Draft Spotlight: Quarterback

How Many First Round Picks?

Three, and this one is pretty close to a slam-dunk. Matthew Stafford (Georgia) is the number one guy, which is why he is the only signal caller in the conversation for the number one overall pick. If you ever watched a full Stafford game as a Bulldog, you thought at least once or twice, “No one in else in college football could have made that throw”. Of course, that doesn’t guarantee anything at the next level. He didn’t always make the best decisions, but always seemed to be dealing with slippery-handed pass catchers and an inexperienced offensive line. Georgia football coach Mark Richt compares Stafford to NFL legends John Elway and Dan Marino.

“He is very strong and durable, he is very agile,” Richt adds. “His arm is unquestioned in its strength, but he can also make any throw you would want a guy to make. He is highly intelligent. He loves the game. He’s a humble guy who wants to put the team first; he’s exactly what everyone is looking for. I think he will be a very high pick, if not the first pick.”

As for number two, it’s a toss up. Before you put Mark Sanchez (USC) in the top ten, could you find one person who called him a first round pick before his Rose Bowl performance? Didn’t think so. Sanchez has potential, but is a borderline first-round talent who will get over-drafted.

Finally, we come to the brick-house named Josh Freeman out of Kansas St. Yes, he is raw, but he has more potential than Sanchez and maybe as much as Stafford. I like Freeman more than I liked JaMarcus Russell coming out…the difference? Freeman didn’t have Dwayne Bowe, Buster Davis and Early Doucet to throw to or a defense stocked with future NFL talent constantly giving him the ball back.

Who Are the Top Senior QBs?

No senior quarterback will approach the first round and they all may have to wait until day two to hear their name called. The candidates include Pat White (West Virginia), Curtis Painter (Purdue), Thomas Brandstater (Fresno St.), Stephen McGee (Texas A&M) and Brian Hoyer (Michigan St.).

White is the most likely to go in the second round, but that has more to do with his “slash” potential than his ability to go under center in 2009. Hoyer appears to be a rising player on some people’s draft boards despite the fact he struggled to complete 50 percent of his passes as a senior.

The upside that Painter, Brandstater and McGee bring shouldn’t be underestimated. Don’t be surprised if one or more of this trio outperforms one or two of the big three as pros. It happens all the time. Quarterback coach Bob Johnson, who worked with Sanchez, Painter, Brandstater, White and Nathan Brown had especially high praise for the former Boilermaker.

“Curtis Painter is going to surprise people and end up starting in this league,” Johnson told the NFL Draft Bible in a radio interview. Brandstater and McGee may not have the arm strength of Painter, but provide a little more in terms of mobility.

What Happened to So-and-So?

“Sometimes your senior year doesn’t go quite the way it’s supposed to and maybe his didn’t, but there are a lot of things to be said about that whether it was protections or receivers or a new coordinator, whatever it was.”

That was Coach Johnson on Curtis Painter, but he easily could have been talking about Hunter Cantwell (Louisville), Cullen Harper (Clemson), Rudy Carpenter (Arizona St.) or Todd Boeckman (Ohio St.). Of this quartet Cantwell and Boeckman have the best arms. Cantwell is inexperienced and spotty, but if a team can be patient and coach him up, he possesses the raw tools. Boeckman was a victim of circumstance at OSU—after their National Championship hopes vanished, it was time for the Terrelle Pryor era to begin. Boeckman is a statue in the pocket, but he has a pro arm and could be a Free Agent bargain.

Coming out of the Big XII, Graham Harrell (Texas Tech) and Chase Daniel (Missouri) were as productive as anyone in this class of quarterbacks, but they simply don’t stack up physically. Yes, people have questioned the fact they are coming out of spread offenses, but scouts wouldn’t be as worried about the “system” label if Daniel was three or four inches taller and Harrell had a stronger arm.

John Parker Wilson (Alabama) is a solid game manager who led the Crimson Tide to an 11-win season, but he doesn’t offer much potential.

Who Could Be This Year’s Joe Flacco?

If you’re looking for someone who is going to step in as the starter and win a playoff game, the answer is “nobody”. The top small school candidate is Rhett Bomar (Sam Houston St.), who has the size, arm and athleticism to start under center in the League. Like Flacco who began his college career as a Pitt Panther (before transferring to Delaware), Bomar started at the Bowl Subdivision level, leading the Oklahoma Sooners to their last bowl victory before moving on to Sam Houston St. Accuracy is the biggest question make with this small school stud.

Not far behind is D-III standout Jason Boltus (Hartwick), who throws an impressive fastball. He's an intriguing prospect and it’s amazing that someone with his kind of arm slipped through so many cracks. Two other names to keep an eye on are Michael Reilly (Central Washington) and Nathan Brown (Central Arkansas).

Who Are Some Sleepers?

His stock may have dropped more than any other quarterback's throughout the evaluation process, but there is still a lot to like about Nate Davis (Ball St.), namely his rocket arm. His did not put his best foot forward on his way out the door, playing his worst two games of 2008 in his final two games as a collegian, but if you can snag him anytime after the third round, he could end up being a steal. Another strong-armed mid-major quarterback who could surprise is David Johnson (Tulsa). A one-year starter, Johnson did the most with his opportunity and proved himself to be capable threat. Unlike most spread offenses, the Golden Hurricane stretched the football field and not many throw a prettier deep ball than Johnson. Willie Tuitama (Arizona), like Davis, is short, stocky and athletic with a good arm, while Chase Patton (Missouri) hopes to be the next Matt Cassell and overcome zero college starts before embarking on an NFL career.

Who Are the Stars of Tomorrow?

If you heard enough of Pat White and what position he should play on Sundays…wait till next year! Everyone and their mother will have an opinion on Mr. Tim Tebow (Florida). Is he a quarterback? Tight end? H-Back? Fullback? Maybe even a linebacker? If he does stay “under center”, he will be asked to do very different things on Sundays than he does as the Gators' star. Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan), Zac Robinson (Oklahoma St.) and Juice Williams (Illinois) are three more dual threats, with Colt McCoy (Texas) coming out of the Texas spread. And keep an eye on 6’ 5 mid-major quarterbacks Tim Hiller (Western Michigan) and Rusty Smith (Florida Atlantic).

Red-shirt junior Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) will be the favorite to go number one overall heading into the season, but don’t sleep on former Longhorn Jevan Snead (Ole Miss), with Jake Locker (Washington), Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame), Colin Kaepernick (Nevada) and Pat Devlin (Delaware) all talented juniors.

No one looks the part of the old school prototypical pocket passer more than the 6’5/255 pound sophomore Ryan Mallett (Arkansas), while fellow second-year studs Terrelle Pryor (Ohio St.) and Robert Griffin (Baylor) are 100 percent new school.

Part I of an VIII Part Series - Tomorrow: Running Backs

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media, College Press Box (Louisville), Sam Houston State Athletics, Walt Beazley, University of Tulsa, Purdue University Sports Information

On The Clock: Baltimore Ravens

Record: 11-5, 2nd In the AFC South
General Manager: Ozzie Newsome, Head Coach: John Harbaugh (2nd Year), Offensive Coordinator: Cam Cameron (2dn Year), Defensive Coordinator: Greg Mattison (1st Year/2nd Year With Ravens)

Offense Rankings: No. 18 Overall, No. 11 Scoring, No. 28 Passing, No. 4 Rushing
Defense Rankings: No. 2 Overall, No. 3 Scoring, No. 2 Passing, No. 3 Rushing

Last Five Years: 44-36; Last Playoff Appearance: 2008; Last Playoff Victory: 2008 (13-10 Over the Tennessee Titans)

2008 Draft: (1-18) QB Joe Flacco, (2-55) RB Ray Rice, (3-71) LB Tavares Gooden, (3-86) S Tom Zbikowski, (3-99) OG Oniel Cousins, (4-106) WR Marcus Smith, (4-133) OT David Hale, (6-206) S Haruki Nakamura, (7-215) WR Justin Harper, (7-240) RB Allen Patrick

Top Picks Last Five Years:
2008 – (1-18) QB Joe Flacco, Delaware
2007 – (1-29) OG Ben Grubbs, Auburn
2006 – (1-12) DT Haloti Ngata, Oregon
2005 – (1-22) WR Mark Clayton, Oklahoma
2004 – (2-51) DT Dwan Edwards, Oregon St.

Booms: C Jason Brown (4th Round 2005), DT Haloti Ngata (1st Round 2006), S Dawan Landry (5th Round 2006), P Sam Koch (6th Round 2006), OG Ben Grubbs (1st Round 2007), KR Yamon Figurs (3rd Round 2007), OT Marshal Yanda (3rd Round 2007), RB Le'Ron McClain (4th Round 2007), QB Joe Flacco (1st Round 2008)

Busts: DT Dwan Edwards (2nd Round 2004), WR Devard Darling (3rd Round 2004), OLB Dan Cody (2nd Round 2005), DB David Pittman (3rd Round 2006), WR Demetrius Williams (4th Round 2006)

Additions:
C Matt Birk (Free Agent)
CB Chris Carr (Free Agent)
CB Domonique Foxworth (Free Agent)
TE L.J. Smith (Free Agent)

Subtractions:
QB Kyle Boller (FA-St. Louis)
C Jason Brown (FA-St. Louis)
WR Terrance Copper (FA-Kansas City)
DE Marques Douglas (Released)
CB Corey Ivy (FA-Cleveland)
SS Jim Leonhard (FA-New York/AFC)
CB Chris McAlister (Released)
ILB Bart Scott (FA-New York/AFC)
DE Lee Vickers (FA-New York/NFC)

Keepers:
QB Todd Bouman
P Sam Koch
LB Rey Lewis
WR Marcus Maxwell
DT Brandon McKinney
OLB Terrell Suggs (Franchised)

2009 Picks:
Round 1, Selection 26
Round 2, Selection 25
Round 3, Selection 24
Round 4, Selection 23
Round 5, Selection 26
Round 6, Selection 25

Team Needs – Players of Interest (Day One):
1. Wide Receiver: Percy Harvin, Florida; Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland; Kenny Britt, Rutgers; Hakeem Nicks, UNC; Brian Robiskie, OSU; Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma; Jarett Dillard, Rice; Mike Thomas, Arizona
2. Offensive Tackle: Eben Britton, Arizona; William Beatty, UConn; Jamon Meredith, South Carolina; Phil Loadholt, Oklahoma
3. Kicker: None.
4. Outside Linebacker: Clay Matthews Jr., USC; Brian Cushing, USC; Aaron Maybin, PSU; Connor Barwin, Cincinnati; Larry English, Northern Illinois; Clint Sintim, Virginia; Cody Brown, UConn
5. Defensive End: Tyson Jackson, LSU; Jarron Gilbert, San Jose St.; Evander Hood, Missouri; Sen’Derrick Marks, Auburn; Fili Moala, USC

Photo Credit: Mark Campbell, UD Athletics Media Relations Photo, College Press Box (Maryland)

Don't Sleep On Small School Transfers

In the last few years, there have been several small school players that have achieved a success in the NFL. Many of them were transfers. Names like Joe Flacco, the former Pittsburgh Panther who transferred to Delaware, or Brandon Jacobs, the former Auburn Tiger who moved to Southern Illinois.

Flacco wanted to start and didn’t want to wait on Tyler Palko, while Jacobs was stuck behind Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown. But in the NFL landscape, being from Pitt or Auburn as opposed to Delaware or Southern Illinois greatly affects how you're judged.

I think the first step is to realize that these players were at top schools in the nation. Then, for whatever reason, they decided to move on.

This year the NFL Draft Bible took a look at some of the guys who were at high profile schools when entering college but—like the names mentioned above—ended up moving to smaller schools. In the process, I think they sort of fell off the radar; you can bet your bottom dollar that for the most part, a player from Florida is going to get a closer look than a kid from Southern Illinois.

Rashad Jennings from Liberty was originally at Pittsburgh but transferred to be closer to his father due to his battle with diabetes. When one thinks of Liberty, they think of justice for all, not a tiny school in Lynchburg, Virginia. Jennings did play at Pittsburgh, he was one of only four true freshmen to start a opener for the Panthers. He sort of reminds me of a poor man's Chris Wells. This 6’1 231-pound back possesses the skill set to make a big impact at the next level. During the NFL Scouting Combine, Jennings' results in the 3-cone drill were off the charts for a man his size and he proved to have the muscle as well, logging 29 reps on the bench. Jennings will be lucky to be a day one back, but like Brandon Jacobs who was selected in the fourth round, he's going to be yet another example of how the name of the school affects the ranking of the player.

Having captured the last three Big 12 Championships, the Oklahoma Sooners football program takes a back seat to no one. Could it have been Rhett Bomar instead of Sam Bradford holding the Heisman Trophy if he wasn’t dismissed after breaking NCAA rules? Bomar was recruted to play at Sam Houston State, where he ended up. He was also recruited to play for a team that has gone 102-22 since Bob Stoops took over the program. Bomar broke the rules and now his Draft stock is feeling the effects of those mistakes. Think about it—do you really think Bomar would be ranked where he is now if he was still with Oklahoma? He stands 6’2 and 225 pounds, brings good arm strength and a competitive attitude to the huddle, and is a presence on the field, as a Bearkat or Sooner.

Even though his college career was marred by injuries, former Miami Hurricane Andrew Johnson, who transferred to Akron, is really the super sleeper of the three. At the time when Johnson was recruited by Miami, Larry Coker was the coach and the ‘Canes were a force in college football. They produced elite talent from all positions, maybe none more so than running back, where names like Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee and Frank Gore echo in the halls of the U. But like a high-end night club, not just anybody was getting in. For Johnson, the future never turned out like the others—he never made it behind the velvet rope. Johnson has 4.3 speed to go along with size at 5’11 and 215. Time will tell if this former Hurricane will go unnoticed as a Zip before showing up, and lighting it up, in the pros.

Many talented players share the same situation as Jennings, Bomar and Johnson and they'll each be seeking to make a big impact as second day selections.

Photo Credit: Sam Houston State Athletics, Mark Campbell, UD Athletics Media Relations Photo

The Class of 2007

By NATHANIEL PURINTON

With Week 8 in the rearview mirror, some teams have reached the halfway point of their season and others are on the cusp. I thought we might take a look back at the five biggest offensive acquisitions from the 2008 NFL Draft and how each player has impacted their respective teams.

1. MATT RYAN, QB, ATLANTA

It’s an absolutely remarkable achievement when an argument can be made for a rookie quarterback as the most valuable player on his team. And that’s been the case in Atlanta from the first snap in week 1. On literally the third snap from scrimmage, his first NFL pass went for a 62-yard touchdown and the unbelievable renaissance of the Atlanta franchise has continued as the Falcons find themselves at 4-3 after a tough loss in Philadelphia on Sunday. Against a tough Eagle defense that limited the Steelers to just 6 points and 179 total yards earlier this season, Ryan threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns in the 27-14 defeat. Ryan is on track for a 3,000-yard season, an achievement that few, if any, pundits thought possible when the season began. More impressively, he has become the face of the franchise just a little more than a year after Michael Vick, the previous franchise quarterback, was sentenced to prison time for his role in a dog-fighting ring.

2. CHRIS JOHNSON, RB, TENNESSEE

In what could be looked back upon one day as one of the best drafts for running backs in recent history, Chris Johnson was the fifth running back taken behind Darren McFadden, Jonathan Stewart, Felix Jones, and Rashard Mendenhall as the 24th overall pick to the Titans. His speed was unquestioned but some draft experts wondered whether he had the size to stand up to the physical pounding of the NFL. Seven games into the season in the Titans ball-control offensive system, Johnson has been the game-breaker Tennessee has long lacked in the backfield. He is averaging nearly 90 yards per game, has scored four times, and has two runs of 40 or more yards for the undefeated Titans. Not even halfway into his first season in the NFL, defenses are being forced to game plan for him, a compliment that few rookie running backs receive.

3. MATT FORTE, RB, CHICAGO

With their second round pick, the Bears selected Matt Forte out of Tulane. With former first round pick Cedric Benson officially a bust, the Bears found themselves once again searching for a running back in the 2008 Draft. Although lacking the breakaway speed of Johnson, Forte won the starting job in Chicago during training camp and proved he deserved it in week one, rushing for 123 yards and a touchdown in a surprising road win over the Colts. Forte is on pace for a 1,000-yard season and his productivity has forced defenses to crowd the line of scrimmage, allowing QB Kyle Orton to find success down the field with play-action passes. Forte is a major reason the Bears are averaging 28 points per game, third in the NFL and seven points per game more than in 2007.

4. DESEAN JACKSON, WR, PHILADELPHIA

Other than the season and a half when the Eagles had Terrell Owens, Philadelphia has long searched for a receiver who could stretch the field and create big plays for Donovan McNabb and the offense. Jackson, a second round pick out of California, is averaging almost 16 yards per reception, leads the team in receiving yards, and appears likely to crack the 1,000-yard receiving barrier. McNabb is on pace for a career high in passing yards, a stat that can be directly traced to Jackson’s ability to make plays down the field. He also has added an element on special teams where he has had two returns of over 40 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown against Washington in Week 5.

5. JOE FLACCO, QB, BALTIMORE

Though his numbers pale in comparison to fellow rookie Matt Ryan, Flacco has also been impressive in the young season, earning the starting job for the rest of the year with his performance in the season’s first half. With Troy Smith and Kyle Boller felled by an illness and shoulder injury respectively, Baltimore turned to the rookie out of Delaware to start the season. He has managed the game admirably and avoided crucial mistakes in leading Baltimore to a 4-3 record, good enough for second in the AFC North. He is completing over 60% of his passes and has shown incredible arm strength, most recently against Oakland Sunday when he hit Demetrius Williams for a 70-yard touchdown. Flacco may not take Baltimore to the postseason in his first season, but Jon Harbaugh and the Raven coaching staff can rest easy knowing their rookie quarterback has a bright future in the NFL.

Photo Credit: Collegiate Images, College Press Box (Boston College)