where he was nondescript. Started slowly for the Wolverines but made a rapid progression with Jim Harbaugh’s seasoned guidance. Decent arm strength that he controls well. Very accurate on intermediate routes and hits wheels and crosses in stride expertly. Deep balls got better once he learned to trust his wideouts. Plucky leader with a good grasp of his own game. Well-suited to be a non-threatening career backup a la Cliff Stoudt but probably shouldn’t ever play more than mop-up duty.

19. Marquise Williams, North Carolina--Streaky dual-threat slinger who was a three-year starter. Good size, looks bigger in person than his 6’2”, 225 listing. So much of everything Williams does is inconsistent, from his accuracy to his delivery to his field vision to his patience to his on-field demeanor. The guy I saw against Duke and Miami is worthy of a third-round pick. The guy I saw against Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Clemson has no business even being in training camp. His best attribute is his dual-threat ability and quick-strike decisions on the perimeter of the defense. Important to note he had three (perhaps four) future NFL wideouts as targets to help his completion percentage. Won’t be drafted, but has enough to offer that if he gets hot in camp he could stick.

20. Jason Vander Laan, Ferris State--I wrote about scouting Vander Laan in person over at Draft Breakdown, please check it out. Trust me, it’s a good read…

21. Kyle Washington, Angelo State

22. Jacoby Brissett, North Carolina State

23. John Gibbs Jr., Alcorn State

24. Jake Coker, Alabama

25. Cody Kessler, USC

26. Travis Wilson, Utah

27. Blake Frohnapfel, UMass

28. Joel Stave, Wisconsin

29. Everett Golson, Florida State

30. Mike Bercovici, Arizona State

I did not see enough of the following to properly evaluate:

Jacob Huesman, Chattanooga

Liam Nadler, Gannon

Steven Rivers, Northwestern State

Dalyn Williams, Dartmouth