Sage Rosenfels column: Ideal landing spots for the top 4 rookie QBs

Sage Rosenfels is a former 12-year NFL quarterback who writes, does radio, and podcasts about the NFL and college football.

Sixteen years ago, I was in the same position as the hundreds of former college players who are waiting for this year's draft.

After my bowl game, I immediately moved to New Orleans to get into the best shape possible for the upcoming events before the NFL draft. I played in the Senior Bowl, attended the combine, participated in Iowa State's pro day, had numerous individual workouts with NFL teams, and traveled to a few teams' facilities for pre-draft visits. It is a busy and rigorous process which demands both physical and mental endurance. Once the draft occurs, your life immediately changes. Players will be moving to a new city, meeting new people, and learning a new playbook.

Personally, I was so excited to even have a chance to make an NFL roster that I didn't necessarily realize the importance of getting drafted by the right organization. In the NFL, no two teams are created equally, and where you end up has a huge impact on your short- and long-term career goals.

Looking back, the teams that seemed the most interested in drafting me were the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Diego Chargers. As I got closer to draft day, it dawned on me that I would soon be living in one of 30 NFL cities, and I had no control as to which one. This isn't what most normal college students deal with after graduation.

I also would be working for an owner, head coach, and general manager with various levels of success in their history. Some have won multiple Super Bowls, and often have had one family own the team since its inception. Others rarely make the playoffs and seem to be bought and sold every decade or so. The fan bases vary drastically from teams such as the Cowboys, who have a global reach, to the Bengals, whose fans are predominantly in the Ohio River Valley.

Wherever a player gets drafted, the coaching staff may be the most important factor in deciding the long-term fate of a quarterback. There are a wide variety of offenses in the NFL, and finding the right one to fit the needs of a young quarterback are vital. A rookie quarterback's position coach builds the foundation of his future NFL career. They must know how to improve the quarterback's drop, throwing mechanics, arm strength, and accuracy. Most importantly, they must teach the young passer the science of football.

There has never been a quarterback who is an exact perfect fit for an offensive coordinator, so it's also a process for both sides to grow together. This all takes time, but patience is a rarely used word in the league's general working environment. There is pressure everywhere. In my 12 years, I remember hearing the phrase "Take your time" on occasion, and don't recall an instance when it wasn't said sarcastically.

Of course, I didn't play for all 32 teams and I haven't studied under every coach currently in the NFL. But overall, I have learned that the media and agents put way too much value on what draft slot a player is picked. To me, it's way more important that a quarterback find the right team. That being said, here are my thoughts as to the optimal franchises for the top four signal-callers based off current quarterback status, coaches, ownership, and even fan bases. I don't believe this is where the quarterbacks will be drafted, but if they actually had a choice - which they don't - this is where they should want to end up.

Mitchell Trubisky

Trubisky is an interesting prospect because he has all the "tools" NFL teams look for in a quarterback. His biggest issue is his lack of experience. This is why I think the Pittsburgh Steelers would be a perfect fit for Trubisky.

The Steelers are one of the most professionally run NFL franchises, and almost every player who plays in Pittsburgh loves their experience. Secondly, Ben Roethlisberger is coming to an end of his Hall of Fame NFL career. Though his flirtation with retirement after the playoff loss was surprising, it gave NFL fans some insight that Big Ben may be closer to the end than most had thought. If Trubisky could sit for a year or two behind Roethlisberger, he could continue to develop without the pressure of playing right away. When it's time to step on the field, he would be playing for Mike Tomlin, who is one of the NFL's most beloved coaches.

The Steelers also have some of the most passionate and knowledgeable fans in the league. They would be patient with Trubisky, understanding that it takes time to develop as a young passer in the NFL. Following a Hall of Famer is not an easy task, but patience could be a recipe for success for Trubisky and the Steelers.

Deshaun Watson

Watson had the most success of all the quarterbacks in this year's draft and it's not even close. Because of this, I don't believe he would struggle as much as the other quarterbacks if he were to be forced into action as a rookie. He has played in dozens of high profile college games, won a national championship, and through it all has shown a tremendous amount of maturity.

Though he is not a polished NFL quarterback yet, he does have some physical tools, that with the right offensive coordinator, could help a team win right away. This is why I like him going to the Houston Texans.

Despite his struggles with Brock Osweiler, I believe Bill O'Brien is an excellent offensive coach. His team is ready to win right now, and after failing to get a top quarterback during the early free-agency period, they will be looking hard at the draft. Watson is a winner which is exactly what this team needs. The AFC South is one of the weakest divisions in football, and Watson's maturity will allow him to understand his role on the Texans. His job would be to protect the football, use his weapons, rely on his defense, and occasionally make a few plays. He won't have to carry the team on his shoulders to have success as a rookie.

This possibility reminds me of what happened with the Dallas Cowboys last year. While Dak Prescott has a better offense around him, both teams are built to win now. The Texans, and Watson, should follow the Cowboys' rookie quarterback game plan step by step. Also, the Texans have a great owner who will do whatever is necessary to win, even if they don't have a long history of championships. Most "experts" have Watson as a mid first-round pick, and the Texans' pick 25th overall. This match could happen, but the Texans would probably have to move up a dozen picks to get Watson.

Patrick Mahomes

Mahomes may have the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the draft. He is a phenomenal athlete, and has the strongest arm in recent memory. He has never played in an NFL style offense, and he too, will need some seasoning. The wrong spot for Mahomes could be catastrophic. He needs structure, good coaching, and someone who understands the patience you need for a young gunslinger.

The right spot would be the Kansas City Chiefs. Andy Reid is one of the best coaches in NFL history at producing successful quarterbacks. He has been around and had success with a wide variety of talent. Mahomes reminds me of a young Brett Favre, who Reid has coached. Reid would understand how to develop Mahomes as well as put him in the right type of offense to succeed. Kansas City uses the spread offense as much as any NFL team which would be a system Mahomes is accustomed to.

They also have a talented roster, excellent defense, and a quarterback who Chiefs fans don't mind replacing. Strangely, Alex Smith is almost the polar opposite of Mahomes. If Reid decides to pick Mahomes, he too has the option to leave the rookie on the bench for a year. From an ownership and city perspective, the Hunt family runs a first-class operation, and the Chiefs have some of the best fans in the NFL. It is also located in Big 12 country where Mahomes played his college ball. I think this pick could, and should, happen. The Chiefs pick 27th.

Deshone Kizer

Please be patient as I tell you why San Francisco is a great fit for Deshone Kizer. No, they aren't a great team right now. No, they don't have a lot of talent. No, they don't seem like a stable franchise to the outside. But I believe in their two biggest acquisitions this offseason, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.

Kizer has all of the tangible skills to be an NFL quarterback, but is very young. He, too, will need a year or two to develop, but what better place to grow than in San Fran. The franchise showed its commitment to be patient by giving Lynch and Shanahan six-year contracts. That means they don't have to win right now, and can build this team the right way. Shanahan already has Brian Hoyer to start in 2017, so Kizer could sit and watch somebody who has been in this offense.

Hoyer's ability to mentor Kizer could be priceless as Hoyer has been all over the league, and seen much of the good and bad the NFL has to offer. Kizer would also be learning from Shanahan, who I firmly believe is one of the NFL's best minds. Kyle has worked, and had success, with pure pocket passers like Matt Schaub, athletic quarterbacks like RGIII, and MVP Matt Ryan. For quarterbacks in this year's draft, the 49ers would be a better location than many may realize.

Few experts have Kizer as a first-round pick. San Francisco has the second pick of the second round. This too could be a perfect fit for both quarterback and team. Moving up two slots into the first round would cost the 49ers a draft pick, but it would also insure them another year that their quarterback would be under contract. This would be "money" well-spent.

With the NFL draft only 16 days away, multiple teams are looking for the right quarterback to lead their franchise into the near future. For the quarterbacks, I would worry less about when you are drafted and use whatever leverage you have to control the where. It will have a greater impact on a quarterback's future than any other position on the field.