2018 NFL Draft: Who are the top five quarterbacks?

Sam Darnold came into this season as the consensus No. 1 quarterback. In the 2017 Rose Bowl, Darnold wowed fans with tight window throws and amazing pitches to the back of the end zone.

Darnold showed fans that he has the, “It factor.”

The 2017 season was a little more up and down, but Darnold still showed glimpses of why teams had him at the top of their board. He’s a big and accurate passer. He has good height at 6’3.375″ and he’s a sturdy weight at around 221 pounds.

His intermediate accuracy was off the charts, as well as his accuracy on short passes. Darnold had good deep ball accuracy, although he didn’t go to it as much as some of the other quarterbacks on this list.

Darnold’s mental attributes are what really set him apart. He has what appears to be a very high spatial intelligence with the ability to see the whole field. Darnold also throws with great anticipation, especially on deep routes over the middle.

Darnold has a couple of flaws that are concerning. Teams don’t love the way he releases the ball. He tends to straighten his elbow at the top of his stride causing an elongated release. It doesn’t seem to slow his release down, but teams will give him a negative mark for it.

Ball protection is also an issue. He had 13 interceptions and nine lost fumbles during the 2017 season alone.

Must Read: Key strengths and weaknesses for Sam Darnold

At the end of the day, Sam Darnold’s positives way outweigh his negatives—which is why half the league has him as their QB1 in the 2018 NFL Draft.