Senior Bowl’s QB talent pool deepens, but top two names remain on the fence
The Dolphins are not only two losses away from a guaranteed top-three pick.
They’re also two losses away from sending their entire coaching staff to Mobile for the week.
Head coach Brian Flores and his allies would coach the annual Senior Bowl if the Dolphins finish with the two worst records in the NFL. And they might not even have to be that bad. Teams that hire new staffs are generally not asked to coach the game, and so that would likely exclude the Redskins, Giants and perhaps even the Bengals.
But Stephen Ross has given Flores his full support, which means the Dolphins will likely get the game unless they win out.
Which means Flores, offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea and assistant quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski could get an invaluable opportunity to evaluate four of the top five quarterbacks in this year’s draft — assuming they all show up.
That’s no sure thing, as Jim Nagy, who runs the all-star game, said Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts have yet to commit to participating.
All three still have important games left on their collegiate schedule — Burrow and Hurts the college football playoff, Herbert the Rose Bowl — and might not make a decision until after those games.
Herbert and Hurts both have much to gain from participating. Burrow? Not so much. He’s already a surefire top-three pick, and will likely go first overall.
So who has committed to appear?
Jordan Love, for now, is the biggest name of the bunch. Instead of returning for a fifth-year senior season, the Utah State quarterback declared for the draft.
He did so despite a disappointing season, throwing 16 interceptions and completing just 60.6 percent of his passes. And adding to Love’s list of issues: He was reportedly arrested Saturday on a marijuana possession charge.
Other quarterbacks heading to Mobile next month: Michigan’s Shea Patterson, Colorado’s Steven Montez and Washington State’s Anthony Gordon.
This story was originally published December 17, 2019 at 3:37 PM.
