Fernando Mendoza will be the No. 1 pick (Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty)
By Mark Eckel
If you're a NFL team hoping the draft can boost your passing game either though the quarterback or the wide receiver position you have come to the wrong draft.
At quarterback there is Heisman Trophy winner and National Champion Fernando Mendoza, of Indiana and . . .
"That's it,'' a long-time personnel man said. "And I'm not even that crazy about (Mendoza). He's good, but he's not game changing. The rest of them just aren't good at all. I mean I wouldn't take any of them. And we're not going to any of them.''
The "rest of them'' includes Alabama Ty Simpson, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and Miami's Carson Beck to name just a few.
"This is the shallowest group of quarterbacks that I can remember.'' a long-time scout with a couple of Super Bowl rings said.
The 2013 draft which featured E.J. Manuel, as the only first-round pick, followed by Geno Smith (2nd round), Mike Glennon (3rd) and Matt Barkley (4th), was mentioned.
"Yeah that was really bad,'' the scout said. "But this one isn't much better. I like Mendoza and I think he'll do well so it puts it ahead of (2013). And listen, one of those other guys might get with the right team and the right coach and turn out better than we think. But I wouldn't gamble on it.
"People talk abut Simpson and maybe him going first round. I hope he goes first round. I hope (our division rival) takes him.''
It's not much better at wide receiver where Ohio State's Carnell Tate is at the top of the list and is expected to be among the first 10 selections in the first round.
"He's a good player,'' the personnel guy said. "But he wasn't even the No. 1 receiver (at Ohio State). Any other year he would be a guy that would sneak into the bottom of the first round. Now this year he's top 10.''
Arizona State's Jordan Tyson is second to Tate with Southern Cal's Makai Lemon, Washington's Denzel Boston and Texas A&M's K.C. Concepcion are also considered first-round possibilities.
"All of those guys any other year would be Day 2 guys,'' the scout said. "But because of how this draft is they could go first (round). I don't see any of them becoming No. 1 (receivers).''
It's not a whole lot better at tight end where Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq has gotten a lot of media hype and is considered the lone first-round pick at the position.
"Yeah. He's the best of them,'' the scout said. "He's a good athlete. He's going to go first round, because 32 players are going to go first round. But he doesn't have a first-round grade on him, not from us anyway.''
The personnel man took it a step further.
"You hear all about (Sadiq), and then you watch him and you're not that impressed,'' he said. "To be honest I like (Eli) Stowers from Vanderbilt a little better.''
The Packers Perspective: Lots of mocks have the Packers taking a QB late. It would be a wasted pick. None of who would be there would be able to be QB 2 next year or likely be even better than Kyle McCord, who was a 6th round pick last year by Philadelphia.
The only way the Packers take a wide receiver would be if they trade one of Dontayvion Wicks or Jaden Reed. That room is already crowded.
They could take a tight end since all three of the ones on the roster are in the final year of their contracts. But again it's not a good year. Maybe if one drops to the 5th or 6th round who they like. Although it might be better to wait until next year.
Eckel's Top 5 QBs
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Ty Simpson, Alabama
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Carson Beck, Miami
Drew Aller, Penn State
Eckel's Top 5 WRs
Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
K.C. Concepcion, Texas A&M
Makai Lemon, So. Cal.
Denzel Boston, Washington
Eckel's Top 5 TEs
Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Max Klare, Ohio State
Joe Royer, Cincinnati
Michael Trigg, Baylor