Getty Former Ohio State Buckeyes QB Dwayne Haskins
Heading into the college football season, Dwayne Haskins was not one of the quarterbacks mentioned as a top NFL draft prospect. This is changing in Haskins first full season as the Ohio State starting quarterback.
Pro Football Focus has Haskins as one of three quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2019 draft. Their mock draft had Haskins sneaking into the first round as the No. 32 pick. An anonymous NFL scout told Yahoo Sports they also have a first-round grade on Haskins.
“He’s got a lot of talent, great size and arm strength,” the scout told Yahoo Sports. “Ideally, we’d see him throw guys open, but I think he’s the real deal. I think he’s talented enough that he’d be a first-round pick if he leaves.”
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks have Haskins ranked as their No. 17 rated prospect on their big board and the fifth-ranked quarterback.
“The gunslinger has lit up defenses with his pinpoint passing skills,” Brooks explained on NFL.com. “Haskins is a rare find as a big-armed quarterback who has the patience and discipline to pick apart defenses with an assortment of quick-rhythm throws.
Dwayne Haskins Has a Chance to be a First Round Pick in the 2019 NFL Draft
Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller does not currently have Haskins as a first rounder, but he believes the Ohio State quarterback has a chance to sneak into the first round before the season ends.
“His rise continues to be the biggest of any player in the college landscape this season,” Miller noted on Bleacher Report.
Haskins is a redshirt sophomore which makes him eligible for next year’s draft, but he could also wait until 2020. ESPN’s Todd Mcshay believes Haskins’ stock is only going to rise.
It’s early, but yes, you’re allowed to be thinking about the NFL with this guy. He is the most naturally gifted passer under Urban Meyer since he had Alex Smith at Utah more than a decade ago (Smith went No. 1, of course).
Haskins anticipates well, and he has touch on shorter throws and the high-level arm to drive the ball down the field with accuracy. We saw it again this weekend, even as Haskins had a number of throws dropped. This season, he has 12 completions for 20 or more yards. And against a standard rush of four or fewer rushers, Haskins was 20-for-28 for 302 yards and a pair of touchdowns against TCU. Now, it’s early, and he has just three starts. There is not enough of a catalog of film on him to have a legitimate conversation about the 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback’s ability to emerge as a good NFL starter just yet, but based solely on his physical tools and what I’ve seen to date, the bar is really high. I also have to point out that Haskins is available for the 2019 draft just based on classification — he’s a third-year sophomore. But we’re talking about 2020.
Heading into their matchup with Penn State, Haskins had already put up crazy numbers to start the 2018 season. Haskins has completed more than 75 percent of his passes for 1,194 yards, 16 touchdowns and just one interception.