NFL Draft preview: Quarterbacks draw the attention

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS
Joe Burrow, left, and Tua Tagovailoa are considered franchise quarterbacks.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS

Joe Burrow, left, and Tua Tagovailoa are considered franchise quarterbacks.

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert flashed two-way ability as a passer and runner late in the season.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert flashed two-way ability as a passer and runner late in the season.

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Quarterback is the position that creates the most excitement, controversy and debate.

Every year, the draft is dominated by teams trying to find the next Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees or Patrick Mahomes.

In four of the past five years, teams have invested the first overall pick to find their face of the franchise. In 2015, it was Jameis Winston, followed by Jared Goff (2016), Baker Mayfield (2018) and Kyler Murray (2019). Oh, the year that a quarterback wasn’t taken first overall (2017)? That draft yielded Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.

This year’s search for the star will center on LSU’s Joe Burrow and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa.

Burrow won the Heisman Trophy and capped a perfect season with a victory over Clemson in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

Tagovailoa, who was considered a superior prospect to Burrow before the season, saw his year and college career brick-walled when he dislocated his hip against Mississippi State on Nov. 16.

That allowed Burrow a clear path to the top, where he’ll likely be picked by the Cincinnati Bengals when the first round commences April 23.

“It’s like somebody this season, before the season started, reached out to Joe Burrow, touched him on the head, anointed him and (said), ‘You’re going to be the epitome of perfection’,” a former long-time NFL scout told the Star-Advertiser on the condition of anonymity.

The scout, as well as ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay, gave Burrow a middle- to late-round grade heading into the season.

“I’ve never seen a transition like that,” the scout said.

Tagovailoa shouldn’t have to wait long, especially with a pair of quarterback-needy teams at Nos. 5 (Dolphins) and 6 (Chargers). And don’t count out New England at No. 23.

The second tier of QBs also could find their place in the first round.

Oregon’s Justin Herbert, who was never unleashed in college, has a big arm with even bigger potential.

Utah State’s Jordan Love has been called a poor man’s Patrick Mahomes.

Washington’s Jacob Eason stands 6 feet 6, weighs 231 pounds and might have the draft’s best arm.

NFL Draft Positional Preview by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd