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What happened to the hype surrounding the 2020 quarterback class?

It's easy to get caught up in the weekly madness of the sport. One big game by a player can propel them to the national spotlight; hell, one good play can do it. Similarly, one bad week can have analysts and fans wondering out loud if a player is as talented as they were led to believe.

This microwave society isn't good for player evaluation. Hype is often fleeting, and the basis of evaluation is a continued study over time. The 2020 quarterback class is a case study in evaluation over time versus highlights.

Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa is the picture of consistency, but that's boring and easy to discount because of the talent around him. And yet a player who has thrown 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions this year doesn't get as much hype as other quarterbacks because it's what we've come to expect. Tagovailoa doesn't trend on Twitter with jaw-dropping runs or dazzling plays; he just wins and plays smart, consistent football. That's why he's not moving off his No. 1 spot in the position group.

Behind him, there hasn't been a ton of movement over the course of the season—and again, that's how evaluation should be—because overhyped players have crashed back to earth while consistent quarterbacks have continued to play well.

Joe Burrow can be considered a rising star but only by those who refuse to acknowledge how well he played to end the 2018 season. Burrow was red-hot and showing weekly signs of improvement as last year ended. He's only picked up where he left off while continuing to develop his own tools and building better chemistry with those around him.

Outside of the two dominant SEC quarterbacks, the 2020 class has question marks. Justin Herbert was anointed a franchise quarterback when he won the starting job at Oregon; and while his stats are impressive, his play can leave you wanting more. It's the same for trait-based players such as Jacob Eason (Washington) and Jordan Love (Utah State), who look the part from a height-weight-skills standpoint but haven't put together consistent performances. Each has talent and could work his way higher up the board, but their play must improve.

And then there is Jake Fromm. The Georgia quarterback is a picture of consistency but lacks the physical tools of those listed ahead of him. Quarterbacks with great minds and accuracy but limited athleticism have won in the NFL—there's that guy in New England, after all—but Fromm has his lovers and haters among NFL scouts.

Put it all together, and the 2020 quarterback class is good but not great. NFL teams in need at the position have time to figure out where they stand on this group, but those who value consistency will love what they get from the SEC.

How does the rest of the draft class shake out? Here's a look at my big board and position-by-position rankings.