Many love to rank their top quarterbacks to compare among others. So I thought I would do the same, starting with my bottom of the barrel guys. Now this is only 32-25 so make sure you are checking for my “Middle of the Road” rankings later this week. Lets get started!

32. Blaine Gabbert – I’ve always liked Gabbert’s physical skill set. He stands tall in the pocket with a very fast release. Unfortunately what hurts the Jaguars quarterback the most is his mental game. Lacking in that department might be the worst thing you can have in your starting quarterback. Gabbert’s inability to make the correct reads, pre and post snap, is his biggest knock and if he doesn’t improve in that category, it will be a very short career for Mr. Gabbert.

31. Jake Locker – I watched a lot of Locker’s college games and personally never saw what the “experts” saw in him. Though very nimble and quick on his feet, he never possessed any type of accuracy throwing the football and that trend has seemed to continue for him with the Titans. Most quarterbacks who have a problem like this usually have a mechanics issue with their delivery, but thats not the case with Jake. In my opinion, for him to be successful in the NFL, you might have to use him as a game manager only. Meaning a lot of running the football to set up the passing game.

30. Kevin Kolb – Kolb is the epitome of a “system” quarterback. Unfortunately for him, he left the system that fit him best when Philadelphia traded him to the Cardinals. Kolb has also had a hard time staying healthy during his career as a starter. His arm strength is very impressive as well as his footwork, though when under pressure he seems to have more of a “deer in the headlights” type of look in his eyes. Showed improvement last year in his ability to make reads but Buffalo might be the last stop for this former Cougars standout.

29. Matt Cassel – I must first point out, when I saw Cassel warming up live before a game, I had never seen someone throw such a tight rope out route with the type of zip that he had on the football. With that being said, his arm strength might be all that is superior about him. He has had opportunities to prove that he is a game changer but rarely rises to the occasion. At best, Cassel will mainly be a backup quarterback who can come in and manage the game when he has to.

28. Carson Palmer – Palmer used to be at the top of this list but oh how time has changed for the USC standout. I saw more passes skip across the ground on comeback routes while he was with the Raiders than I think I’ve ever seen in my life from a starting quarterback. Statistically last year was decent for Palmer, but far from the promise the Raider faithful was hoping for when they gave up a 2012 1st Rounder and a 2013 2nd Rounder. Next season is a fresh start for Carson, but I honestly feel the Cardinals will be taking a quarterback in the Top 10 range of next year’s draft — which would probably mean the end of his NFL career.

27. Mark Sanchez – Sanchez has always been a good game manager, but as the seasons have gone by, and the Jets expecting more and more out of him, Sanchez hasn’t proven he can lead men. Throughout his career, Mark has never eclipsed a competition percentage higher than 57%. He has always seemed lost when New York’s running game is stymied and he’s forced into the position of making things happen. Though the mental part of his game isn’t as bad as Blaine Gabbert’s, Mark isn’t too far behind in that category. Personally, I believe that Sanchez and the Jets both need a fresh start. The pressure of being a starting quarterback in New York is extremely heavy, and makes it even harder for a person like Sanchez to get over the obstacles that stand in his way of progression.

26. Brandon Weeden – Playing on the Cleveland Browns is possibly why I have Weeden so low. I love his arm strength but he is not the type of quarterback that makes all the players around him better. Weeden would be perfect on a team like Atlanta, for example, that has tons of offensive talent to work with. Weeden is extremely poor on selling the play action but does well throwing on bootleg plays. In the few games I had an opportunity to see him, Brandon seemed to be too quick to check the ball down instead of trying to push it down the field. The emergence of Josh Gordon definitely made life easier on him and helped salvage what could have been a total disappointment of a Rookie season.

25. Nick Foles – Though Foles is on this list, he has a lot of room for improvement. Foles can throw with the best of’m whether that be in the pocket or on the run. Though he didn’t have as many attempts as Tannehill, Luck, or Weeden, Foles had a better completion percentage than other Rookie quarterbacks. I think if Chip Kelly’s coaching staff can help Nick understand and speed up the mental aspects of the game, as well as tweak his mechanics to become more efficient, Foles could easily be a top 15 quarterback in the NFL.

If I had to choose any of these Quarterbacks to work with personally, (it might shock you) I would choose Gabbert. I feel he has all the tools but needs to be molded like a fine ceramic. If I had to stay away from any Quarterback on this list, it would be a tie between Sanchez and Palmer. Palmer due to age, and Sanchez because I feel he does not work hard enough at his craft in the right areas, thinking he can just get by on his physical skills.

Article by: Chad Woodroof

Twitter: @CwickB