2011 NFL Draft Sleepers: All Underrated Team - Quarterback

by Matthew Fairburn on Apr 19, 2011 1:01 PM EDT in 2011 NFL Draft

Anyone can track down the stud players available in the first round of the NFL Draft. It takes a true eye for talent to track down the hidden gems in the middle and later rounds.

Nothing is more of an inexact science than the NFL Draft. Year in and year out first round prospects become forgotten, while late rounders blossom into the stars we watch on Sundays. So which players in the 2011 NFL Draft fit this mold

Here at Mockingthedraft.com we are going to put together a team of underrated prospects that have a chance to outperform their draft position. In order to be considered a sleeper, a player cannot be a consensus first round prospect, and must not be considered one of the top three to five players at his position.

Today we take a look at the quarterback position, perhaps the most difficult position to identify a sleeper prospect. However, even in this day and age of scouting, quality quarterbacks can still be found in the later rounds.

Quarterback - Nathan Enderle 6'4'' 240 - Idaho

In a deep and talented draft at the quarterback position, it is reasonable to believe that teams could find a diamond in the rough late in the draft.

One of the most underrated quarterbacks in the 2011 NFL Draft is Nathan Enderle of Idaho. Standing at 6'4'' tall, Enderle has tons of experience in a pro-style offense. A four year starter at Idaho, Enderle displayed solid arm strength and a quicker than average release. Meanwhile, his accuracy and decision making are adequate. His stats suffered a bit this season, which may have been due to effects from his 2009 shoulder injury.

A Chemistry and Pre Med major at Idaho, there is little doubt that Enderle will be able to absorb any playbook at the NFL level. He has all of the intangibles a team should look for in a middle round quarterback. Enderle has the size, arm strength, experience, intangibles, and accuracy. The only thing he lacks is a pedigree from a big time college football program. That shouldn't scare teams into passing on him in rounds 3-5.

Some other sleeper candidates at the quarterback position include T.J. Yates of UNC, Pat Devlin of Delaware, and Joshua Portis of California-PA. Who is your favorite sleeper quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft? Discuss.

Poll

Who the most underrated quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft?

Nathan Enderle

49 votes

Andy Dalton

71 votes

T.J. Yates

37 votes

Pat Devlin

34 votes

Other (Discuss in Comments)

23 votes

214 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 38 comments | Add comment | 0 recs |

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Comments

Enderle is horrible IMO

The guy plays slower than Mallet and makes worse decisions with the football than Locker. And that was vs WAC competition.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 19, 2011 1:15 PM EDT reply actions

I agree. I had the privelege of watching Idaho play Nevada

Enderlee made a few impressive throws, but Dontay Moch was all over him. On the other hand, Kaepernick impressed the hell out of me. People say he runs too much, but from what I saw, he was looking to pass first and rarely ran when a receiver was open. To me, Kaepernick is the sleeper.

Dear Theo, please trade Crawford, Salty, Lackey, and Jacoby for nothing.
Anyone stupid enough to take those contracts can have them.

by LesterJohn on Apr 19, 2011 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Level playing field?

I mean with the talk of Kaepernick being the #1 QB on some teams boards, shouldn’t he stand out against Idaho? Did he stand out to you at the Senior Bowl? To me, the Senior Bowl exposed his run first mentality.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 19, 2011 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Run first mentality

happens at times when you don’t have any familiarity with the offense.

by Ewdtrey on Apr 19, 2011 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions

But he was the only QB to do that at the senior bowl

I mean he literally looked at his first read, saw he wasn’t open and bolted.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 19, 2011 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

He was also

the best runner. And I don’t seem to remember him running that often. He rushed 4 times and I believe 2 of those were planned runs and one was due to immediate pressure.

by Ewdtrey on Apr 19, 2011 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions

+1

If hip hop is dead, then it happened the day that Dilla died.
-Akrobatik

by Bestjagfan on Apr 19, 2011 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions

out of how many snaps?

And if he had immediate pressure, he should have recognized it and alerted his hot route.

Obviously we have conflicting opinions. I just don’t buy Kaepernick as an NFL QB.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 19, 2011 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Hots are for

blitzes, not for a OL mistake. Not to mention we have no idea how many hots were built in in one week.

by Ewdtrey on Apr 19, 2011 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions

And we don't know if it was an OL mistake

What we do know is that Kaepernick is a developmental project. He has issues with his mechanics, he has issues with his footwork, and he has absolutely zero experience with anything remotely close to an NFL style offense.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 19, 2011 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions

His arm motion

is a little funny, but it doesn’t bother me really because it’s fair quick and high. His feet do need a lot of work, but that’s more of the defense he was coming from rather than what he has the ability to do.
As for knowing what he needs to do for the NFL, just watch him in a 2 min drill he usually throws NFL pass after NFL pass. He’s really good at hitting that honey hole in a cover 2 and those deep outs.

by Ewdtrey on Apr 20, 2011 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions

In your opinion, will Kaep be a "franchise QB" in the NFL?

How long before he can be an impact player?

IMO Kaepernick will not be a franchise QB. On average 12 QB’s are drafted each year. Of those 12, maybe 2 turn out to be servicable starters. I do not see Kaepernick being one. He’s a fine athlete and a great kid, but I just do not believe he has the skill to be an effective NFL QB.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 20, 2011 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions

I saw the same thing

And I am equally concerned about him as you are.

by Ravens One on Apr 20, 2011 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions

By winning the poll, don't they actually

lose the poll?

The whole problem with the world is that fools & fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. ~ Bertrand Russell

by SagehenMacGyver47 on Apr 19, 2011 1:23 PM EDT reply actions

Lol

by Ravens One on Apr 19, 2011 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Heh. Not really. Winning the poll means you’re underrated. Losing the poll means you suck.

Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.
Citi Field loves the mets so much it smothers them. -the caveman

by WhyBillsWhy on Apr 19, 2011 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Andy Dalton is no longer underrated when Peter King has him as a top-ten caliber player.

Personally, I like TJ Yates out of those names.

If I had a nickel for every time the Eagles won the Super Bowl, I would have zero nickels

by Creasy729 on Apr 19, 2011 2:46 PM EDT reply actions

Agreed

With recent talk of him sneaking into the 1st round, I’d say Dalton might be a tad overrated.
I voted for Yates too.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 19, 2011 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

My Favorite sleeper

Tyrod Taylor is a player not being discussed at all here at MTD or anywhere else. Some of Taylor’s accomplishments.

2010 ACC Player of the Year
2010 ACC Offensive Player of the Year
2010 ACC Championship Game MVP
2008 ACC Championship Game MVP

Tyrod Taylor throws the football better than Devlin, Stanzi, Dalton, Yates, Kaepernick, Locker and possibly Christian Ponder. His 44 career touchdown passes is four more than Blaine Gabbert’s. Taylor also rushed for 2,200 yds. and 23 TD’s. In the right situation, under the right coaching staff, Taylor could have a good NFL career at QB. All that’s needed is opportunity.

by Ravens One on Apr 19, 2011 3:02 PM EDT reply actions

My only problem with

Taylor is inability to be a true pocket passer and his lack of height.

by Ewdtrey on Apr 19, 2011 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Thank you for bringing that up

Drew Brees and Micheal Vick? Scheme fit is the key. If the QB has pocket mobility and throwing lanes designed into the offense, they can be effective. I am not saying that Tyrod Taylor is either player potentiallly just that QB’s under 6" 2" can play in the league.

by Ravens One on Apr 19, 2011 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah they can play

I just think it severely hinders them. Another thing you have to notice is that even those players are int prone when opposing defenses know which throwing lanes to fill. Brees threw 22 int’s last year(And a lot more tipped passes) which may seem like an aberration, but really 09 was. He usually throws about 15 a season even in the season he only played 11 games.
Vick right now is a 1 year wonder again. Played lights out early on, but down the stretch he really started to tail off.
Yeah these guys are still good, but they are the exceptions to the rule and they still have their faults. On average shorter QB’s just don’t play as well as tall QB’s.

by Ewdtrey on Apr 19, 2011 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Jeff Garcia made a decent living

Fran Tarkenton is in the HOF. Brett Favre is only 6’2". Two of the more “pro ready” QB’s in this draft are around 6’2" (Ponder, Dalton). It helps to be 6’4", but there have been successful QB’s that were 6’2" and under.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 19, 2011 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

First

there is a big difference between being just short of 6’1" and being a full 6’2". Just look at the stats, using the 6’2" height as a line of demarcation.

by Ewdtrey on Apr 20, 2011 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Donovan McNabb
Steve Young
Joe Montana
Kurt Warner
Aaron Rogers

All 6’2" or under. All have played in at least one super bowl. All but one has won at least one super bowl.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 20, 2011 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions

All were much better QBs than Taylor in college and were better prospects

Well, I can’t say that about Warner. But you are talking about top QB prospects here. I think you would need to compare Taylor to other small, athletic, late round QB prospects. Like Kordell Stewart.

"Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun."

by ct17 on Apr 20, 2011 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Stewart was a 2nd rounder

But ya add him to the list. I’m just making a point that QB’s 6’2" and under CAN make a living. I didn’t even mention the best QB ever under 6’0", but we might as well add Flutie to the mix.

The ideal height for a QB for me would be 6’4" (6’5" at the tallest). I think Mallet is too tall at 6’7"(he’s going to be a human bulls eye). But, there is evidence to support that shorter QB’s can make it all’s I’m saying.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 21, 2011 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions

I can't believe Stewart was a 2nd rounder

Then again, it’s hard to believe Colorado once had a serious football program.

"Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun."

by ct17 on Apr 22, 2011 12:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Boom!

I could not have said it any better NMVike.

by Ravens One on Apr 20, 2011 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions

I am starting to agree with you Ravens1

Tyrod could surprise.

"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."

by NMVike on Apr 19, 2011 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I'll give you this

he is underrated over all.

by Ewdtrey on Apr 20, 2011 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions

I think TJ Yates

is the most underrated, but I also think Enderle will have the most value if he goes where most mocks have him. In other words I think Enderle is a better player than Yates, but Yates is more underrated because of how lowly he’s rated.

by Ewdtrey on Apr 19, 2011 5:00 PM EDT reply actions

Yates.

I gave him a similar rating to McElroy, Stanzi and Dalton.

Pats Pulpit | @Follow Me On Twitter

by Richard Hill on Apr 19, 2011 7:22 PM EDT reply actions

I like the list

Enderle, Yates, and Portis are the 6th/7th round guys that have the most potential. I love Enderle’s release. Portis has a great arm. Yates looks very polished.

"Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun."

by ct17 on Apr 20, 2011 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Portis

would have to get developed A LOT. That team he was on was a run first and last team. His level of competition was extremely weak. But like you said he does have the arm and physical ability. But as of recently, most of those guys like Portis that need lots of development but all the tools have not fared very well. Ryan Perilloux, Jarrett Brown, Thaddeus Lewis, Nate Davis

by Ewdtrey on Apr 20, 2011 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions

That's why he is a late 7th rounder

"Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun."

by ct17 on Apr 20, 2011 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions

There are certainly some flaws in Enderle's game.

Which is why he is going to be available later. Let’s consider the team he played on however. He carried Idaho for four seasons, and has physical tools with which to work.

Tyrod Taylor is not cut out for the NFL in my opinion. His height and lack of pocket presence concern me. Sure he put up solid numbers, but he is not on the same level as Drew Brees. Taylor doesn’t have the accuracy of Brees nor the athleticism of Vick. He has upside, but I wouldn’t bank on him being anymore than a backup.

Yates is certainly a career backup and Portis will need a significant amount of grooming.

Thanks for all of the feedback guys. Stay tuned for the running back edition tomorrow!