What they’re saying about the first-round quarterbacks of 2019
Dan Orlovsky dissects Kyler Murray’s skill set and explains why he has the capability to take the league by storm like Patrick Mahomes did last season. (1:48)
All three quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft in April — Kyler Murray (No. 1 overall by the Arizona Cardinals), Daniel Jones (No. 6 by the New York Giants) and Dwayne Haskins (No. 15 by the Washington Redskins) — have had a chance to show their stuff in offseason workouts. Each organization has watched its prized rookie take his first steps toward what everyone hopes will be a productive career.
With the start of training camp about five weeks away, here’s a look at what coaches and peers are saying about each rookie QB.
Running back David Johnson: “First off, he’s faster and quicker than I thought when we got on the field. I think a lot of people underestimate how great he can throw. He throws a dart. Accurate dart. … I think a lot of people underestimate his throwing ability.”
Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, as told to Darren Urban of the Cardinals’ website: “The first thing that pops out to you, how intelligent he is. He knows the system better than we do. … He has the ultimate weapon in the exit button he has. That’ll be a dimension we haven’t had here. I’ve never played with a quarterback that explosive when things break down.”
Coach Kliff Kingsbury: “He’s aggressive in nature, the way he thinks and attacks when he’s out on the football field, and I like that.”
Outside linebacker Chandler Jones: “Kyler’s confident, and he’s not a cocky player. For him to be the first overall pick, he’s a very confident player. He’s composed.”
Guard Justin Pugh: “Everything that I heard, he lives up to. And I’ve heard a lot of good things, so it’s been great so far.”
Coach Pat Shurmur: “I think he has had a really, really productive offseason. He is on track with the goal to be ready to play Day 1. That is really what all the players need to be thinking. The quarterback stuff will be on the front burner for everyone. I get that. He is on track.”
Anonymous offensive player: “Really big arm. Gotta lotta work to do tho!!!”
Tight end Evan Engram: “I think he has made a lot of progress. You can kind of see him getting more comfortable. You can see him responding to some of the mistakes that he may have made. Maybe have a bad throw and then come out and answer it with five good ones. You can definitely see that confidence starting to build, and his decision-making is becoming more accurate.”
Receiver Sterling Shepard (on Jones’ mobility): “Oh man, he pulled that thing and kicked the knees up, it was good (laughter). I knew we were going to get the defense on that, but yeah, he looked great running.”
Receiver Golden Tate (on SiriusXM Radio): “Talentwise, the guy’s got a super, super strong arm. He can move around a little bit.”
Coach Jay Gruden: “You see the ‘wow’ plays and you’re like, ‘Jesus.’ When he’s on, there’s nobody you’d rather have than Dwayne. Really. It’s pretty. He stands tall; he has a cannon, and he can quicken up his release. He’s got great touch. Strong, powerful arm; strong, powerful body. But sometimes when he’s off, he’s abnormally off. It’s kind of weird.”
Cornerback Josh Norman: “He’s got some fire to him. He has no fear.”
Gruden: “He can just see the whole field extremely well. For a young quarterback, a lot of times when there are rushers they have a tendency to look down. He has a natural ability to keep his eyes up, and down the field. It’s like a video game where he can see and make all the throws. There’s a lot to like about him, and there’s a lot to clean up, as we would expect. But he’s been impressive.”
Running back Adrian Peterson: “I like him. You can tell he’s young and has a strong arm. He’s very competitive and he’s back there listening and learning as much as he can. Once he becomes more comfortable, he’ll be able to play a lot faster than he is now.”
Gruden: “The comfort level he has to continue to get. When he calls a play and knows exactly what we’re trying to do, or when I start to call a formation, he knows what play is coming. That will come with time, lots and lots of time.”