Peter King is the latest NFL draft observer to suggest that Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder could go in the first round, tweeting: “Eight days before the draft, this is the hot guy at the bottom of round one: FSU QB Christian Ponder.”
But Ponder won’t be a fit for every team. His arm strength is considered to be only average and he struggles throwing the deep ball. But he has good athleticism, a high football IQ and is very accurate, making him a solid fit for the West Coast Offense. With that in mind, below are seven potential landing spots for Ponder as the draft approaches.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals will run new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden’s version of the WCO and with the uncertainty surrounding Carson Palmer’s return next year, Ponder is a logical fit for Cincinnati. That said, the Bengals obviously aren’t going to take him with the No. 4 pick. They could trade down, but it would make more sense for them to either wait and hope he falls to them at No. 35 or trade back into the late first round and take Ponder there.
Minnesota Vikings
Under new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, the Vikings will run a version of the WCO with elements of the vertical passing game and strong rushing attack a la the scheme Mike Mularkey runs in Atlanta. Given some of the things that head coach Leslie Frazier has said this offseason, you get the sense that Minnesota will draft and start a rookie this season. They won’t take Ponder at No. 12 but they are a candidate to trade back into the first round.
San Francisco 49ers
If you read between the lines, the Niners’ game plan under new head coach Jim Harbaugh is this: Re-sign Alex Smith to a one-year deal, draft a quarterback in one of the first two rounds and groom him to start in 2012. Like many of the teams on this list, the 49ers won’t draft Ponder with their first pick (No. 7 overall) but are in position to move up into the late first round.
