So you aren't happy with your QB?

Mr. Bill Fredericks provides a good segway for me to introduce you to my (current) QB rankings of draft eligible players next year. Who will Vikings faithful fans look to save their franchise? Maybe one of these guys?

#1a - Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M)

Post-Heisman and throughout the summer, Manziel has done nothing but torpedo his draft stock. That said, his off-the-field problems are now more of an afterthought, and will be tabled until pre-draft talk in January. The reason for the change in the headlines is due to his play against top level SEC defenses. Who have had the whole offseason to prepare for Manziel, and to his credit, he has made them look foolish. While most publications mention his small stature and absolutely silly elusiveness, his canon of an arm is the real deal.

#1b - Zach Mettenberger (LSU)

Mettenberger is the definition of arm talent, effortlessly throwing all NFL required routes with ease. At 6-5/230 he is the prototypical pocket-passer that checks all the boxes. The one knock on him, is his soon-to-be "one year wonder" tag he will be given at the end of the year. He plays the same elite SEC defenses as Manziel, but is a part of a balanced offense that doesn't always showcase his abilities. Looking into my crystal ball, I see the debate over Mettenberger and Manziel, as this year's version of Luck or RG3.

#3 - Teddy Bridgewater (Louisville)

ESPN loves Teddy Bridgewater, and it irritates me. I've seen three Cardinal games, where the presumptive 'best draft eligible QB', has done nothing to wow me. Much like many college QBs, his stat line is inflated by a conservative game plan, and protected by playing shitty college defenses. Sure he makes the occasional good throw; he's fully capable of doing so. But ESPN shows the same highlight over-and-over again, trying to make America tune in... I get irritated. I might be wrong, but I don't see a sure-fire franchise QB.

#4 - Derek Carr (Fresno State)

Brother of former first overall pick David Carr, Derek Carr is insanely underrated. He doesn't get the pub that he deserves, and I could make an argument that he is the most NFL ready QB in this draft. Carr's decision making and field vision alone warrant a 1st round consideration. Pile on a solid arm and intangibles that GMs and coaches desire; he is an extremely safe 1st round pick. The not-so-great on Carr is the not-so-talented schedule, and an offensive scheme change that limits his downfield throws.

#5a - Marcus Mariota (Oregon)

To me, Mariota is the great unknown. There is a lot of hype going around with Mariota, and I respect those that speak highly of him. That said, he plays for a spread read-option offense that loves to use misdirection to fool terrible PAC-12 defenses. Continuing with the criticisms, the talent and dynamic nature of the Duck offense does not allow less-talented opponents from playing aggressive. Overall, I have my doubts about how his abilities would translate to the NFL game, and those same doubts would continue if he were to reunite with Chip Kelly. Sadly, based off all of the aforementioned, he likely won't get the opportunity to show me differently.

#5b - Brett Hundley (UCLA) 

About mid-to-late September, Hundley was mentioned as a possible top 3 QB in the upcoming draft. Today, that has been silenced. He lacks consistency and good judgement, which is never good... but his raw athletic capability and random glimpses of talent are hard to ignore. That said, he NEEDS another year at UCLA to refine his game. His offensive scheme has it's fair share of option-read elements and a lot of shotgun/pistol looks, which are more gimmicky against NFL defenses. I see some Colin Kaepernick in his game, but he is light-years from being anywhere close to that.

Bonus - Chuckie Keaton (Utah State)

Think Russell Wilson stature and football game, that's Chuckie Keaton. He is a junior and because of a season ending knee injury, he likely won't opt for the draft. That said, if he did...

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As of today, Mariota and Hundley are borderline 1st rounders, but moreso because of their athleticism and not much else. Considering the wealth of talent at QB, I would hope that both of these guys return for their redshirt junior seasons. To me Manziel, Mettenberger, Bridgewater, and Carr are all first rounders. Sure it's October, but reference back to this post in January and again in during the draft... my confidence level on these four QBs as the cream of the crop is pretty high. In short, I think I'm smarter than all those other yahoos.