When you look at the early 2019 NFL mock drafts, two SEC quarterbacks often find themselves in the first round (and No. 1 overall pick) discussion — Missouri’s Drew Lock and Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham.

Lock set an SEC record by throwing 44 touchdown passes last year, while Stidham led the Tigers to big-time victories over Georgia and Alabama. Both are back this fall, and both are eager to prove themselves worthy of being the No. 1 overall pick.

But who will have the better season in 2018? Based on the high-octane offense the Tigers like to run, Lock will likely have the better numbers, but Stidham might win NFL scouts over with his poise and decision-making skills on the field.

The two teams won’t meet this year (barring an unlikely matchup in the SEC Championship Game), but that doesn’t mean we won’t be hearing comparisons of the two star quarterbacks as the year wears on.

Here’s a look at how Lock and Stidham match up heading into the 2018 season and who has the better shot of being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft:

Accuracy

In 2017, Stidham attempted fewer passes than Lock but still had more completions (246 to 242).

Indeed, one of Lock’s biggest issues is his accuracy. Prior to last year, Lock called his 54.6 percent completion rate in 2016 “horse poop.” He improved that to 57.8 percent in 2017, but there’s still work to be done.

If Lock can complete 60 percent or more of his passes this fall, he’ll climb even higher on many draft boards. Meanwhile, Stidham is on another level. He completed 66.5 percent of his throws in 2017 to lead the SEC.

It’s worth noting that Lock takes more shots down the field, completing a nation-leading 19 passes of 50 or more yards last year. However, Stidham isn’t exactly a slouch in that category, as he finished in fifth place with an impressive 10 completions of 50+ yards.

But the short and intermediate throws are Stidham’s bread and butter, and he’s shown he can handle whatever throw Auburn asks him to make. For that reason, he gets the edge in accuracy.

Advantage: Stidham

Deep throws

As mentioned above, Lock led the country in completions of 50 or more yards, but Stidham came in fifth place. However, when you look at completions of more than 60 yards, Lock has the clear advantage.

The Mizzou star tossed nine passes that went for more than 60 yards, while Stidham only completed one such pass. If Gus Malzahn gives Stidham more freedom this season, he could improve even more in that area, but for now, Lock gets the edge.

Defenses will have their hands full once again with Lock launching go routes to WRs Emanuel Hall, Johnathon Johnson and others this fall. Hall, in particular, is the beneficiary of many of Lock’s best deep throws:

And it’s not just that Lock is good when he airs it out, it’s that he does it so often, too:

Stidham also has a fantastic arm, but Lock is on a different level and should continue to make big plays this fall.

Advantage: Lock

Weapons

Lock lost star WR J’Mon Moore and RB Ish Witter this offseason, but returns mostly the same skill group around him. Stidham, on the other hand, lost RBs Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway, and WRs Eli Stove and Will Hastings have already torn their ACLs this spring and might not be ready for the start of the season.

Still, Stidham has some talent around him, starting with WRs Darius Slayton and Ryan Davis. Lock, meanwhile, has deep threat Hall and the speedy Johnson returning at the receiver position, Albert Okwuegbunam as his tight end and Damarea Crockett and Larry Rountree III holding down the running back spot.

Based on the questions in the Auburn backfield, and the fact that Gus Malzahn doesn’t use the tight end much in the passing game, Lock has a bigger stable of weapons to work with this fall.

Advantage: Lock

Decision-making

In 2017, especially early in the season, Lock made some head-scratching throws. It seemed as if it took him a series or two to settle into the game, with a couple of his worst interceptions coming in the first quarters.

Also, as a part of the Mizzou offense under Josh Heupel, Lock wasn’t asked to make many complicated reads. That could change under new OC Derek Dooley, but Stidham is already making NFL-level reads, as you can see in the video below:

Lock will need to show he can look beyond the first read more often this fall, and he’ll need to avoid the early interceptions that hurt his team, but that is certainly possible.

Stidham, meanwhile, is already at that level with his decision-making, so he gets the edge in this category.

Advantage: Stidham

Untapped potential

Stidham, who is 6-3, 214 pounds, is closer to being a finished product than Lock is, but he still has areas he can improve. For example, Malzahn typically doesn’t give his quarterbacks much freedom to make changes at the line of scrimmage.

That’s something many of the NFL’s best quarterbacks do at will. Malzahn said last season that Stidham has more freedom than any QB he’s had, so it’ll be interesting to see if Malzahn gives Stidham a longer leash this fall.

Meanwhile, Lock, who has prototypical size at 6-4, 225 pounds, might have put up video game-like numbers in 2017, but he could help his draft stock even more this year. If he can continue to dominate defenses under his third offensive coordinator in four years, he’ll make himself even more enticing to NFL squads.

Combine that with the potential for better decision-making and the chance to lead the nation in touchdown passes once again, and Lock’s untapped potential is surprisingly high for a guy who has already proven he can put up huge numbers.

Advantage: Lock

Verdict

While Auburn likely will have a better season than Mizzou, Lock will still get plenty of attention on the national level (barring the unlikely event that Dooley’s offense completely tanks).

Both Stidham and Lock will be high draft picks next year if they take care of business this fall, and both could certainly stay in the No. 1 pick discussion throughout the entire season.

However, Lock is the more enticing NFL prospect right now, and when the 2019 Draft rolls around, it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see the Mizzou star be the first quarterback to hear his name called in Nashville.

Stidham will put up some big numbers in Auburn’s offense, but Lock is defending his touchdown crown, and he should put the finishing touches on a record-breaking Mizzou career this fall.