Amidst all the talk of Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, there is another quarterback in the draft that Jon Gruden feels is being overlooked.
Gruden spent some time with Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg, and the former coach and current ESPN analyst would be “shocked” if Hackenberg isn’t a first rounder.
“I’ll be shocked if Hackenberg is not a first-round pick,” Gruden said, via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. “The biggest surprise to me on Hackenberg is that no one is really talking about him in the first round. This was the No. 1 prospect in the nation a few years ago and someone who showed during his freshman year he could produce at a high level in a true NFL-style offense. What he showed during that first year at Penn State — before the coaching change, before the system change, before all the things that derailed him — would be enough for me to take this guy early. This man can run a 4.7-second 40, he is tough as hell and he works relentlessly. He just has to get in the right system with the right people and refocus on the small details.”
Florio can’t help but point out that Gruden’s comments come on the same day that his brother Jay’s team is hosting Hackenberg for a pre-draft visit.
Gruden may love Hackenberg, but apparently the quarterback hasn’t come across well in his pre-draft interviews. Gruden may end up being disappointed on draft day.
