Is there a above-the-rest franchise quarterback in the 2011 draft class?
With Blaine Gabbert, Jake Locker, Cam Newton, and Ryan Mallett all as possible first-round choices, the leader of this pack has yet to be defined.
Gabbert and Newton, will have a transition from their college-played spread offenses to the pro-style system in the NFL; in addition, both of these college QB's directed wide-open offenses, featuring a shotgun formation, which begs the question, how comfortable will these young players be and adjust to working from under center?
Will their inexperience hurt them, or is there an NFL team out there that will understand how to use these quarterbacks. Still, the fact remains that both of these quarterbacks have the ability to lead an NFL franchise.
Locker and Mallett bring up a different question, their inconsistent fundamentals and mechanics are on the minds of NFL scouts, and even though they have the ability to fit the ball anywhere at any given time with their strong arms, their footwork oftentimes leads to wandering or unorthodox passes. Locker's, for instance, footwork has made him less effective during games; it's affected his accuracy, his control, as well as completion percentage through his college career.
This year, more than previous years, an important draft pick will be a team's quarterback. Teams such as Tennessee, Minnesota, Arizona, Washington, San Francisco, Buffalo, as well as Miami are all team in search of a franchise quarterback for the future. These teams need an upgrade at the position, and all except for Miami, all have a real void at any leadership or help at this position.
This year's batch of quarterbacks may not offer a true leader in terms of what is needed in the NFL; however, the quarterback draft class of 2011 is very talented and has a lot to offer to the future of the NFL.
