ESPN NFL analyst Jon Gruden isn’t one to hold back on his opinions, and that’s no different when he gets a hold of the top quarterbacks entering every NFL draft on an annual basis. This Draft, there are no shortage of quarterbacks Gruden is working with in his “QB Camp” features for ESPN. However, he’s saved his most hyperbolic of statements for the fast-rising North Dakota State product, Carson Wentz.
“I think he’s the most NFL-ready quarterback that we’ve had in the last couple of years,” Gruden says in the Wentz feature, will air in April.
That’s some interesting company considering NFL starters like Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota this year, and Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr were also part of Gruden’s intensive film and physical camp segments.
Gruden isn’t alone in given Wentz high praise though, as NFL Network’s Mike Mayock has taken to comparing him to a more athletic version of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.
“When I look at him, I see a kid that’s as athletic or more athletic than Andrew Luck. He’s bigger than Andrew Luck. He’s got arm strength comparable to Andrew Luck. He just doesn’t have the experience that Andrew Luck had at a high level that Andrew had coming out of college. So I see a ceiling for this kid similar to Andrew Luck. That’s why I believe in this kid so much. But it’s going to take a little bit of time.”
Time may be the key question here, as plenty of mock drafts and experts believe Wentz is a prime target for the team at No. 2 in the draft — the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland has had a major shift at the quarterback position, ushering former first-round pick Johnny Manziel out and enterting the mix for a potential trade with the San Francisco 49ers for Colin Kaepernick as well.
Adding Wentz along with an established quarterback may be the route to go, giving Wentz time to learn the position and not be thrust to the wolves before he is ready.
For his part, Wentz only added to the hype with his performance at the NFL Combine. He finished second amongst all quarterbacks in the 40-yard dash (4.77) and broad jump, while also finishing third in the three-cone drill.
After missing on quarterback upon quarterback since returning to the NFL in 1999, can the Cleveland Browns finally catch lightning in a bottle? Or will they go elsewhere and address quarterback at some other time in the draft?
Either way, Wentz figures to be one of the first quarterbacks taken and the love-fest from both scouts and analysts isn’t going to hurt his draft status in the least.
