Top Five Big Ten Starting Quarterbacks Entering Spring Practice

Jan 2, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Jake Rudock (15) throws in the fourth quarter of their 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl game against the Tennessee Volunteersat EverBank Field. The Tennessee Volunteers beat the Iowa Hawkeyes 45-28. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports

No. 5: Jake Rudock – Iowa

Rudock is a quarterback to watch in the Big Ten and probably does not get enough credit for his performance, most likely since he plays for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Rudock presents a strong fundamental quarterback who still can develop into a better quarterback. An extremely productive and efficient quarterback, Rudock had a completion percentage in 2014 of 61.7% , a 2.7% increase from his 59.0 in his freshman season.

In his junior season, the Weston, Florida native showed a great amount of development seeing an increase in completions, yards, completion percentage, yards per attempt, and QB rating. He also saw his interceptions drop from 13 to five.

Last season, Rudock lead the Hawkeyes to a 6-7 record, only missing one game early in the season against Purdue. However, the Hawkeyes 51st ranked offense could be to blame for several of those losses.

Rudock could be a late riser in next year’s NFL Draft and should be an interesting prospect to watch over the course of his senior season.

While he doesn’t have the strongest arm, Rudock is a smart quarterback who perfectly fits the definition of a “game manager”. He’s not going to put up “sexy” numbers but he gets  the job done.