MOBILE, Ala. -- NFL teams scouting the best quarterbacks in the 2020 draft watched some of the top options throw at the same place this week. Oregon's Justin Herbert, Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts and Utah State's Jordan Love were among the notable signal-callers who participated in the Senior Bowl, and Herbert was named MVP of Saturday's game.
There was one major problem, however. According to the coaches, scouts and executives we polled in Mobile, the dearth of quality quarterbacks is a concern heading into April's draft.
The only consensus about this year's QB crop is that after the top three guys, it's anyone's guess as to who will be picked fourth. And there are even a few questions about the thrower at the top of the board, LSU's Joe Burrow, who is the favorite to be taken No. 1 overall by the Bengals.
"This is not a good overall quarterback class, that's for sure," said one scout in Mobile. "There are a couple good ones, but there's not the depth that even, like, last year [had].
"There are a couple guys that are definitely going high ... a couple that will go higher than they should because that always happens because it's such a needy position. But there's not a lot of [depth]."
ESPN NFL Nation reporters Ben Baby, Mike Triplett, Sarah Barshop, Michael Rothstein, Jake Trotter and Brooke Pryor polled nine scouts and front-office executives in Mobile and asked them to give their early ranking of the top five quarterbacks in the 2020 class. Here are the results:
1. Joe Burrow, LSU
Where Kiper ranks him: No. 1 QB, No. 2 overall
Notable: The Heisman winner didn't make the trip to Mobile after a 15-game season that ended with a national championship. But that doesn't hurt his stock in the eyes of the people we spoke with. Everyone polled had Burrow at the top of the list, which shouldn't be a surprise considering what he did in 2019. He finished with a 94.9 Total QBR and set FBS records for touchdown passes (60) and total touchdowns (65). Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin, who could take Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick, had glowing reviews for a player who could transform Cincinnati's franchise.
What they're saying: "I don't think there are any franchise guys in this draft except Burrow. But I'd like him even better if they had hired that offensive coordinator [Joe Brady] in Cincinnati. That's what I would've done. Instead they're going to teach him a whole new offense and hope that it's a good fit."
2. Justin Herbert, Oregon
Where Kiper ranks him: No. 3 QB, No. 10 overall
Notable: Herbert was named the top player during the week of Senior Bowl practices, which is arguably what could help his draft stock most. He also had a touchdown pass on his way to an MVP performance in the game. The Bengals' coaching staff, which had the 6-foot-6 Herbert on its Senior Bowl roster, watched his footwork, timing and clean dropbacks in the pocket.
On the surface, Herbert's numbers improved marginally during his final season at Oregon, but his accuracy against Power 5 opponents took a leap. He completed 65.8% of his passes against those teams, which was up 5.7% from the previous season. Herbert threw just 14 interceptions to 61 touchdown passes in his final two seasons.
What they're saying: "We did a lot of work on him obviously during the college football season. I didn't hear a lot of complaints about his ability. They won a lot of games over the years and he started a lot of games for them."
3. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
Where Kiper ranks him: No. 2 QB, No. 3 overall
Notable: Before the 2019 season, many figured Tagovailoa was going to be head and shoulders above the rest of the quarterbacks in this class. But then Burrow ascended and Tagovailoa had a season-ending hip injury, and now there are questions about Tagovailoa's durability and how he'll handle the next level. There's no debating his ability on the field, however.
Tagovailoa finished the season with a Total QBR of 94.8, barely below Burrow. And he posted some monstrous numbers in 24 starts with the Crimson Tide. Since the start of the 2018 season, when he became a full-time starter, he is tied with Burrow for the most passing touchdowns by an FBS quarterback (76). Tagovailoa is expected to make a full recovery from the injury, but it could affect his draft stock.
What they're saying: "He's smart, he's got a good arm. But after that great performance in the title game as a freshman, he hasn't been as good in the big games. And he might not have that kind of talent around him at the receiver position."
T-4. Jordan Love, Utah State
Where Kiper ranks him: No. 4 QB
Notable: Love might be the most intriguing quarterback in this class. His numbers dropped significantly in 2019, as he threw for 20 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions and struggled in the Aggies' two games against ranked opponents. Against LSU and Boise State, he had four interceptions and completed just 54.5% of his passes. As ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper mentioned in his Mock Draft 1.0, however, Love didn't have the same talent around him as other quarterbacks on this list.
His trip to Mobile showcased his upside. One scout described Love as a risk-taker who can make some great throws but needs to become a better decision-maker, a stance that is supported by Love's 2019 numbers. His upside, however, could be enough for a team to trade up to the mid-first round to get him.
What they're saying: "Love can be the outlier of this group based on how he's not from a Power 5 school, yet he has the arm strength, athleticism and high ceiling to ascend among this group into being taken in the top 20."
T-4. Jake Fromm, Georgia
Where Kiper ranks him: No. 6 QB
Notable: Fromm has always looked the part at Georgia and beat out two other quality quarterbacks to be a three-year starter (Washington's Jacob Eason and Ohio State's Justin Fields). But his final year with the Bulldogs is cause for concern. As a junior, his completion percentage dipped to 60.8, the lowest of his three-year college career. He was 53rd in yards per attempt among Power 5 quarterbacks, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Other factors could have been at play: Three of his wide receivers were drafted in 2019 and his offensive coordinator was demoted before he eventually left for Texas A&M to be a tight ends coach. Fromm is a prime example of a quarterback whose draft stock will be higher because of the lack of strength in this year's draft class.
What they're saying: "I think he'll be a first-rounder. I really liked him two years ago. But he struggled a little this past year, maybe tried to do too much. He also didn't play as well in big games."
Who just missed the cut
Eason received a couple of votes after his lone year as Washington's starter. Compared to his freshman season at Georgia, his overall numbers were much better. But those improvements were aided by his performances against lower-caliber teams. Against Power 5 competition, Eason completed less than 60% of his passes. In nine games versus those teams, he had 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Oklahoma's Hurts didn't receive any votes in this poll, but he has more star power than any of the other quarterbacks aside from Burrow. One scout in Mobile said Hurts needed to improve his accuracy, but he completed 67.9% of his passes against Power 5 teams last season. In Power 5 vs. Power 5 play, Hurts ranked fourth in completion percentage on attempts of 10 or more yards.