2018 NFL Draft QB stock report – Week 11: Baker Mayfield a first round talent?
By Conor Dorney
Mason Rudolph
QB, Oklahoma State
Rudolph and the Cowboys were on the losing end of Baker Mayfield’s magical performance in Week 10, but the Oklahoma State quarterback still managed to throw for 448 yards and five touchdowns.
With 27 passing touchdowns on the season, Rudolph will likely eclipse his single-season career high of 28 this weekend against Iowa State, but accuracy is the reason I have the Cowboys’ quarterback sliding in this week’s stock report.
Rudolph now has had two consecutive weeks with a sub-60 percent completion percentage (63.3 percent overall in 2017) and will face a Cyclones team that has already taken down two top-five opponents this season.
As I’ve said plenty of times before, Rudolph’s physicality and durability have never been a question but he continues to struggle with placement and accuracy on deep balls and throws to the numbers, which will be a key to his success at the next level. Oklahoma State oozes NFL talent on the offensive side of the ball, with receivers Marcell Ateman and James Washington accounting for a huge number of the Cowboys’ explosive plays.
Too often, however, they are needing to bail out Rudolph on tough throws or adjusting their routes on deep balls. For myself or NFL scouts to feel comfortable putting him in the first round conversation, Rudolph will need to be much more consistent in this aspect. To be a great quarterback at the NFL level, you need to be able to hit the home run ball with regularity and have the ability to throw guys open, which I simply haven’t seen with enough consistency out of Mason Rudolph.
Deep ball accuracy and a lack of mobility in the pocket are the main reasons I don’t see Rudolph as having as high of a ceiling as some of the other quarterbacks on this list, but he still will have plenty more chances to impress scouts as Oklahoma State heads towards the postseason.