The 2016 NFL Draft is over five months away, but the hype is building for the quarterbacks in that class. The quarterback position is the most high profile in football, and so when there are intriguing talents in the coming draft, the hype train will go a little crazy.
This weekend, Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch will be traveling south to face the University of Houston at 4 p.m. PT on Saturday. We'll have an open thread for the Saturday college action, but I came across a link I wanted to share. NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein is headed to the game, and took a look at some film in advance of the game. This is only one person's opinion of some of Lynch's film, but as we prepare to get to know more of these quarterbacks, I figure it is worth adding into the mix.
Over the next five months, we'll be providing all sorts of breakdown of the various quarterback prospects. There is no guarantee the 49ers draft a QB this year, but with Colin Kaepernick seemingly on the way out, the 49ers will be viewed by most as one of the team's honing in on a quarterback next April.
The hype on Lynch has gotten pretty intense, and while Zierlein is not quite as overwhelmed as some, he does like what he sees. In reviewing the film, Zierlein saw a guy with the necessary size and speed to play the position. He likes what he does in the Memphis scheme, discussing how it is more than just easy spread throws. He also likes Lynch's pocket poise.
On the other hand, Zierlein is concerned about Lynch's accuracy on the move, and also his overall arm strength. He sees it as being inconsistent. And as would be expected, he raises the issue of level of competition. Memphis plays in the western division of the American Athletic Conference, which is not exactly bustling with a lot of NFL-caliber talent. That being said, it's not like he would be the first smaller conference quarterback to find success in the NFL.
Zierlein will be in attendance at the Houston-Memphis game on Saturday, so you can track his observations on Twitter. The game is at 4 p.m. PT on ESPN2, so feel free to give it a watch if you want to check out a QB prospect who will be in the thick of draft discussion between now and April.