As the NFL season winds down,
the focus on next year becomes imminent for
many teams that have been mathematically
eliminated from the play-offs. Although the
draft order will be altered in the upcoming
weeks, it seems quite evident that many of
the teams at the top of the list will be
shopping for a Quarterback. The pressure is
always great when attempting to decide upon
a field general to lead your team down the
road to the Super Bowl. If you are a
student of NFL history, the draft has always
proven to be fickle. Ryan Leaf quickly
demonstrated that success is not indicative
of draft position, while Tom Brady surprised
many by taking advantage of his opportunity,
after being drafted late. The list of QB
bust and sleepers is endless; however, we
must now focus on 2006. So having said
that, who are the best quarterback
prospects:
Matt
Leinart is the field general any team should
be striving to sign. His statistics speak
for themselves and in spite of his many
accomplishments; he still seems quite
grounded and embraces the team concept.
Unfortunately for Matt, the #1 overall
position he was practically guaranteed last
year has passed him by and all things being
equal I see him wearing the green and white
of the New York football Jets. As far as
prospects go, I would consider him as close
to a sure thing as possible.
Those
who drool at the athleticism of Michael Vick
have the opportunity to seriously consider
Vince Young as the next best prospect. I
will emphasize the word prospect, as I
believe both individuals fall under the
“over-rated” category. I am not taking away
from Vince Young’s on field abilities;
however, as the season closed, I was left
with the impression Vince Young is quite
concerned with Vince Young and may not be as
passionate as Matt Leinart in the team
concept. Nevertheless, Vince Young can be a
successful NFL quarterback; he will just
require the proper environment. I would
have placed Brady Quinn in this position;
however, I feel he will return to ND and
strive for a national championship. On the
other hand, I suspect Vince Young will enter
the NFL draft, regardless of the bowl game
outcome, to prove to the world he should
have won the Heisman. In my opinion, Vince
Young would be well suited in Arizona.
Now
that I have exhausted the obvious, the draft
board becomes a little wider. However, I
have placed Jay Cutler in the #3 quarterback
position. Although he may not be a
household name, he has demonstrating that he
has the ability to provide results, while
being surrounded with limited talent.
Although I am a die-hard Packers fan, the
prospect of Jay Cutler leading the
potentially explosive Lions offense is quite
intriguing.
Bruce
Gradkowski leads the second tier of NFL
quarterback prospects. Although he may not
be a solid 1st round pick, he has
the composure to remain in the pocket and
throw accurate passes. His scrambling
ability will ensure he can allude sacks;
however, is not considered a serious rushing
threat. As household names continue to fill
the top of many draft boards, Gradkowski
lies within the shadows in Toledo with
limited exposure. This could decrease his
stock in the draft; however, he will be a
steal for a fortunate team. This year’s Kyle
Orton.
Reggie
McNeal rounds out my top 5 prospects at
quarterback. Although this prospect has
several weaknesses, he seems to compensate
with his athletic ability. He is considered
small in NFL standards; however, his
world-class speed makes him a natural
rushing threat. This speed not only allows
him to avoid tacklers, it also gives him a
cushion to throw passes, as he has difficult
recognizing coverage schemes and struggles
with passing efficiency. McNeal can be
considered a WR prospects; however, with
proper guidance can be a legitmate NFL
quarterback.
