Should the Denver Broncos be evaluating Lamar Jackson?
By Andrew Wade
Conclusion
Analytics are not the sole way to evaluate a football prospect. There are many other pieces that go into the evaluation, such as how do the players project to the NFL. The infatuation with Josh Allen can be confusing for data buffs because of this.
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Throughout the draft process, there have been five quarterbacks consistently mocked in the 1st round. Allen, Rosen, Mayfield, and Darnold are all generally thought of as top five draft picks. Lamar Jackson is viewed as a mid to late round prospect for a team willing to develop him.
Case in point, the Denver Broncos have not been linked to Lamar Jackson once. They have been doing their due diligence on all “Top” quarterbacks, but not Jackson.
All of the prospects have concerns, but it seems as if Jackson’s concerns are being accentuated in light of evidence supporting the opposite. Jackson does need work as a passer, but he is not as far behind as most think.
He does need to put on more weight to his frame, and he needs to improve on his overall accuracy. When he is accurate though, his placement is phenomenal meaning he is putting the ball in the perfect spot for the wideout.
Although I’m not sure why Elway hasn’t spent time scouting Lamar Jackson, the team that ultimately pulls the trigger will be getting a great QB prospect. One could argue, a QB prospect with less work and a higher ceiling than other top prospects.
We will find out in a week who Denver decides to select. Based on these analytics my QB rankings are Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen, Lamar Jackson, Sam Darnold, and then Josh Allen. What will Elway decide on Thursday night?