Ranking the Top Developmental Quarterbacks in the NFL
By Jon Dove
5. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes was arbubally the most physically gifted quarterback in this year’s NFL draft. He has a huge arm, good athleticism and the ability to really move outside the pocket. His lack of polish means that we might not see him in the starter role for two years.
Mahomes comes out of Texas Tech’s Air-Raid offense which doesn’t feature NFL-style concepts. He took that spread attack to a new level with his wild and gun-slinger mentality. It’s going to take time for Mahomes to wrap his head around being an organized and controlled player.
Luckily, he has a chance to learn from Andy Reid and watch current starter Alex Smith. Reid has a long history of developing young and talented quarterbacks.
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6. Cardale Jones, Buffalo Bills
Cardale Jones has a rare combination of size, arm strength and athleticism. He flashed his potential in spurts during his time at Ohio State. However, his college tenure was erratic and did little to prepare him for the NFL.
He is now entering his 2nd year after getting one season of NFL coaching. The Buffalo Bills have Tyrod Taylor in place as the starter, but they don’t seem completely sold on his future. Jones will get his share of reps during OTAs, training camp and preseason.
This will be his opportunity to show the Bills he has starter potential or use it as an audition for another team.