Teams will get their first pre-draft look at Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill, as he holds his pro day today in front of several teams. One of those teams, the Miami Dolphins, will be crossing their fingers and hoping Tannehill slides to them with the 8th pick. Wait, what? Are we talking about the same Ryan Tannehill who a few short months ago was regarded as someone who might crack the first round? Correct. Despite having to sit out workouts with a foot injury, Tannehill saw his stock skyrocket.
Tannehill’s surge in draft stock is an inditement on the value of the quarterback in the modern day NFL. There is no reason Tannehill should be mentioned in the same sentence as Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III. While Tannehill possesses all the tools to be a solid NFL quarterback, he remains a project at the NFL level. After all, we’re talking about a kid who was a wide receiver for the first half of his college career.
Now this is not to say that Tannehill will not be successful as an NFL quarterback. The NFL draft is an inexact science, and I’ve mentioned before that the environment in which a prospect is developed–especially a quarterback–is as much of a factor in that prospect’s success as his skill set. In the right environment, Tannehill could develop his raw quarterback attributes and flourish. However, many are overvaluing Tannehill by placing him in the top ten.Some mocks have him penciled in to the Browns at the 4th spot, which to me seems ridiculous.
Tannehill might find himself in Miami with the 8th pick. I’ve written before about how the situation in Miami is ideal for a young quarterback. The risk that Tannehill carries as a raw and inexperienced prospect suggests that he should be going 10-20 spots lower than where he’s slotted.