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The Quarterback-chelor: Week 2

Welcome to The Quarterback-chelor! I am your host, Mitchell Wolfe, and we’re excited to bring you this new show, where the 2022 NFL Draft is looking for their QB1. Every week, we’ll break down the 2022 NFL Draft quarterbacks and how they are progressing in their relationship with the Draft to be the top-ranked quarterback.

Last year, our lead, the 2021 NFL Draft had many exciting suitors. But in the end, the favorite from the beginning, Trevor Lawrence, established an incredible connection and went home as the top-ranked QB and the #1 overall pick. This year, our Draft has a litany of handsome and exciting prospects looking for love and the honor of winning QB1. We met our contestants last week and Tanner Morgan from Minnesota got sent home. This week, many of our front-runners from before the season had comeback performances on the show. We also had two contestants go home. Let’s dive in!

Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma

Spencer is one of the contestants that had a big bounce-back week. In this episode, he was much more poised and looked the Spencer that many fans expected to see. Granted, it was during a very easy date with little to no competition. Our draft may still have some questions for him. But nailing some of the easy questions should help assuage some of their worries.

Sam Howell, North Carolina

Sam also had a strong comeback episode. Like Rattler, it was a simple opportunity. But he had a lot of ground to cover after a pretty poor showing in the first week. Getting back to an even footing with some of the frontrunners should be Sam’s primary focus. He was able to do that this week, but he’ll need to show he can do it consistently, especially when challenged.

Carson Strong, Nevada

Carson had another strong week and he’s starting to gain a very big fan base. He’s certainly been the most consistent guy on the show so far. Our Draft likes to see that even-keel nature, Carson hasn’t really been challenged for a whole episode this season, so we’ll have to see how he responds if that happens. As it stands right now, however, nobody’s stock is rising faster than Carson’s.

Malik Willis, Liberty

Malik put together a very strong week as well. He’s still somewhat of a sleeper pick. But there are pockets of fans that really like him and think he has what it takes to sweep our Draft off its feet. He might not get the best date opportunities or exposure on the show, relative to the front runners. But if he can string some excellent dates together, there’s an outside chance he wins this whole thing.

Matt Corral, Mississippi

Mississippi Matt flew under the radar this weekend, not getting much air time on this episode. His spontaneity was on display again. But Matt needs to show that he can also be part of a stable relationship, not one ruled by constant ups-and-downs. It looks like there could be a very dramatic date coming up in Matt’s future. We’ll have to see how he responds to contestants from seasons past.

Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati

Desmond had another very strong week. It was a bit of an uncomfortable start but he rallied and put together a very strong performance for our Draft. Based on the previews and the rumors we’ve heard leaking out for this season, it looks like Desmond is going to have to answer some tough questions in the coming weeks. Based on the previews and rumors leaking from the show, it looks like he and Michael will have a major two-on-one date in the next episode, which will surely be must-watch television.

Kedon Slovis, USC

Kedon put together another lackluster performance this episode. He’s being saved by other contestants doing worse. But his stock is pointed strongly downward. Our Draft has high expectations for their QB1 and Kedon is not meeting them. But, Kedon is apparently receiving some new guidance from the producers. We’ll have to see how that affects his performance and dates moving forward, but it should be helpful.

JT Daniels, Georgia

Surprisingly, JT was not in the episode this week. There was talk that he wasn’t feeling well and may have even suffered an injury, like the next quarterback on our list. This is relatively typical, as sometimes we just don’t have enough time to include every contestant every week. Luckily, there should be plenty of time for JT later in the season.

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

Many people are increasingly impressed with Grayson on this season. He’s injecting a lot of life into his relationship with the draft. His youth is still a major drawback. Typically, our Drafts look for slightly older, more mature contestants. But if Grayson keeps showing up and performing extremely well, maybe becomes the youngest contestant to win the show since 2015.

Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh

Kenny had another very solid week. While he was impressive, we still didn’t learn anything new about him. He was still wearing the gloves, which was disappointing. But Kenny is definitely a very safe contest that our Draft will probably keep around for a while this season. He may not have the high ceiling like the other contestants. But he’s reliable and consistent.

Michael Penix Jr., Indiana

Like some of the other contestants, Michael had a pretty easy week. It was important that he make up some ground after an extremely poor showing in the first episode. As previously mentioned, it looks like he will have a two-on-one matchup with Desmond on this week’s episode. If I had to make a prediction, I think Desmond will come out on top. But if Michael ends up winning, it could mean he will be on this show for a long time.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA

DTR had the week off this episode. He’s had some really high moments so far but has also made some big mistakes. The problem is, like our next contestant, he’s pretty short. Therefore, the high variance of his appearances may not be able to overcome his lack of height. DTR needs to start showing that he’s focused on this process and willing to commit.

D’Eriq King, Miami

D’Eriq had another tough week. It looks like the injury he suffered pre-show is really limiting his ability to impress our Draft. He also just isn’t the fun-loving, spontaneous, creative guy we expected him to be this season. If he puts out another lackluster performance on this week’s episode, he could be on his way home. With that being said, D’Eriq could be a contender on one of the spinoff franchises, like Wide Receiver Games or Catching Love.

Phil Jurkovec, Boston College

Unfortunately, it looks like Phil will be the first guy on the season to fall victim to the dreaded ambulance shot. He suffered a hand injury and had to leave to go to the hospital. It looks like Phil is done for this season. However, there have been many contestants in seasons past that return for the following season after suffering an injury. We hope Phil makes his return in the 2022 season.

Brock Purdy, Iowa State

It was another really tough week for Brock. He’s not showing any of the personality that some fans really liked when he was rumored to be joining the show in years past. Brock keeps making mistakes and looks uncomfortable to just be around our Draft. Despite being in and around the franchise for many years, it doesn’t look like he’s going to make it much further.

Who Doesn’t Get the Rose

This week, we have two contestants going home, albeit one for medical/health reasons. Phil Jurkovec will be leaving the show due to a hand/wrist injury. But he will most likely be back next season. The other contestant going home is Brock Purdy from Iowa State. As mentioned previously, Brock just looked incredibly uncomfortable this week and couldn’t get anything going in a high-leverage situation. Our Draft needs to see more poise for their QB1. For that reason, Brock is going home, in what is most likely his last appearance in this franchise. We’ll be back next week to see who is our Draft’s favorite. And guess what? We may even see some new men enter the race for QB1 on the Quarterback-chelor.

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The Quarterback-chelor: Week 1

Last year, our lead, the 2021 NFL Draft, had many exciting suitors. But in the end, the favorite from the beginning, Trevor Lawrence, established an incredible connection and went home as the top-ranked QB and the #1 overall pick. This year, our Draft has a litany of handsome and exciting prospects looking for love and the honor of winning QB1. Let’s meet our contestants!

Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma

First up is Spencer from Oklahoma. Spencer is actually from the same hometown as two previous winners (Kyler and Baker) of the show. Unlike them, he does not carry the baggage from previous relationships (aka transfers). Fans were very excited when they heard Spencer would be on the show this season. However, he did not have the best week. He made some strange decisions and said some weird things. These were concerns that many had about him before the season started, but he still has plenty of time to overcome them and make it up to our Draft.

Sam Howell, North Carolina

Sam from North Carolina was another highly-anticipated contestant on the show. Fans have been clamoring for him to join, even after the last contestant from his hometown (Mitchell Trubisky) flamed out after the show. However, he recently had a big employment change, and it could bring questions about his ability to start and maintain a family. When question by the Draft and special guest Virginia Tech about his ability to contribute by himself, Sam struggled to answer those questions. Like Spencer, Sam has enough time to redeem himself, but those issues will remain present.

Carson Strong, Nevada

Carson is the first of our contestants from small towns. But he seemed very calm and charmed our Draft with his poise and accuracy, not to mention his strong arm(s). Contestants from small towns (Carson Wentz, Josh Allen) have done decently well in recent years, but they struggled to win the show outright. We’ll have to see how Carson does down the stretch this season.

Malik Willis, Liberty

Malik from Liberty is another small-town guy. But he also has some of the baggage from a previous relationship, where he was passed over for another quarterback (Bo Nix at Auburn). Malik has an entertaining personality that could make him a favorite for our draft. But he could also rub some of the other contestants in the house the wrong way, like our next contestant. We will have to see how he compares to some of the other contestants in the group date later in the year.

Matt Corral, Mississippi

Matt from Mississippi is quite the character. He could be the villain of this season and wreck the house with his wildcard personality. However, that spark and unpredictability helped some contestants go far in this show’s past (Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen). Matt was one of the last ones out of the limo this week, but he did not disappoint, and our Draft was very impressed with his spontaneity and flair for the dramatic. He might not be well-liked in the house, but it doesn’t seem like he cares. Matt will be someone to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati

Fans of the show will definitely remember Desmond from last season. But they’ll also remember how he self-eliminated once the show started getting down to the wire. He’s one of the older contestants on the show this season, so fans and the Draft will surely be wondering if he’s ready for commitment. But Desmond is an entertaining contestant with a charming, multi-faceted personality. He could go far, and if some of the early favorites fall flat on their face, maybe he could swoop in and win the whole thing.

Kedon Slovis, Southern California

Our next two contestants will most likely be linked this entire season. They have quite the history, as Kedon swooped in and took JT’s spot while he was away due to an injury. We’ll get into JT next, but Kedon is from the big city that has produced some impressive contestants in years past (Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Mark Sanchez, Sam Darnold). But the relationships for those contestants did not last long after the show in some cases. Kedon’s a little different than some of those guys, as he’s a little more reserved. While he’s a safe option and the Platonic ideal of a winner for this show, does he have that spark and chemistry with our draft?

JT Daniels, Georgia

As previously mentioned, JT from Georgia has a history with Kedon. He took a while to recover from his previous relationship ending. But he seems to have moved on and healed from that heartbreak. JT looks like another player who could be primed to win this show. But he could be gunshy and afraid to be vulnerable with our Draft. With how he’s been hurt in the past, it’s understandable. But if he wants to win this season, he’s going to need to open up and let it fly if he wants to win our Draft’s heart.

Phil Jurkovec, Boston College

Phil from Boston (College) is another player that brings some baggage from a previous relationship. However, he seems to be thriving in his current situation, living his best life, if you will. Phil had a great first episode, but he had some help from the supporting cast and was put in a pretty easy position where he just didn’t need to make any catastrophic mistakes. He’s a pretty open guy, but he may need to show more consistency and maturity with our draft if he wants to win this season.

Michael Penix Jr., Indiana

Michael from Indiana honestly had a pretty rough first week. Lots of people liked him before the season started. But he’s had issues committing to long-term relationships in his past. If he wants to win this season, he will need to show he’s here for the long haul. He’s got some very exciting traits that our draft finds desirable. Michael just needs to be there the whole time to show them.

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

Grayson from Coastal Carolina is another one of our small-town boys. He’s also one of the younger contests and has a questionable hairstyle. But his job is very exciting (the Coastal Carolina offense), and he’s got some fun-loving characteristics that could be very interesting for our Draft. At the end of the day, he may not be ready for a real commitment with this Draft. Grayson might need to take another season to figure some things out about himself.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA

Dorian from LA, or DTR as he likes to be called, is an exciting prospect fans have been clamoring to have on the show for a long time. He’s a lot like a previous winner, Kyler from Oklahoma. DTR actually got an early start this year, as he was apparently talking to the Draft before the season technically began. He’s another spontaneous contestant with a lot to offer. But he also needs to show maturity and poise when asked to make tough decisions.

D’Eriq King, Miami

D’Eriq from Miami is a very flashy contestant this season. He’s fun-loving and creative, but our Draft has traditionally expressed more interest in taller contestants. Our show’s winners have typically been taller, but there are some exceptions (Kyler Murray). To make matters worse, King is dealing with an injury that could preclude him from winning this season altogether, as it limits his ability to reach his maximum potential. He struggled in his limited time with our Draft this week, so he has a lot of ground to cover.

Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh

Kenny is our oldest contestant this year, and while that hasn’t precluded contests from winning in years past, it’s something to keep in the back of your head. He had a decent week, as he displayed he’s a very safe option. However, he wore two gloves the entire episode, which was very strange. Is he hiding something? Are his hands really small? These are major questions he will have to answer in the coming weeks.

Brock Purdy, Iowa State

Brock from Iowa is a fascinating name. He apparently applied for the show previously but did not make it through the screening process. One has to wonder if he actually has what it takes to survive on this show. If he was passed over once, he could be passed over again. Brock’s conversation with our Draft did not go over super swimmingly this week, so he’ll have to redeem himself next week on the big group date.

Tanner Morgan, Minnesota

Tanner from Minnesota was actually the first one out of the limo this past weekend. But he was not overly impressive to our Draft. He did not display much personality, and his job (the Minnesota offense) does not indicate he’s a financially sound long-term investment for our Draft. Tanner could be one of the few contestants that are the first one out of the limo but don’t make it past night one.

Who Didn’t Get the Rose

One of our older contestants faced the chopping block after the first week: Tanner Morgan from Minnesota. Despite his early introduction to our draft, Tanner could not make an impact on an early one-on-one date. He shrunk under the bright lights, and our Draft was not impressed with how he responded to questions about his job (offense). He seemed boring and did not have the spark or chemistry to last on this show. For that reason, Tanner Morgan is the first one eliminated in our search for QB1. We’ll be back next week with an update from our Draft in this season of the Quarterback-chelor!

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Early Bird List: EDGE

Check out the edge rushers to keep an eye on during the 2021 college season. So far this class is looking pretty strong and deep.

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Nick Bonitto – Oklahoma

He is a bit undersized at 6’3 240, but he is very athletic and quick. Explosive. Bonitto has some versatility. He can be lined up at different positions. He does struggle against the run. Bonitto has problems disengaging from blockers. Obviously he needs to add some weight. His frame looks like he could add another 10 pounds. He shows good coverage skills on film. His motor runs 100%. Length is a little bit of an issue for him. He still could also improve his hand usage and technique overall. Tackling also still needs some work.

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Kingsley Enagbare – South Carolina

Good athlete with good size. 6’4 but with good length and a large wingspan. Kingsley possesses an explosive first step. Lots of upside as a rusher. Despite his size and length he still struggles in the run game and ends up on the ground far too often. Needs to add strength. He does not look comfortable dropping in coverage. The current gamecock shows very bendy ankles on film. He still needs a lot of technique work. Enagbare is a low floor high ceiling player who make take a couple years at the NFL level to develop. Could be one of the top edge rushers drafted.

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Ali Gaye – LSU

Gaye is big with long arms. A JUCO transfer that may not be known by most. He showed a lot of pass rush potential in 2020. Has big time riser potential for the draft. He needs to improve against the run. Gaye’s motor runs all the time. His speed is average, but possesses explosiveness. Technique, especially his hand usage needs improvement.

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Zack Harrison – Ohio State

He is long and big at 6’6 265 with a large wingspan. Brings elite physical and athletic upside to the field. 2021 will be his first year as a starter. One of the most explosive players off the snap. Already shows the ability to convert speed to power. He still needs to improve against the run. With only having one year as a starter there is some rawness to his game. Still needs to add more to his pass rush repertoire. The current buckeye doesn’t play as hard when it comes to defending the run, seems uninterested. He could really raise his stock this year if he even comes close to his potential. Harrison probably still ends up in the first round just based on his potential.

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Drake Jackson – USC

He came to USC as a defensive end, then got moved to outside linebacker. He dropped weight and looks good at the lower weight. Jackson now has the versatility to play either spot. Good athlete, who played around 255 last year. The current trojan is quick and explosive. One of his biggest weaknesses is his tackling. He needs to improve there. Still needs work on converting speed to power. Also could stand to develop his pass rush moves outside of his spin move.

George Karlaftis – Purdue

Karlaftis is big and strong at 6’4 and around 275. Power rusher who can play on the inside or outside. Motor runs 150%. Shows good explosiveness, although his straight line speed is average. Lots of production. He can be a little stiff and could play better in the run game for his size and strength. Has injuries in 2020 that need to be checked on. He could be a similar player to Za’Darius Smith.

Myjai Sanders – Cincinnati

Tall, explosive rusher with average length and wingspan. Sanders broke out in 2020. Does a good job of getting his hands up and disrupting passing lanes. Good overall athlete, but does show some stiffness in his hips. He has shown good bend coming around the corner. On film he has shown a lot of development in his pass rush moves, he has shown the ability to string moves together. Has shown on film that he still needs to add strength. His pad level does get high and he needs work on that. Can be deceived with miss direction plays. If he he improves his consistency he can really move up boards.

Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon

Elite recruit coming out of high school who had an immediate impact as a freshman. Elite athlete, fast, explosive and bendy. Also has long arms and a large wingspan. Massive upside as a rusher. He is already a really good run defender unlike a lot of other pass rushers you see in college. Thibodeaux plays with a lot of power. He has the frame to add another 10 pounds. His motor runs constantly. His pass rush plan is lacking and looks like he is unsure of how to attack blockers. Still needs development on his pass rush moves. Entering the season the probable #1 rusher of the class.

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Zion Tupuola-fetui – Washington

He had 7 sacks in three games in 2020. Ended up tearing his Achilles and missed the rest of the season. Injury needs to be checked on when he comes out. Big with strong hands. Dropped weight in 2020 and looked faster and more athletic. Has shown versatility, can play on the outside or inside. He showed good explosiveness and agility in 2020. Tupuola-Fetui shows a lot of power on film. He also has good length. Strong motor that is always running. Already showing good skills in the run game. Overall athleticism though is only average for an edge rusher. Shows stiffness in space and probably isn’t a player you want dropping in coverage.

The Early Bird List: Defensive Line

This part will focus on the defensive line. Early on this class has potential, production though has been spotty. If some of these guys step up the class could look better. Previous part can be seen here: https://atbnetwork.com/2021/08/26/early-bird-list-part-5/

Jordan Davis – Georgia

Huge strong man at 6’6 340. He takes up double teams a lot. Davis has explosive strong hands. For his size he is pretty athletic. His biggest negative is that he offers no pass rush. Davis could also stand to lose a little weight. That might contribute to his lack of explosiveness off the snap. He might be limited to a two down role in the NFL. Which will hurt his stock.

Haskell Garrett – Ohio State

2020 was his best season after a breakout 2019. Quick first step, and an overall good athlete. Explosive off the snap. Motor runs 100%. Garrett is a technically sound player. He only have average size at 6’2 300. The Buckeye shows good strength for his size. Garrett shows limitations as a run defender. He is probably a one position player at the next level, he will have to play 3-tech. Length is also an issue for Garrett which will limit his upside and his versatility. Still should be one of the early drafted linemen.

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Travis Jones – UConn

Jones is a big kid at 6’4 330ish. He has big strong hands and a strong upper body that shows up on film. Jones shows some potential as a pass rusher. He got a lot of pressures in 2019. Jones did not play in 2020. He mostly uses a bull rush but could develop and improve his other moves. Jones is already a good run defender. He has potential to rise if he shows improvement as a pass rusher.

Demarvin Leal – Texas A & M

He is 6’4 290 but plays bigger. The #1 defensive linemen heading into the season. One of Leal’s biggest strengths is his positional versatility. He can play anywhere on the line. You can even stand him up. Leal still has a lot of room for growth with plenty of upside. He is an elite athlete. Great length to keep blockers at bay and to help him disengage. He does still need to add some weight and strength. He looks like he could carry another 20 pounds no problem. The Aggie could also stand to work on his bull rush more. Also he could refine is pass rush moves, and especially his counters. Hand usage could improve as well.

Phidarian Mathis – Alabama

Mathis is already a good run stuffer. He is a beast at the point of attack, and he shows big strong hands in the run game as well. He has good size at 6’4 310-ish. Mathis showed some pass rush potential last season, now he needs to build on it. Plays with a good pad level and plays hard. He had no sacks until 2020. The question is was 2020 a flash in the pan or just him starting to realize his potential? A lot of his stock will ride on this season.

LaBryan Ray – Alabama

At 6’4 285 he still has room for growth, but even at his size he is already a good run defender. His long arms help him in the run game. He shows decent range. Ray doesn’t take plays off. He gets his hands up and can bother passing lanes. Ray does have an injury history that needs to be looked at. His best fit is probably as a 5 tech in a 3-4. Needs to develop his pass rush game.

Perrion Winfrey – Oklahoma

Winfrey is a former JUCO player, and so 2020 was his first year at D1. He showed a lot of potential. He is 6’3 290 with room to grow, with good length and explosiveness. Winfrey is a very twitchy player. The Sooner has strong hands, and plays well in the run game. He shows a solid anchor and good balance. Like a lot JUCO transfers he is still raw in his technique and needs some refinement. Can be fooled sometimes by misdirection, also needs work on his pad level. Like a lot of the other linemen in this class he can make a big jump if he shows development.

Devonte Wyatt – Georgia

Another JUCO transfer, 6’3 315. Good run defense. He has showed some potential as a pass rusher with pressures, but he has yet to transform those pressures into sacks. Wyatt comes low off the snap and uses good leverage. Strong upper body. He has shown a little bit of a bull rush. Needs to convert those pressures into sacks if he wants to be a more complete player and move up in the draft.