Ranking young quarterbacks, part II: Grant’s ranking

Earlier today I asked you to rank Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick in order of which QB you would most want to build an NFL team around. Here’s my ranking.

  1. Colin Kaepernick – Of these four quarterbacks, Kaepernick has the strongest arm. He’s not quite as athletic as Griffin, but Kaepernick is more athletic than Luck and Newton. Kaepernick can throw from the pocket or rolling to his right or left. He’s big and fast enough to carry the ball at least 10 times a game – not just scrambling, but running draws, sweeps and zone reads. He might be the most physically gifted quarterback I’ve ever seen. He’s a combination of Brett Favre’s arm and Terrell Owens’ body.
  2. Robert Griffin III – Griffin has a cannon and a quick release, and he’s the fastest quarterback in this group, but he’s also the smallest. He runs a lot of zone reads right now from the pistol formations, but he’s already sustained one concussion. He may not be big enough to consistently carry the football and take hits, as opposed to Kaepernick.
  3. Andrew Luck – Luck already plays like a 10-year veteran, and he’ going to get better, but he doesn’t have a rocket arm like Kaepernick and Griffin. I think those two quarterbacks will eventually pass Luck.
  4. Cam Newton – Compared to Luck, Newton is a little more elusive, and his passes have slightly more zip. But Newton has not been well coached, and that could hold him back from becoming an all-time great quarterback.

I’m not denigrating any of these quarterbacks. They’re all premier prospects.

Comments are closed.