Draft season never ends. Although the lights have turned off at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago and the lectern has been put away, teams are already setting their boards. With that in mind, Mark Schofield has an early look at the top QBs in the 2016 NFL draft.
John Robertson – Villanova
Carson Wentz is not the only FCS-level quarterback with a potential professional career ahead of him. Villanova’s John Robertson was an offensive force for the Wildcats in 2014, and for his efforts he was awarded the Walter Payton Award as the best player in the Football Championship Subdivision. The QB passed for 2,846 yards and 35 touchdowns, against only three interceptions, while running for 1,078 yards and 11 touchdowns. Robertson guided Villanova to a 10-2 record in the regular season, with its only losses coming by a combined two points. The Wildcats earned a first-round bye in the FCS playoffs, but were eliminated by Sam Houston in the quarterfinals, in a game Robertson did not start after suffering a concussion the previous week.
The rising senior is a tremendous athlete, who plays with great quickness and strength for the quarterback position. As his statistics indicate, he is a true dual-threat quarterback, and is perhaps more dangerous with his feet than with his arm. He rushed for more than 100 yards in five of Villanova’s games, including 115 yards on a season-high 34 carries against Syracuse in August. His athleticism and ability to throw while on the move makes him a very dangerous player on the edges:
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On this play, Syracuse brings pressure and Robertson is flushed to his right. Unfazed, he keeps his eyes downfield scanning for a target and then delivers a strong and accurate throw to his wide receiver along the sideline for a solid gain and a first down. This is a tremendous play from snap-to-finish from the QB.
Robertson will face questions about his ability to win from the pocket in an NFL offense, but he is an extremely talented athlete and a big-play threat on every snap. Continued growth in the downfield passing game will help Robertson in the eyes of NFL scouts and coaches, and he has the potential to hear his name called in the 2016 draft.
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