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It's no secret that this year's draft class is weak, especially at the quarterback position. That assessment is, obviously, based solely on college observations, but there seems to be a lack of confidence in this year's quarterback class to perform at a high level in the NFL.
Consider what Gil Brandt told Peter King of SI.com.
"I think if Ryan Tannehill were in this draft, he'd be the top pick," Brandt told King on Monday. "And he was [eighth] last year."
To be fair, I'm not sure Tannehill would have been rated above Geno Smith based on his college performance, but the early returns the Dolphins have seen in regard to Tannehill have been positive. Based on Tannehill's transition to the pro game, it's hard to argue against Brandt's assessment.
The value in this year's quarterback class is in the second and third rounds. If Geno Smith is picked early, he'll drive up the value of Matt Barkley, and that could trigger a run on quarterbacks in the second round, making it nearly impossible to get great value at the position. For many teams, it may be better to wait another year and fill their quarterback openings with stop-gap players.
