2017 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

Depending on who you talk to, there are somewhere between three and five quarterbacks that could be selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Also, depending on who you talk to, you will get a different name for who is the top passer in the class.

As it so happens, New York Giants are faced to start coming to grips with the football mortality of Eli Manning. Manning still has time left as a top shelf quarterback, capable of leading his team to a championship. However, time certainly continues its march forward, and the Giants need (at some point in the next year or two) to find a successor.

According to many, North Carolina’s Mitchell Trubisky (he asked at the combine to be referred to as Mitchell Trubisky , rather than Mitch Trubisky), is considered by some to be the top quarterback in the draft. However, given the fluid nature of the rankings, he is as low as third on other boards. If he happens to fall all the way to the bottom third of the draft, could the Giants consider making him Eli’s heir apparent?

Measurables

Pros

• Accurate passer with an NFL caliber arm.
• Tall enough, with a solid frame for the position.
• Good athlete who can navigate the pocket, extend plays, and pick up yards on his own.
• Has the arm strength to drive the ball, but also throws with touch when necessary. Doesn’t just rely on fastballs.
• Courageous in the pocket. Will hang in until the last second before throwing the ball, and is unafraid to take a hit.
• Good ball handling on play-action. Even the cameraman is fooled into believing the running back has the ball at times.

Cons

• Played in a spread offense and will have to adjust to many aspects of the NFL game.
• Rarely played under center, needs to learn NFL footwork, how to read defenses and command a huddle.
• Scheme simplified defenses and helped decision making. Rarely had to scan the field and go through progressions.
• Only one year of starting experience.

Does He Fit With The Giants?

In theory he should fit in the Giants’ offense.

The presence of Eli Manning would give Trubisky the chance to learn and grow as a professional without the pressure of a franchise’s expectations squarely on his shoulders. Like with many quarterbacks in this draft class, that’s a grace period that Trubisky could use. Starting only one year, and in a spread-option offense at that, there are a lot of “NFL” things that he has never had to do. Things that Giants fans might take for granted seeing after seeing Manning do them 60 times a game for thirteen years.

That being said, Trubisky has a lot of the tools that suggest he could be a starting (possibly ‘franchise’) quarterback at the next level, and the Giants do have some level of interest. North Carolina’s was one of the Pro Days attended by general manager Jerry Reese.

Prospect Video

Big Board Rankings

Big Blue View - 28th overall

CBS Sports - 12th overall

Draft Countdown - 32nd overall

Draft Tek - 14th overall

Final Thoughts

It is difficult to say where any of the quarterbacks in this draft class will be selected. They all have warts coming out, and there is no clear franchise quarterback to set the pace at the top of the draft. As a result, we could see some of them drafted highly as the quarterback-needy teams race to get one of the top prospects while they can. Or we could see them drop some as teams pick better -- or at least more pro ready -- players at other positions.

The Giants have finding Eli Manning’s successor “in the back of their minds”, but there also doesn’t seem to be a rush to make it happen this year. It’s unlikely that they take a quarterback at 23rd overall, but if Trubisky happens to fall that far, they might reconsider.