Top-five QB prospects in the draft

Jim Harbaugh says David Fales is a top-five quarterback prospect in the upcoming draft. I agree with Harbaugh. Here is my full top-five list. Please leave yours’ as well.

1. Blake Bortles, UCF

2. David Fales, San Jose State

3. Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville

4. Derek Carr, Fresno State

5. Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois

This article has 73 Comments

  1. Here’s mine:

    1) David Fales

    2)David Fales

    3) David Fales

    4) David Fales

    5) David Fales

      1. I disagree. I think David Fales is way over-rated. Now when you put on the tape of David Fales it will blow you away. There’s no comparison!

        1. Fales is so bad, he even spelled his name incorrectly :) Headline from 2016 … David Fails in the NFL

    1. You start your list off strong with a clear cut #1 candidate, David Fales. “David puts the ball where only the receiver can get it and the defender can’t” Plus he’s from a small school, did you know that small school QB’s is a popular trend in the NFL right now?

      It’s good you started off strong because your #2 pick David Fales is a real stinker, major reach as a #2 QB candidate in this draft. His many flaws include;Arm strength, not a dual-threat, can’t push the ball downfield, lacks size, needs to improve footwork, field vision, too often locks on his primary progression. Plus he comes from a small school, small school QB’s are a fad soon to fade in the NFL.

      It’s funny when I look at your #3 and #4 selection, David Fales & David Fales I can’t tell which one is Danny Devito and which one is Arnold Schwarzenegger. I’m talking separated at birth it’s so hard to tell these two apart. Small school QB’s don’t have the cushion of all star players around them and are forced to develop more completely sooner then big school QB’s that are spoiled with talent around them. Can’t say I’d argue with either of these on your list, good choices.

      Well they couldn’t all be good and it’s best that you saved the worst for last. Unfortunately last is exactly where David Fales belongs on any QB list. If he gets drafted it’ll be in the 7th round at best and he’s most likely an early cut contender. Small school QB’s never get the NFL type competition that their larger school peers are exposed too and therefore are much farther behind in their development.

      1. All very good points CFC. But have you ever considered David Fales, unfortunately he didnt make my top 5 list, i think he’s been overlooked, but probably not ready for the big lights coming from a small school, but since he’s not from a big talent filled conference so he’s probably more pro-ready.

  2. Grant,
    Why are you so fixated on QB? The 49ers don’t need one, so why waste all this effort writing about a position of little need for the team? Reminder: you don’t write a blog for the Raiders. Let’s analyze some other positions – especially areas of need for the 49ers.

    1. Because Kap’s footwork hasn’t improved Nick. No way you can keep a QB around if he doesn’t use proper footwork. Fales is already superior to him, didn’t you get the memo?

  3. 1) Teddy Bridgewater
    2) Blake Bortles
    3) Aaron Murray
    4) Derek Carr
    5) Jimmy Garoppolo

    In my opinion only Bridgewater and Bortles are worth being considered in the first round, and neither should be high first round picks. Murray and Carr should be 2nd/ 3rd rounders, and Garoppolo a 3rd.

    1. Like Garcia said, I wouldn’t draft any of these QBs in the first round.
      I give Bortles a second-round grade, and the other four QBs on my list third-round grades.
      I don’t consider Murray draftable.

      1. Yeah, I was probably being generous on what round they should go.

        I like Murray. He’s a gamer. Needs to fix up a lot of little things, and he’ll always be physically limited, but I think if he goes to a team where he can sit and learn a year or two, he could be a pretty good starting QB in the NFL.

        1. Since Fran Tarkenton 54 years ago, how many quality NFL QBs has Georgia produced?

          1. I’m guessing you don’t consider Matt Stafford as quality, but I’m not really too worried about Georgia’s history producing elite NFL calibre QBs. Name the school that should be considered the “QB factory”.

            Murray brings top level production over a long period against good competition.

            1. Murray played with multiple five-star running backs and offensive linemen.

              Greg McElroy brought top level production against good competition. He already retired.

              1. Sure, he had some talent around him. I appreciate the arguments you’ve made regarding small school guys, but it comes at the expense of playing against lesser competition. If Murray was surrounded by talent that was superior to the teams they played against I’d discredit his achievements to some degree, but the teams he played against were also talented.

              2. Just saw your McElroy comparison. His production wasn’t near the level of Murray’s – 39 career TDs at Alabama vs 121 career TDs for Murray.

                Murray’s production and consistency over four years starting is highly impressive. He passed for over 3,000 yards four years straight, with 24 or more TDs each year.

              3. Already writing Matt Barkley off as a pro then I take it…?

                While I think it is too soon to call a career on Barkley, with no disrespect intended to USC, they have quite the history of producing over-hyped, stat-inflated QBs and WRs. SEC is tougher to have that kind of success in.

      2. Interesting. Garcia thinks Murray would be good value in the middle rounds. Or at least he did a few weeks ago.

        1. Interesting. I’m not a fan of any of the big-conference-college QBs this year, although Mettenberger is interesting because he is big, he is accurate, he has good footwork and he ran an NFL offense.

          1. Funny, I don’t rate Mettenberger. He’s big with a big arm. But he isn’t as accurate as people say, especially his deep balls.

            You knock Murray for having some talent around him – Mettenberger was the luckiest QB in college last year, playing for a good OC, in an offense predicated on the run, with two outstanding WRs.

          2. You’re not? I couldn’t tell. You say you have draft grades. Care to share your process for coming up with those?

  4. My son should be in the top five. Only problem is he just turned 8 a few days ago….but he’s already 5’0″ and 90 lbs. Big boy with a big arm. I’m predicting a Ben Roethlisberger type frame. Lollllll

  5. 1. Teddy Bridgewater
    2. Johnny Manziel
    3. Blake Bortles
    4. David Fales
    5. David Carr

    To be honest I haven’t watched as many games as I usually do on each of the QB prospects, but I feel I’ve watched enough(3-4 games of each) to be comfortable with that ranking. Bridgewater, Manziel, Bortles should go first round based on what I’ve seen. Fales is a second round guy and Carr is more late 2nd-early 3rd.

    1. If you draft a player in the 1st round, the expectations are that he will become a pro bowl player, although pro bowl status has become aq diluted honor over the years do to the many players who opt out of playing. Unfortunately, I don’t see any of these QBs as pro bowl quality, unless the talent level in this league falls of the cliff. Nick Foles is far better than 90% of these guys, and I cannot definitely select the other 10%. Teams may select a QB in round 1, but none of these guys is Andrew Luck, RGIII, Newton, etc

  6. 1. Teddy Bridgewater
    2. Blake Bortles
    3. Derek Carr
    4. Johnny Manziel
    5. Zach Mettenberger
    6. Jimmy Garoppolo
    7. AJ McCarron
    8. Tom Savage
    9. Aaron Murray
    10. Brett Smith

    There’s probably 2 or 3 more I’d rate ahead of Fales.

    Grant I’ll bet you a Nickel that Fales isn’t drafted before the 5th round.

      1. Bridgewater was the best QB I watched this year. He’s the most pro ready in my opinion as well.

        1. I agree. The pre-draft process has been unkind to him, but he looked the best on film that I’ve seen (though admittedly I’ve not spent much time on the QBs).

        2. Rocket i agree with you regarding Bridgewater. His accuracy is what blows me away. I watch 5 to 6 hours of college ball every saturday and plenty of weekday games also and Bridgewater was the best QB i saw all year. I also loved Fales for 2 years i’m just not sure of his arm strength and Bridgewater moves far better than Fales in and out of the pocket.

          1. His poise and understanding are far superior to the other guys on the list imo Coach. I couldn’t care less if his pro day wasn’t a shiny dog and pony show. When the kid is in a game he makes things happen.

            I’m not going to chastise anybody for liking Fales. He’s a good player. I just give Grant grief because he’s gone overboard on what will be a 3rd day pick and backup level QB at best, a year after he did the same thing with Tyler Wilson.

          2. Some team is going to be EXTREMELY lucky when TB falls to them.
            .
            Seems like one highly-touted QB drops significantly every year…TB gets that honor this year.
            .
            Prediction: JAX RND2
            .
            .
            .
            ~ALOHA~

            1. I’ve mentioned it before but didn’t get much of a response – if Bridgewater is there at #30 the 49ers should consider taking him.

              1. Or trading down.
                .
                If TB is there at #30, loads of teams will want that pick!
                .
                Baalke will be licking his chops if that happens…
                .
                .
                .
                ~ALOHA~

              2. Scooter,

                Value wise you are probably right, but what does that do to the QB dynamic? If Bridgewater is as good as we think he is, and Kap has a great contract year what do you do? As much as I like Bridgewater, having him sit for 4 years doesn’t seem like the best use of a 1st round pick to me.

                Robert,

                I’ll be surprised if TB gets out of the first, but if Jax gets him in the second it’ll be a steal.

              3. It gives them great options at QB, and confidence that if Kaep gets hurt they can still have someone come in and keep the team competitive.

                It also means that if Kaep doesn’t keep improving this year they have an option to replace him if they don’t feel comfortable giving an arm and a leg to keep Kaep.

                The 49ers are in a position of not having a heap of holes to fill, and 6 picks in the top 100. They can afford a luxury pick.

              4. You make a strong argument Scooter. I’d never have considered it previously but with the 6 picks in the first 3 rounds, when are they ever going to have a better opportunity to do it? It’ll come down to who is sitting there at WR and CB I think and whether they decide to jump up a few slots for a targeted player.

    1. Woah woah Rocket… no bet is worth that kind of money…think about the family. Let’s start at 2 pennies and some pocket lint.

  7. 1. Blake Bortles
    2. Teddy Bridgewater
    3. Jimmy Garoppolo
    4. David Fales
    T5. Tom Savage
    T5. Zach Mettenberger

    Bortles and Fales are the only two that I would consider drafting if I was a GM. This year’s QB crop bites overall.

    1. Why have Bridgewater and Garoppolo ahead of Fales if Bortles and Fales are the only ones you consider worth drafting?

      1. Grant asked for the top 5 QB prospects Scooter. He didn’t ask for the top 5 QB prospects that I would draft. Those are two separate rankings entirely.

        1. So there are two QBs you think are better than Fales but if you were a GM you wouldn’t draft them…? Sorry, I’m struggling to make sense of that. If you’d draft Fales and not the other two then you think Fales is the better prospect, surely? Why would you draft a guy ahead of two others you rate higher?

          1. Just because I don’t like them doesn’t mean that I think Fales is the better prospect or that I wouldn’t draft them Scooter. It’s just that a scenario or two would have to happen for me to do so. Bridgewater and Garappolo would have to take a tumble in the draft for me to consider drafting them, but I would hesitate if one was the BPA. I would rather take Bortles or Fales based on where they are expected to go, but I’m not against taking talent where I believe that it’s value should be.

            1. Right, there in lies the connecting piece I was missing. The comment about only two you would draft is based on where you think they will go. Gotcha.

  8. LOL! Not much love on here for The Texas Twister? Hahaha. He may be better than some think.
    Complaints on TB seem to be his slight frame and not-quite-powerful arm. Hmmm, Joe Cool was a skinny Barry Manilow Look-alike when he arrived in SF and the book on him was he didn’t throw the deep routes well.

    1. If you go back and look at Bradys’ Michigan tape, you’ll notice a lot of his balls were floaters…..

    2. Manziel has too many plays that he got away with in college whereas I think he would be crushed or sent flying at the next level. Plus his mechanics and character issues scare the heck out of me.

      1. What’s in the heart of Manziel is what excites me, and I’d draft him as my franchise starter if I was looking for one…..

        1. What’s in my heart is what excites me, and I’d love to see Cowboy, Aldon, Brooks, Willis, and Bowman lay him flat. Several times.

  9. My prediction was that Carr would be taken #1 overall and the Bridgewater is totally overrated. I don’t know if Carr goes #1. But I still think he’s the first QB taken.

  10. 1.) Johnny Manziel
    2.) Blake Bortles
    3.) David Carr
    4.) David Fales
    5.) Teddy Bridgewater

    — Manziel highly underrated, has all the talent and charisma to lead a team.
    — Bortles is the prototypical quarterback that will make a team drool early. Being said, I think his throwing mechanics need to be seriously adjusted. He’s overly compact at times, and in a variety of his throws you see him force throws.
    — Derek Carr is my dark horse (can’t really call him that) in the QB class. Has all the tools to succeed at the next level.
    — Nothing to suggest that Fales isn’t legit. He gets knocked for things that wind up being strengths. Classic example of how the draft docks a player from a weaker conference.
    –I like Bridgewater’s on-the-fly decisions, but not too excited about the rest. Seems bored at times. Will be a challenge for him to lead grown men.

    1. I like you Sean, we have similar cartoon faces and attitudes. Johnny Manziel plays against high caliber competition and has the best instincts by far of anyone. If the 49ers have him drop to them, I would go for it and keep Kaep on his toes. No complacency need for that position. I really want the DT from Minnesota or K. Benjamin WR as a first pick, but hey if something good comes along like Johnny, get him!

  11. We can only hope that there is a QB run ahead of our pick(s) because then some good players will fall into our lap – that is if we dont trade up to fill a position of need with a player the organisation loves like last year…

  12. Grant – My top 5 – who will have the better pro careers.

    1. Zach Mettenberger – Under the radar screen, NFL is still as passing league, played in big time competition.
    2. Jimmy Garappolo – The game is not too big for him. Has the it factor.
    3. A.J. McCarron – A lot of people will kick themselves for not drafting him.
    4. Tom Savage – Has all the measurables.
    5. Blake Bortles – Combination of Big Ben and Flacco

    1. There isn’t anything under the radar about Mettenberger. If he hadn’t been injured he’d be in the day 1 conversation.

  13. Grant, who do you think Harbaugh’s top 5 prospects are? Let’s assume he was telling the truth and Fales is indeed no his top 5 list. Is he at the bottom of a list including names like Bortles, Garoppolo etc or do you think his list includes the names that are more likely to be available to them when they are targeting a QB?

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