As the draft approaches NFL As of 2022 and teams finalize their quarterback rankings, I want to take a look at what makes the top quarterbacks stand out in this generation. No, it’s not as talented as the 2021 class, which had five first-round picks. But this is still an intriguing group, and I wouldn’t be surprised if one broke into the top five picks.
Let’s focus on the main traits of each of the top six quarterbacks in this class. From elite arm talent to a fast, compact throw to the ability to take full field reads, these quarterbacks have the critical factors needed to produce as starters in the NFL. That may not happen for all six in 2022, but each has something that teams love.
We’ll go in the order of consensus quarterback rankings with my colleagues from the draft of ESPN, highlighting what each player does best. Let’s start with a super-talented pitcher who needs some polishing, but has the skills to be a great player:
Height: 6 feet | Weight: 219 pounds
Consensus Rank: No. 1
Willis has the natural arm talent to attack all three levels of the field. He can make all the pitches. He had 12 touchdowns on throws of 20 or more passing yards last season. Willis can push him off the bag, attacking gaps in coverage 2, and he’ll tear the ball to the seams on long drives from midfield. He can really handle the ball on deep shots.
Expect a transition period for Willis as he settles into an NFL system, given what he was asked to run and execute at Liberty. However, he is a high-potential prospect who can be planned as a dual-threat quarterback. As Willis develops more pocket awareness through professional training, the ability to challenge opposing defenses with his arm remains a superior trait.
Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
Height: 6ft 3 | Weight: 217 pounds
Consensus Rank: No. 2
Pickett’s Best Trait: Ability to isolate and eliminate opponents with progressions
The videos show that Pickett has enough juice in his arm to throw third-tier pitches and hit smashing routes. She also lays the ball in level layers and has the movement abilities to escape and create off-plan plays. However, the main trait of him is his ability to make progressions, which allows him to deliver the ball with time and anticipation.
With experience throwing NFL-style route concepts and taking an aggressive approach to vertical passes, Pickett demonstrated the ability to read plays with speed and find the matchup or the open window.
Pickett needs to pitch earlier, and his tendency to get out of the bag will need to be addressed. But he made a big leap in production in 2021, when he threw 42 touchdown passes and had a top-10 QBR (81.2), and he has professional traits that fit the NFL’s passing game. Pickett has a chance to quickly become a starter.
Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
Height: 6ft 3 | Weight: 211 pounds
Consensus Rank: No. 3
Ridder’s Best Trait: balance and composure
Ridder is a rhythm and touch shooter who can generate speed when he needs it. He also has detailed and efficient footwork. He is clinic worthy when you study lower body mechanics. Still, it’s poise and composure, which coaches will tell you is a critical element of playing the position, that I focus on when I watch video of him. It’s that ability to move calmly and reset the launch window in the face of pressure. The eye level in the bag. The patience and awareness to work through your readings, while anticipating coverage gaps.
Ridder has a narrow frame, which means it will most likely be of situational use in the league. But he has the movement traits to attack the edge. His long throw and low arm angle will need to be corrected to improve and create a more consistent ball placement. However, with his style of play and demeanor, I see Ridder as an eventual starter in the planned passing game with play-action elements.
Matt Corral, Ole Miss
Height: 6ft 2 | Weight: 212 pounds
Consensus Rank: No. 4
Corral’s Best Feature: quick release and short to medium arm strength
Corral is a high-RPM pitcher by the numbers in the short-to-intermediate passing game. He’s a rhythm quarterback who can also shoot with touch at the third level, and he creates consistent opportunities for his receivers to produce after the catch. That’s where he delivers a “runner’s ball” at breakpoints — crossovers, shallows and over routes. Catch and go.
In Ole Miss’s offense, Corral wasn’t asked to work with consistent full-field reads, since pitches were defined by the concept of the game. He can improve by resetting his window in the pocket and shooting with better placement when he works to the edges. With that quick release and play-action, plus the competitiveness he brings running the ball, Corral can produce in a professional system that incorporates extended elements.
Sam Howell, North Carolina
Height: 6ft 1 | Weight: 218 pounds
Consensus Rank: No. 5
Howell’s best trait: aggressive mentality as a pitcher
Howell has the arm talent to attack down the middle of the field from inside or outside the pocket. He also has some ‘tochera’ tendencies in his game, as he seeks to create both as a running back and as a shooter on broken plays, with the ability to shoot the ball from various platforms. Howell can work with progressions, and looks for the third level early in his reads because of that aggressive mindset.
There are a few concerns about Howell on film, including his long shot, lower-body mechanics and inconsistent ball placement when called on to shoot second-tier speed. However, there’s the playmaking element, and I think Howell has quirks that can be used in an offense that relies on planned vertical shots outside of play-action.
Carson Strong, Nevada
Height: 6ft 3 | Weight: 226 pounds
Consensus Rank: No. 6
Strong’s Best Trait: momentum and speed
Strong has special traits as a pure caster. His arm strength increases and he has the ability to vary the speed of his throws. That allows him to fire lasers inside the numbers or deliver touch passes, dropping the ball over second-tier defenders. And he can challenge every area of the field. There are some big releases in the video from him, with Strong delivering the ball from multiple platforms. He can hammer it in the seams or take shots from the opposite side to attack coverage. That’s where we really see his ability to drive the ball, with speed.
Strong has had a couple of serious injuries to his right knee, so his medical records will be important to teams. And his loose style of play will create negative situations against professional defenses. With his lack of mobility, Strong projects as a pocket quarterback who can throw second- and third-tier pitches like a developmental prospect in an NFL system.
