Matt Bowen, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

Best landing spots for the 2017 NFL draft's top quarterbacks

NFL, NFL Draft, Clemson Tigers

Deshaun Watson is a national champion and a projected Day 1 pick in the NFL draft. But when we talk about future development, scheme and coaching at the next level, where is the ideal landing spot for the former Clemson star? Along with Watson, let's break down the best pro fits for quarterback prospects Mitchell Trubisky, DeShone Kizer, Patrick Mahomes and Brad Kaaya as NFL teams begin to finalize their draft boards.


Deshaun Watson, Clemson

The Player: At 6-foot-2, 221 pounds, Watson can beat you through the air, slice up defensive fronts with QB-designed runs and attack in the red zone. Watson is an upper-tier athlete (4.66-second 40) who displays the soft touch to get the ball over the top of the secondary and the anticipation to diagnose inside throwing windows. He is a true dual-threat player at the position who plays his best football on the big stage. We all watched the Clemson quarterback wear down that loaded Alabama defense in the College Football Playoff National Championship. And scouts love his toughness.

Watson threw for 41 touchdowns last season at Clemson. That's a big number. He also threw 17 interceptions. His decision-making needs to improve. We can see that on the tapes against Pitt and Florida State. Watson doesn't always read the entire field and sometimes gets tricked into poor throws by pre-snap defensive looks. Plus, coming from a spread scheme that was heavy in run-pass options (RPOs), there should be an expected transition period for Watson in the pros. But as with every quarterback, we have to focus the majority of the evaluation on the skill set. Watson has the talent, along with the unique intangibles, that sell at the position. This is a player I would love to coach. So which team/coaching staff would highlight Watson's ability the best?

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