Depending on who you talk to, the 2014 quarterback class is rather exciting or just full of question marks. There are at least five teams that are starving for quarterback talent: Houston (pick one), Jacksonville (pick three), Cleveland (pick 
four), Oakland (pick five), and Minnesota (pick eight). The NFL team needs and your dynasty team needs sometimes don’t exactly mimic each other. Let’s take a quick look at my top seven rookie quarterbacks.
1. Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville
Despite the poor performance on his pro day, I have Bridgewater as my number one quarterback. He is calm, cool, and collected in the pocket. Makes good decisions, can use his feet when he needs to, and doesn’t turn over the football. Sure his deep ball accuracy isn’t a strong suit, but he can make any throw within 20 yards of the line of scrimmage. Bridgewater isn’t exciting, but he is as safe as you can find in this year’s class.
2. Johnny Manziel, Texas A
Talk about a wild child! This man has cat-like reflexes and a strong arm, even when throwing off-balance. Manziel can win and lose a game three or four times in the same quarter with his risk taking athleticism. He is unpredictable, but a gifted and inspired leader. I wouldn’t want him as my dynasty QB1, but I would be happy to have him backing up a Peyton Manning or a Tom Brady. He is the huge risk, huge reward guy in this year’s draft.
3. Blake Bortles, Central Florida
The physicality is there with this quarterback as he stands 6’ 5” 235 lbs and is built to take punishment, unlike most of his quarterback class. Bortles has a good, accurate arm and makes good decisions while moving around in the pocket. He is a bit more mobile than he lets on. The quarterback has some sloppy footwork and doesn’t stand out throwing the ball deep. Draft him for quarterback depth and watch him mature.
4. Derrick Carr, Fresno State
He is the brother of former first round pick David Carr. Carr possesses the same athleticism and strong arm of his brother. He is a student of the game and a natural leader. The signal caller played most of his career in the shotgun and struggled against better competition, including a bowl game versus the downtrodden USC. Unlike the three quarterbacks before him, Carr would be better off working on his game before starting in the NFL.
5. Jimmy Garoppolo, East Illinois
The senior quarterback showed enough at the Shrine Game to get a Senior Bowl invite. Garoppolo uses his good vision to find open receivers and make quick decisions. He won’t overwhelm you with his arm strength and played in mostly spread, shotgun formations in college. Garoppolo, despite his meteoric rise, needs seasoning before he will be ready to play on Sundays.
6. AJ McCarron, Alabama
All he does is win championships, but was it his efforts or the great college teams he got to lead? The quarterback makes good decisions with timing and accuracy, but does not have an elite bone in his body. McCarron does not have a strong arm and is more of an offensive caretaker which would make him a good backup quarterback.
7. Zach Mettenberger, LSU
His good pro day and his quick recovery from injury boosted him above Tajh Boyd in my rankings. The quarterback is strong enough to stand in the pocket, take the pressure, and lets his receivers run to the ball. Mettenberger has a cannon for an arm, and places the ball accurately for his receivers. He is a bit stiff as an athlete, doesn’t feel pressure well, and is coming off a torn ACL in December. The quarterback does have a checkered past with alcohol/drugs and judgment with the women that occurred a few years ago.
If you have further questions or comments, you can contact via Twitter @AndrewMiley or @Dynasty_Blitz.
