Weekly rankings of the Top 5 college quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft for the Houston Texans to select.
Going into Week 5 of the college football season there were multiple quarterbacks looking to bounce back from poor performances in Week 4 with a strong performance in Week 5 solidifying their position in the Top 5 rankings.
After a hard week four in college football the quarterback position left Houston Texans fans uneasy about the possibility that the next franchise guy might be coming up in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Following Week 5, Houston Texans fans are starting to signal out play callers that they want to be the future of their franchise.
Following this past weekend where college quarterbacks around the country played well, others struggled to build off their prior week’s performance. There were few quarterbacks that made their case to be on this list following week five including the ones from the previous week’s list.
Here are the Top 5 college quarterbacks whose draft stock rose with the Houston Texans from the fifth weekend of the college football season.
5. Matt Corral
Matt Corral is a player who arguably could be the first quarterback taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, which could be made by the Houston Texans. After an average showing against Alabama one is left wondering if the scouts are too high on Corral or was the play calling to blame?
There is so much to like about Corral starting with the fact that he plays in a pro-style system at Ole Miss making the eventual transition to the NFL slightly easier for Corral. With his ability to run keeping the defense honest Corral has the ability to be an extremely successful quarterback at the next level in the right situation.
While throwing for 213 yards on 21-for-29 passing and one touchdown. The most impressive part of that is being able to stand tall as time and time again Alabama got through in a hurry to hit him.
Needless to say Corral did not play his best game against Alabama and will need to improve going forward. Corral needs to continue to play the way he has the previous weeks and if he can it will solidify his position in the Top 5 for NFL scouts to start taking notice. The talent is obvious, the dual-threat ability is there, Corral just needs a bounce-back game and this game will be a distant memory.
Pro comparison: Derek Carr is the player that comes to mind watching Corral play. Skills are very similar from a passing standpoint. Both players have the ability to beat a defense with their legs.
4. Spencer Rattler
Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler played an average game against Kansas State this past Saturday. Rattler put up 22-for-25 attempts for 243 passing yards with an average of 9.7 yards per pass attempt while throwing two touchdowns and one interception. Rattler also had eight rushing attempts for 24 yards.
Performances like this make it unclear to see why there is so much hype surrounding Rattler heading into the 2022 NFL Draft, with many believing he will be the first quarterback taken if not the first player taken in the draft, so the Houston Texans have to be watching him and taking notes.
While Rattler didn’t play terribly, he either will blow you away with his arm strength or leave you scratching your head over his decision-making.
Rattler absolutely destroys opposing defenses in the screen game time and time again. The screen game is his strong suit while he also excels in the RPO (run, pass, option) game due to the threat of his running capabilities.
There was an improvement in Rattler’s decision-making from Week 1 to Week 4 with forcing passes into tight windows and throwing without planting his feet yet Rattler does get shaky feet quickly and tries to heave it down the field from time to time.
If Rattler is going to live up to the preseason hype he better start doing it here soon. He faces a big test coming up in Week 6 against the Texas Longhorns.
Pro Comparison: A lot of people try to force the Patrick Mahomes comparison into Rattler. While there are similarities in both players’ styles that seems to be a bit of a reach at least at this point. Rattler could/should be compared to someone like Michael Vick. Similar playing styles much more so than Rattler and Mahomes
3. Sam Howell
Sam Howell played well against Duke this past weekend. Howell went 18-for-32 passing while throwing for 321 yards and three touchdowns, including a 75-yard frozen rope touchdown early in the game.
Howell continues to stack solid performances together making his case to be taken high in the 2022 NFL Draft, and the Houston Texans will most likely have a high draft pick in the first round. While Howell isn’t as mobile as some other quarterbacks coming out this year he has a “sneaky fast” feel to him where he can hurt you with his legs given the opportunity.
One thing is clear, Howell heard the noise. He heard the talking heads after his terrible performance against Virginia Tech in the first game of the season, and came out with something to prove against Georgia State in Week 2, and has built on that momentum going forward. Howell has looked more in control, calm and decisive in recent games and the stats show it.
This performance was solid and is something to continue to build on. If Howell can stack performances like this together he may just end up at No. 1 on the list when the season is over. His arm strength is an obvious need to see more in his overall game Going forward.
Pro Comparison: Baker Mayfield is the comparison that makes the most sense. The style of play is almost identical as are the players in stature
2. Desmond Ridder
There is a lot to like when it comes to the prospect of Desmond Ridder, including his physical gifts to the obvious knowledge of the game that Ridder has. The arm talent with Ridder is unquestioned whether it be letting loose downfield or putting some air on passes while dropping them in buckets.
Ridder took the Cincinnati Bearcats to Notre Dame and absolutely put on a show. Ridder was calm, cool and collected the entire game. Cincinnati was the best team on the field on Saturday, and that confidence and poise come directly from their quarterback.
Ridder finished with a stat line of 19-for-32 while throwing for 297 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Ridder also rushed the football 10 times for 26 yards. Those numbers don’t scream first round draft pick but it’s the level of competition Ridder did it against. Coming into the game Notre Dame was ranked No. 9 in the country and for the majority of the game Ridder had his way with them.
Performances like this while continuing to keep the Bearcats undefeated will push Ridder more and more into the national spotlight, and Houston Texans scouts have to have seen what he’s capable of. Look for Ridder to move up mock draft boards following this performance as he solidifies himself as a top college quarterback.
If the right team takes Ridder with the ability to groom him in their system there is no doubt he can become a solid NFL starting quarterback.
Pro comparison: Colin Kaepernick is the player that makes the most sense. Strongarm and ability to run. Like Kaepernick, Ridder struggles with accuracy and overthrowing his receivers.
1. Malik Willis
Malik Willis is an absolute stud, and could you imagine him in a Houston Texans uniform? His game is the complete package with the ability to continue to keep the defense guessing. Willis’ ability to run as impressive as it is isn’t nearly as impressive as his passing ability. Willis’ most impressive ability is his leadership and accountability, things that can’t be taught.
Willis finished with a stat line that coupled with his overall play and demeanor earned him the top spot following Week 5. While being 13-for-19 on pass attempts Willis threw for 287 yards and one touchdown. While that might not be too impressive, Willis added 144 yards rushing on 15 attempts while rushing for two more touchdowns.
Willis’ ability to impact the game in multiple ways makes him the definition of what a dual-threat quarterback should look like. The ability to account for 3 touchdowns in a single game from the quarterback position is impressive especially when it’s done in multiple different ways.
Willis’ talent will absolutely translate to the NFL level making the team that drafts him immediately extremely hard to defend due to his ability to beat defenses with the deep ball, screen game, RPO, and direct quarterback run game.
Willis screams future star whoever lands him in the draft will have their franchise guy. Look for Willis’ name to start getting more attention with his last game being on national television.
Pro Comparison: Russell Wilson is the player that comes to mind while watching Malik Willis play. Lamar Jackson is also a name that comes to mind but with Willis being a more sturdy-built player coupled with the overall game he possesses Russell Wilson is the comparison that makes sense.