[IrMitchell]

I've been doing some intense highlight/lowlight film watching on the big quarterbacks including, Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert, Jake Locker, and Ryan Mallett,. Here are my breakdowns.

Blaine Gabbert:
Terrific size in terms of height and weight and it works to his advantage. He makes surprisingly deep throws while being chased on the run with just the flick of his wrist, truly outstanding. What stands out the most is the system he plays in. Everything is planned perfectly prior to the snap and when his short slant or deep throw read isn't there, he hesitates and begins to scramble.. and very slowly I might add. 60% of these scrambling plays end up in a missed throw/ball thrown out of play and the other 40% seem to end up with sacks or minor gains. Overall I see three things with him that are essential in a franchise quarterback of today's NFL. Big size+arm, Intangibles, and accuracy. What I see that needs to be fixed before he can take a snap in the NFL is his footwork and his ability to throw to his 3rd or 4th read. 9/10 and in my opinion the best Shanahan QB. Comparison: Joe Flacco

Jake Locker:
The most athletically gifted true NFL level quarterback I've seen in years. When you first watch Jake Locker you'll want to personally go yell at his teammates for being just downright terrible. His o-line is NCAA equivalent of the 2009/10 Washington Redskins... and that's being generous. Jake Locker is able to run the play action to perfection despite having such a brutal supporting cast. When he runs it's usually because he has too and when he throws it's not the accuracy that's questioned, but the hands of his receivers. Essentially what I'm getting at is, he shows flashes of brilliance a la Aaron Rodgers, but because of his team can't deliver on a consistent basis. What I see from him is his ability to shed blocks and outrun the defense, his throwing accuracy/strength on the run, and his ability to single-handedly win games for his team. What needs to be corrected is his decision making, getting the ball out quicker, and his accuracy while throwing out of the pocket. 8/10. Drafting Jake Locker would be based purely on potential, but if he pans out... look out NFC East. Certainly not the prototypical Shanahan QB, but neither was McNabb.
Comparison: A poor mans Aaron Rodgers

Ryan Mallett
His height and arm strength are second to none in this draft. Great accuracy on the deep ball, but will often overthrow shorter slants and crosses. His footwork and pocket awareness is pretty poor. Unlike Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Mallett has a lack of ability to scramble outside and find receivers. When he feels and sees pressure he becomes very awkward and will often loose yardage instead of throwing the ball away. I just don't like anything outside of his arm as an NFL quarterback. What he needs to work on is his endurance and his ability to see pressure before he's on his back. In a system such as Minnesota, he has a lot of potential, but he'd struggle playing for Shanahan.
7/10 Least favorite by far.
Comparison: Matt Stafford with less mobility and accuracy.

Cam Newton
Good luck getting this guy. He'll be gone top three and baring a miracle we will without a doubt have our franchise quarterback.
9.5/10.. Although he does have a short history and played on an EXCELLENT football team.
Comparison: Very unique. High end accuracy, great running threat, has it all.

If we're going to draft a quarterback at #10, in my opinion only Blaine Gabbert and Jake Locker should be our targets. Blaine Gabbert looks like he could play by 2012... I really really like his game.