Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg might be the most heavily debated prospect in the upcoming draft, and he is reportedly slipping on NFL draft boards as some teams have given the Nittany Lions quarterback a fourth-round grade, according to Charlie Campbell of Walter Football.
The junior quarterback has drawn comparisons from Troy Aikman to Jay Cutler to Josh Freeman, but he is moving down boards and could be seen more like a project like Matt Barkley, Brett Hundley or Bryce Petty. Those three went into their last seasons in college expecting to be top NFL prospects, but poor play and habits revealed that they were more projects than prospects.
Hackenberg was expected to be a first-round draft pick prior to the beginning of this season, but at midseason the coveted prospect started losing ground, as many draft analysts found that he didn't look anything like a first-round pick. Hackenberg exploded onto the college football scene during his freshman year, throwing for 2,955 yards with 20 touchdowns to 10 interceptions and winning the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award.
Since then Hackenberg has struggled to produce the big numbers or wins NFL scouts are looking for. This year Hackenberg threw for 2,386 yards with 16 touchdowns to five interceptions, but in his defense, he has been behind a struggling offensive line. The Nittany Lions quarterback led his team to a 7-5 record this season but failed to get any major wins over programs like Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State this season.
Penn State faces Georgia in the TaxSlayer Bowl on Jan 2, and plenty of NFL scouts will be watching that game closely, as they will want to see how Hackenberg performs against an SEC defense. He can clearly help his draft stock with a big win over the Bulldogs.
It's unclear if Hackenberg will decide to enter in the 2016 NFL Draft, but whichever team decides to take him might have to wait before he becomes their next franchise quarterback. Hackenberg will need to work on his mobility, accuracy and decision making at the next level, as NFL defenses will look to take advantage of his weaknesses.
