What to Watch For on Day 1 of the NFL Draft
Who Will Draft Lamar Jackson?
Without a doubt, the most explosive athlete who will be selected on Day 1 is former Heisman winning quarterback Lamar Jackson. For context on that claim, the Louisville Cardinals quarterback combined for more total yards and touchdowns in 2017 than Michael Vick totaled in his entire college career.
He also posted 330 more rushing yards than Saquon Barkley did last year while passing for 1,848 yards more than Josh Allen did.
A sensational athlete with an NFL arm, Jackson is easily the most exciting dual-threat quarterback to enter the league since Vick, yet he is clearly viewed as a second-tier prospect behind the "big four" of Darnold, Rosen, Mayfield, and Allen.
In a league that seemingly values how a quarterback prospect looks -- i.e. big and tall -- rather than how they play, Jackson seemingly has more doubters in league circles than he has fans. Inconsistent ball placement, a small frame, and an average arm are certainly justifiable concerns, but the Louisville quarterback possesses a set of skills that could give defensive coordinators headaches.
In 2017, we saw Houston Texans coach Bill O'Brien rework his entire offense to fit the skill set of Deshaun Watson, a quarterback with similar concerns regarding accuracy and arm strength, and he far exceeded expectations.
The Philadelphia Eagles had great success implementing the now (in)famous run/pass option (RPOs) into their playbook to assist in the development of another mobile quarterback in Carson Wentz.
And of course, Cam Newton has thrived in Carolina Panthers despite accuracy issues in large part because the coaches have tailored offensive concepts to maximize his ability as a runner and his gifts as a passer, however limited.
But for all the success coaches have had catering their systems to unique skills sets, there is still extreme hesitation league wide to try to win in an unconventional way. The road to success is certainly paved with the failures of Robert Griffin III, Tim Tebow, and Vince Young.
The coaching staff that takes a chance on Jackson clearly will think he has the capacity for greatness. But will they have the creativity to allow the young prospect to flourish? If so, Jackson has the talent to be a generational type of prospect at the most important position in football.
Color me intrigued.
