9. Christian Hackenberg – Penn State
This is about a low as you’re going to see Hackenberg rated anywhere. Still, I’m not a fan of college quarterbacks who get all the playing time in the world, but never seem to really produce out there on the field. I get why people can fall in love with the Nittany Lion quarterback, but it’s all fools gold.
There are serious concerns about his accuracy and ability to perform under pressure. He has all of the tools to be successful at the next level, but the question of why he couldn’t really produce at Penn State plagues me.
There were too many games where he just looked entirely out of sync with his offense. Granted, he didn’t receive quality pass protection in college, but I want to see a guy with NFL talent overcome those sorts of deficiencies. Hackenberg never seemed to quite get over the hump in Happy Valley.
Still, he’ll get every opportunity to succeed at the next level. He’s the ideal size for a professional quarterback, and really looks the part of a prototypical signal caller in the NFL. That alone will get him drafted way too early.
If he’s put the right situation, he might find a coach/mentor who can help him put his physical skills to use. He’s a boom or bust prospect, and I’m betting on the latter.
Next: 8. Jacoby Brissett