2019 NFL Draft: 10 potential surprise first round picks

Speaking of potential quarterbacks who could see an NFL team take a significant reach to pluck them on the draft’s first day, Auburn QB Jarrett Stidham helped himself immensely in Mobile after an uninspired redshirt junior season at Auburn.

Many pundits expected Stidham, after a strong finish to 2017, to be among those in consideration for the top-QB in the 2019 class. Instead, Stidham seemed to regress in 2018 and Auburn crumbled under the weight of expectations.

It wouldn’t be fair to blame the Tigers’ struggles solely on Stidham; Auburn’s offensive line struggled to protect him all season long and they spent most of the season without any discernible running game to take the weight off of his shoulders. That being said, there were still a few red flags that popped up this season, particularly his carelessness when under duress. Stidham struggled when pressured, often making ill-advised decisions just to avoid getting hit any more than he already had to.

His supporting cast at the Senior Bowl was much better, and while he didn’t light up the field during the game on Saturday, he showed enough during the week to solidly point his arrow upward ahead of the combine. Stidham was recognized by Senior Bowl executives as the practice-QB of the week after consistently standing out during drills with the South team.

He still has a lot of useful tools that could one day make him a solid NFL starter. He has good zip on his throws and can attack a defense with some money vertical throws. He often throws with good touch and anticipation, and while he lacks elite arm strength, he hasn’t shown an inability to make any throws.

His ability to process defenses will be key to his development at the next level. At Auburn, Stidham was often given one-read looks and then called to check down or run; he’ll have to learn to work through his progressions to become a viable starter in the NFL.

Stidham’s performance in Mobile likely clinched his spot as a day-two passer, but good showings at the combine and at Auburn’s pro-day could see his stock rise even further as teams look to find a diamond in the rough that is this QB class.