Adam Weber vs Jake Locker – Can You Pass The Eyeball Test?

When reviewing QBs that are available for NFL teams pickings at the end of the month something really stuck out to me on two familiar faces. Both were 4-year hometown grown college starters that are also heavily linked to Minnesota. One is Adam Weber who obviously played for the Gophers and the other is Jake Locker who multiple football writers mock to the Vikings at 12th overall. So lets take a test together – The Eye Ball Test. Both stats and scouting reports will be presented below without their names exposed. Can you pass the test and tell them apart?

Quarterback A: 57.0% Completion Rate, 72 TDs, 51 Interceptions, 99 times sacked, 123.1 Passer Rating. Record as a Starter: 17 Wins & 33 Losses.

Quarterback B: 53.9% Completion Rate, 53 TDs, 35 Interceptions, 74 times sacked, 119.1 Passer Rating. Record as a Starter: 15 Wins & 25 Losses.

Onto their scouting reports, here is how they read …

Quarterback A: Tough, hard-working player respected throughout conference. Quick, over-the-top delivery. Nice spiral. Good footwork, well balanced in pocket. Has mobility out of pocket and can pick up first downs on his feet. Has experience playing in tough weather conditions. Experience versus top-notch competition. … Below average height for ideal NFL QB. Mediocre accuracy, struggles to fit ball in tight spaces. Needs to do better job of securing ball.

Quarterback B: Tough and fearless player. Smart, hard working and team leader. Has good mobility and can throw on the run. Great height and ideal bulk for QB position. Able to adjust to bad weather conditions. Played in a BCS conference and has experience playing a marquee opponent each weak. … Accuracy is a major concern and question remains if that will ever improve. Needs work developing as a pocket passer. Questionable decision making at times.

So who’s who? Anyone, anyone (as Ben Stein said in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)… Adam Weber is A & Jake Locker is B.

I’ll be the last to say that Adam Weber is the future quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings who can lead us to The Promised Land. Please if anything lets maybe get him on the roster as a 7th round pick, play him in the preseason, he’s a fan favorite at that time and we can later sneak him onto the practice squad. But teams, including the Vikings, are rumored to be considering drafting Jake Locker in the 1st? Coaches must really think his size is that much of an asset and he can be coached into a franchise signal caller. It’s bothersome that everything we’re reading now is how each prospect worked out in a controlled environment. What about when actual games were played where the QB had real-life defense to deal with? Oh sorry, that was 4 months ago. Very few QBs have improved their accuracy after turning professional. And even fewer have losing records in college to go on and become winners on Sunday. Perhaps Jake Locker is not the best value in the 1st round. But what do I know?

Jon Merckle may be followed on Twitter @thevikingpig