Daniel Jeremiah says Drew Lock is best Broncos QB since Peyton Manning

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Drew Lock is the best since the stud Hall of Famer Peyton Manning roamed the halls of Dove Valley.

NFL Network draft guru Daniel Jeremiah said he thinks the Denver Broncos’ rookie quarterback Drew Lock is the best and most talented QB to play in the Mile High City since the Sheriff himself, Peyton Manning.

It is easy to understand to see why Lock is viewed as the best QB Denver has had since Peyton Manning. Lock is the seventh quarterback to start for Denver since Peyton left. Maybe seven is a lucky number.

Based on arm talent, but all the intangibles that come with being a starting quarterback.

Not to mention a possible franchise quarterback based on his leadership qualities with his “Winter Soldier” arm.

Jeremiah came away from the Los Angeles Chargers and Broncos impressed with Lock. According to Jeremiah (in the podcast above), there was one throw Lock would like to have back. The throw being the pass that wound up in the hands of Chargers LB Denzel Perryman in the middle of the field.

In the entire game, Jeremiah mentioned how impressed he was to see Lock see make decisions pre-snap and post-snap. It is the most hope Jeremiah has had for the quarterback position in Denver since “The Sheriff” retired. As a matter of fact, Lock got a message from Peyton and his dad Archie after the game.

The NFL Network draft guru is preaching to the choir because Lock is an incredibly gifted quarterback with his arm and his athleticism is vastly underrated. Since Manning’s neck injury and then signing with Denver, the Broncos have not had a quarterback with a chip on his shoulder like Lock has. Before the 2019 NFL Draft began, Lock was widely regarded as a first-round quarterback. This leads us back to the words of Jeremiah.

Lock’s start was not the only eye-popping comment Jeremiah made. He mentioned that Lock was rated higher than New York Giants’ first-round quarterback Daniel Jones on his board. It was not surprising because many didn’t believe Jones would be picked inside the top 10. However, it was surprising when factoring in Jones being picked ahead of Lock.

We certainly do not know what the future holds for Drew Lock as a franchise quarterback in Denver. Yet, based on what we saw Sunday there’s a possibility they struck gold on something. Lock oozes the kind of leadership and swagger needed to win over teammates in the locker room. Before the game started, players were speaking glowingly about Lock’s presence on the field and behind the scenes.

Lock’s teammates aren’t idiots. They have all played football long enough to notice talent. However, this doesn’t mean immediate stardom. Lock still needs to show consistently that he is making the right reads pre and post-snap. The thumb injury Lock sustained was a blessing in disguise for him. It allowed him the opportunity to soak up more of the playbook and be better prepared for the moment that came last Sunday.

The true test of Lock’s ability to become a franchise quarterback lies in what happens when the other teams have more film on him and the steady work on his footwork. It does beg the question though — If Lock already showed a command to make hot route calls to Sutton and post-snap reads, it’s possible he can be ready for whatever teams throw his way, right? However, as a rookie, he will encounter his mistakes.

One thing is certain from watching the game Sunday, Drew Lock is the best quarterback Denver has had since Peyton Manning based on talent, athleticism, and leadership. Daniel Jeremiah said what we all were thinking on Sunday.