While reviews of Jake Locker’s week at the Senior Bowl were mixed, it appears two mock draft experts felt Locker had an atrocious week in Alabama, as evidenced by the latest incarnation’s of their respective draft projections. Locker was up-and-down at the Senior Bowl, struggling with inconsistency but also putting together a 6-10 performance in the game itself. He left the game with as many questions as he came into it with as scouts wondered about his footwork, mechanics and ability to make all the throws necessary to be a successful NFL quarterback.
On Monday, when CBS Sports released both of its latest mock drafts, one player was conspicuously absent. Both Rob Rang and Chad Reuter left Locker out of the first round. Just one week ago, Locker was inside the top-20, only to become a borderline first-0rounder after the Senior Bowl.
Washington senior QB Jake Locker looked the part of an athletic quarterback, but the inconsistent accuracy on display over the past two seasons was readily apparent during the week of practices. Even if Locker isn’t selected early in the first round, a team will likely be enticed to jump from the early second round into the No. 25-32 range to take a chance on his upside.
We could be looking at a Tim Tebow situation, where a team trades up into the bottom-half of the first round to snatch Locker. After many analysts praised Locker following his junior year, with one even tabbing him as the No. 1 overall pick, it’s surprising how far he’s fallen. At the same time, life isn’t over for Locker, and he still has plenty of time to convince a team to take a shot on him when April’s draft rolls.
For the latest projections, check out our 2011 NFL mock draft StoryStream.