Draft Needs: QB?

With the Miami Dolphins making the move this week to bench Chad Henne in favor of Chad Pennington it made many fans and media pundits question the reasoning of head coach Tony Sparano. Sparano made the statement,

"It’s not an indictment on his future. I do believe this player has gotten an awful lot better right now, certainly (has) come two-fold from where he was to where he is right now but at this particular time it’s something that I feel like I need to do for our football team."

Of course this is an indictment on his future. We were told that Henne was the QB of the future. We as fans hoped he would finally be the guy that brings Miami that franchise QB they have been missing since Dan Marino. With this move I seriously question that thought and now look to the 2011 draft at the prospects at QB that could be on Miami’s radar.

Andrew Luck | QB | Stanford | 6’4″ | 235 lbs– Luck is the crown jewel of this years QB class. More than likely he will be the top pick in the draft. Luck is a sophomore eligible player that could elect to stay in college, but I don’t think he can elevate his draft status any higher than it is now. He is the real deal, a solid pocket passer completing 68.7% of his passes and throwing 22 TD’s to only 6 interceptions. Luck also has enough mobility to get himself out of trouble with his legs. Projected round Top 5 pick

Jake Locker | QB | Washington | 6’3″ | 223 lbs– Locker may have made a mistake by not coming out this year. He will still be a first round pick, but Locker would have battled Bradford for the top pick in the draft. Locker is very athletic and still learning the pro style QB. His legs can get him out of trouble and he has a nice arm. he will need a little time to develop, but may have the most upside of any QB in the 2011 draft. Projected round Top 10 pick

Ryan Mallett | QB | Arkansas | 6’7″ | 238 lbs– Mallett is big with a big arm. He is a bit inconsistent but when he is on he is as good as any QB in the country. He is confident in his arm and sometimes will take chances when he shouldn’t. He can get away with that often at the NCAA level, but will need to learn to pick his chances better in the NFL. Mallett is not the most mobile of QB’s and doesn’t have the best mechanics, but in his three years his completion percentage has increased each year and he has thrown 56 TD’s to only 20 interceptions. Projected round 1-2

Christian Ponder | QB | Florida State | 6’3″ | 220 lbs– Ponder came into the 2010 season with hopes of a Heisman award. Unfortunately he has not lived up to the hype this year. Ponder lost his top receiver just before the season and has tried to make too many thing happen with a young receiving group and it has not paid off. Ponder is very athletic and extremely intelligent. Projected round 1-2

Nick Foles | QB | Arizona | 6’5″ | 235 lbs – Foles has all the tools and tremendous upside. He has put on a little weight and has a strong arm. The knock on him is he checks down too quick and questionable mechanics. He is probably not going to step in right away wherever he goes, but is a solid prospect. Projected round 2-3

Pat Delvin | QB | Delaware | 6’3″ | 220 lbs – Delvin has taken the same path as Flacco transferring from Penn State to Delaware, but he’s not the same prospect Flacco was. Delvin is tough as nails and athletic. He has a good arm, but not elite. Injuries have slowed him down a little this year, but should have a good combine and prodays and rate out fairly well. Projected round 2-3

Nathan Enderle | QB | Idaho | 6’5″ | 227 lbs – Enderle is a tough mobile QB. He doesn’t have the greatest arm strength and incoonsitsnat with his accuracy. He has thrown for 69 TD’s in his college career, but he has also thrown 56 picks. Projected round 3-4

Ricky Stanzi | QB | Iowa | 6’4″ | 225 lbs– Stanzi is an emotional leader with all the intangables. He has put up very good stats in his career completing around 60% of his passes and throwing for 51 TD’s and 28 picks. Unfortunatley his physical abilities don’t measure up to his leadership abilities, but in the right situation he could be a diamond in the rough. Projected round 3-4

Andy Dalton | QB | TCU | 6’3″ | 215 lbs – Dalton put up some lofty stats with the way TCU throws the ball around. Not the strongest arm and plays out of the shotgun. He will be a project at the NFL level.  Projected round 5-6

Robert Griffin | QB | Baylor | 6’2″ | 220 lbs – Griffin could be a sleeper in the 2011 draft if he decides to come out. he is unpolished but putting up solid numbers this year. Very athletic and seems to have a sense about him. he is completeing close to 65% of his passes and has thrown 39 TD’s to only 9 picks in his career. Projected round 5-6

There are more prospects that could be late round of undrafted picks, but if Miami feels they must invest in another QB in the next draft let’s hope the make the commitment to invest early.