Fantasy Football: An Early Look At The 2020 QBs (Part 1)
For NFL Draft enthusiasts and Dynasty fanatics, the 2019 Draft is in the rearview mirror. The players that were selected such as Marquise Brown, Kyler Murray, Josh Jacobs, etc. haven’t even entered their first official training camp yet, but that doesn’t stop the diehards from looking forward.
Some might say it’s too early to look at the 2020 Draft Class, but they would be wrong. If you have people around you saying that, ditch them. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life…
This 2020 Class has the potential to be special. There are some insanely talented players that are eligible for the NFL Draft in Las Vegas next year and it’s time to look ahead and get a grasp on who you should be watching this College Football season.
(Note: The players are listed below in no particular ranking order)
Tua Tagovailoa – Alabama Crimson Tide
Strengths: One of the most heralded quarterbacks in college football, Tua did special things on the field last season in that Alabama offense. He’s a proficient passer with incredible touch, poise, and accuracy while possessing enough arm strength to get the job done. He has great athleticism and size for the position and has an extremely high football IQ with his command of that Crimson Tide offense.
Only 23 seconds into the game and Tua Tagovailoa is already doing Tua Tagovailoa things. pic.twitter.com/a15VxeYGcL
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 13, 2018
Needs Improvement: Honestly, there’s not a whole lot to nitpick about Tua’s game. Tua does need to clean up his mechanics a little bit, as he relies on his upper body for a lot of his velocity instead of rotating through the lower body. You’re able to see him putting a ton of effort into his throws at times instead of relying on his mechanics to do most of the work for him. However, this is relatively easy to clean up and his injuries late last season may have played a role in this as well.
2019 Outlook: Tua should, once again, challenge for the Heisman trophy in 2019. The weapons at his disposal in Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Devonta Smith, etc. are going to play a huge part in that Alabama offense being so dynamic again this season. If Tua can stay healthy, he has a very good chance of being the #1 QB taken in the 2020 Draft.
Justin Herbert – Oregon Ducks
Strengths: When discussing Justin Herbert, his arm strength has to be one of the first things mentioned. He’s great throwing on the run and is a dual-threat with his athleticism. He possesses the size NFL franchises covet at 6’6″/230 pounds and would have most likely been a top-5 pick in this 2019 Draft if he had chosen to declare.
Already down by 10 points and facing 4th and 14, Oregon dialed up a deep post from the slot. Justin Herbert delivered an absolute strike. Goodness. pic.twitter.com/XVFCEgXe42
— Brad Kelly (@BradKelly17) April 23, 2019
Needs Improvement: Just like with Tua, there are some concerns mechanically with Herbert that I’d love to see ironed out this 2019 season. He has a tendency to throw from his back foot unnecessarily at times and this leads to some inaccuracy issues. He also has a tendency to lock onto his first read instead of quickly going through his progressions. This has to be ironed out in order for him to be successful in the NFL. However, all the traits are there to work with for a future NFL star.
2019 Outlook: The Ducks should be extremely thankful that Herbert chose to come back this season instead of declaring. If Herbert can help continue to push the Ducks and put up numbers similar to Tua’s, without the insane weapons at his disposal, Herbert could contend with Tua for the 1st QB taken.
Jake Fromm – Georgia Bulldogs
Strengths: With Fromm being at such a prominent school in the college football landscape, he’s on national tv regularly and viewers have had a lot of exposure already to the young QB. One of the things that pop off the screen with Fromm is his football intelligence. He’s a quick decision-maker and appears to have full control at the line of scrimmage. He’s accurate in the quick passing game and has incredible poise under pressure.
That’s a beautiful ball from Jake Fromm. pic.twitter.com/QlR1D6BmTh
— 360°FantasyFootball (@360FFB) January 9, 2018
Needs Improvement: Unfortunately, Fromm is lacking in traits compared to the other two QBs listed in this article. While Fromm is accurate and a quick decision-maker, he doesn’t have the cannon of an arm, touch or deep field accuracy that Tua or Herbert have. While he does have enough to get the job done, it’s not his strong suit.
2019 Outlook: If Fromm can take a step forward this season and bring his arm strength and deep field accuracy to another level, he could rise up in this conversation for best 2020 QB. Otherwise, Fromm is likely to be waiting a while the first night of the 2020 Draft in Las Vegas.