2017 NFL Draft watch: Deshaun Watson

Jan 11, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) throws against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2016 CFP National Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 11, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) throws against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2016 CFP National Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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There isn’t a lot of news going on in the NFL right now and instead of forcing some new content out there, I think it would be fun to look at some big names in the 2017 NFL Draft.

More from Titans Draft

There are a lot of different ways to look at the 2017 NFL Draft. You can look at a player for the Tennessee Titans and their two 1st round draft picks. You can look for a player who might be a concern in the division. You can look at a player who is a lock to go to a team projected to have a higher pick like the Cleveland Browns. You can even look at a player from a value standpoint to see what the Titans could get in a trade if he was still available at their pick.

So, no player is off limits so just sit back and enjoy reading up on the top players in the 2017 NFL Draft and plan your college television viewing schedule to accommodate the players you want to see most.

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  • Who?

    Deshaun Watson should be a household name at this point. Not only is he one of the favorites (if not the favorite) to win the Heisman this year, he is also a great quarterback prospect. He was a few plays (or a better defensive performance) away from a national championship this year despite missing his top two receivers with an injury and a suspension.

    What does he do well?

    Watson does so many things well it is hard to pick one thing that clearly stands out. He is a glider in the open field that has a pretty smooth delivery. He has the arm to hit all the throws, and he is really good at timing the routes with his receivers to where he is throwing to space rather than at a player.

    Where does he need to improve?

    While he is a threat in the running game, but he doesn’t step up into the pocket as well as you would like. For someone who has the agility to manipulate defenders, you would like to see him step up into the pocket created by the offensive line rather than just running or moving outside to throw.

    It is a small thing now, but at the NFL level if you can get quarterback out of the pocket you can cut his field in half. If all that takes is initial pressure, then a bad offensive line could prevent him from learning how to deal with pressure properly.

    Not that it is a one-to-one comparison, but that is the same thing that happened to Blaine Gabbert when he entered the league.

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    Potential selection range?

    It is hard to say that there is a better quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft right now than Deshaun Watson. He throws great timing routes all over the field with a nice delivery. Not only that, but he has the athleticism to entice coaches even further and he is a “proven winner” which GMs love.

    He is a little small at 6’2, but he is a better prospect than either of the two quarterback prospects this year and if he develops more this year he could be in the league of Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston.

    If the Titans end up with the top pick thanks to the Los Angeles Rams, then this would be another chance to get a ton of 1st and 2nd round picks and it would be similar to the RG3 deal or what the rumored offers were for Marcus Mariota. If Deshaun Watson doesn’t regress, then he could be THE prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft.