(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Matt Ryan burst into the national spotlight in 2007.
At the start of that season, Ryan was named to the 2007 All-ACC team and did not disappoint. During his senior season at Boston College, Ryan led the Eagles to an 8-0 start, and beat the likes of No. 15 Georgia Tech and No. 9 Virginia Tech. Ryan led his team to the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl and beat Michigan State easily, with a 41-24 victory.
Backtrack a few years. In Ryan's senior season at high school, he was named captain of the baseball, basketball, and football teams.
Matt Ryan got in his first NCAA game in his freshman year, and completed 35 of 71 passes for 350 yards and a touchdown. He also played a little in Boston College's bowl game that year.
His sophomore season, Ryan was not immediately named the starter. Being a second stringer to quarterback Quinton Porter, Ryan finally got the starting job midway through the season, in a game against North Carolina. Matt Ryan would never look back.
In Ryan's junior year, Ryan was named the starter. Starting in 11 out of 12 games, Ryan threw for nearly 3000 yards and 15 touchdowns. Decent numbers, but not nearly as good as his senior season's stats.
The next year, Ryan exploded. He threw for 4507 yards, 31 touchdowns, and has a passer efficiency rating of 127.04. Also, while leading the Eagles to their 8-0 start, Ryan got his name out to the NFL scouts.
The next year, while entering the draft, Ryan was taken third overall to the Atlanta Falcons. Despite not having the best NFL combine drills (5.07 40 yard dash time), Atlanta knew they had the right kid in mind.
That year, Matt Ryan had arguably the best rookie season in the NFL's recent memory. Ryan threw for 3440 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just 11 interceptions. Ryan was only the second rookie ever to throw for 3000 yards in his first season in the league, Peyton Manning was the first.
Oh yeah, he also led the Falcons to the playoffs, while starting all 16 games. Not bad, for a rookie.
This year, Ryan will have some of the highest expectations in the entire league. Ryan will be expected to win his first playoff game, at least, and will set the bar high for rookies of this year's draft, like Matt Stafford and Mark Sanchez.
Also this year, Matt Ryan has a new weapon to throw to. His name? Tony Gonzalez. Yeah, the best tight end to ever play the game of football will be catching balls from the best sophomore quarterback in the NFL. Clearly Matt Ryan will have an amazing year at quarterback.
So we have an amazing rookie season from Ryan, a for sure future Hall of Famer in Tony Gonzalez, but what else do we have? We have an all-pro running back by the name of Michael Turner and a great possession receiver in Michael Jenkins.
Michael Turner is probably one of Matt Ryan's biggest assets. Turner will run all over defenses, resulting in safeties and line backers to start to creep in to help stop the run. Then Ryan will throw over the top and really tack on some yardage.
Jenkins, who had a career high in receiving yards in 2008 with 777, is sure to breakout this year with the emergence of Gonzalez.
Honestly, I would be surprised if Matt Ryan doesn't win the NFL's MVP award this year. I doubt Tom Brady will be back to his old form, and Manning will be without one of his favorite targets in Marvin Harrison.
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