Bleacher Report - Articles by Bryan Trulen

2010 NFL Draft: QB Rankings

Bryan Trulen — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:28:18 -0400

With five weeks of football in the books, two Junior QB's are making serious National Noise, and some guys who were at the top last year are seriously looking at seeing their draft day stock continue to fall. Now, before you judge remember that I am making this list as If I were an NFL GM making decisions for my team, not a College Football Hall of Fame Induction Officer.

Before I start let me preface and say that this is a terribly weak QB Class, people thought last years class was weak with Sanchez and Stafford, this one might be the worst class in years for QBs that can step in and play at the NFL Level.

1. Jimmy Clausen Notre Dame Throws best deep ball in College Football. Great Mechanics, quick release, making all the throws, developing very nicely and stepping up in critical situations and becoming a great Leader.

2. Jake Locker Washington Benefiting from UW new offense. Kid can make plays with arm or legs, absolutely no talent around him, NFL Tools throwing the ball.

3. Sam Bradford Oklahoma Before the injury, NFL people had questions about his toughness, arm strength, system label etc... he has to come back and play well to stay on this list.

4. Jevan Snead Ole Miss Don't be fooled too much by his early season struggles, he still knows how to play the position and NFL GM's know this.

5. Joe Cox Georgia Showing why he was considered one of the best QB's in the Nation coming out of HS with a great start to the season, throws a great deep ball.

6. Daryl Clark Penn State Can Make any throw, nice looking athlete who might switch positions, but still could be an NFL QB.

2010 NFL Draft QB Rankings (Early)

Bryan Trulen — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:31:52 -0400

With Day 2 of the 2009 NFL draft coming to an end, its never too early to look ahead to 2010 right? If you have too much time on your hands then its the perfect time! Anyways, lets get to business. Some of you will be surprised with my picks, but I'm sure people who know about Quarterbacks and what the NFL specifically looks for in them, you will probably agree with me.

1. Jevan Snead, Ole Miss, *Junior, 6-2, 215—Athletic signal caller who can operate under center successfully. Strong arm and probably the best playmaking passer among all the quarterbacks. Reminds me of Matt Stafford. Could be a first round pick in 2010.

2. Zach Robinon, Oklahoma State, 6-2, 210—Terrific athlete. A poor mans Mark Sanchez who is a better runner than Sanchez though he is less polished as a passer. Has a ton of upside and could be a first round QB selection.

3. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma, 6-4, 215—Spread offense QB who has NFL potential. Tremendously accurate as a passer. Arm is adequate but I question the system he plays in and do not think he has what it takes to succeed in the NFL. Has great college experience but is hardly ever in tough situations on the field. We all saw what happened in the 2009 Championship game against Florida. Could go anywhere from the first to fourth rounds.

4. Dan Lefevour, Central Michigan, 6-3, 225—Talented dual threat QB who looks to be another MAC QB to make it in the NFL. Some team will fall in love with him. Pretty good arm strength but needs some work on his release. A project, but a day one selection.

5. Colt McCoy, Texas, 6-1, 205—A playmaker who is extremely tough. Accurate as a passer with great feet. Will fight the system QB label as will Tebow and Bradford but McCoy seems to have the IT factor, but that might not be enough. His lack of size along with his trouble throwing down field and long throwing motion will scare NFL teams.

Todd Reesing, Dezmon Briscoe Too Much For Minnesota, Jayhawks win, 42-21

Bryan Trulen — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:07:42 -0500

Led by quarterback Todd Reesing, the Kansas Jayhawks routed the Minnesota Golden Gophers 42-21.

Reesing was magnificent all day as he completed 27-of-35 passes for 313 yards and 4 touchdowns and at one point completed 14 consecutive passes. The game started out in shootout fashion as Kansas scored on its first offensive play from scrimmage on a long pass from Reesing to Dezmon Briscoe.

The Golden Gophers responded with touchdowns on their ensuing two possessions as they took their only lead of the game 14-7 midway through the first quarter.

During the 2nd quarter Reesing led KU to two more scoring drives that culminated in touchdown passes as the Jayhawks went into halftime leading 28-14. Minnesota's defense really struggled against Reesing as he was accurate and on time with his throws all day.

Reesing was able to get the ball to his top two Targets, Kerry Meier (10 rec 113 Yards TD, TD pass) and Briscoe (14 Rec, 201 Yards, 3 TD) Briscoe set an insight bowl record for Receptions and Touchdowns.

While talking to the media after the game, Reesing hinted at an intricate attack, "Here's what happened, they call a play and Briscoe gets open. If I can throw it to him, then it works out, and it seemed to work out a whole lot of times".

Kansas coaches were able to put their offensive in positions to succeed and they really took advantage of what Minnesota was trying to do on defense with quick hitting passes while taking advantage of one on one matchups. Minnesota was outcoached by Mark Mangino's staff.

Then again, they were playing the Gophers who early in the season had an opportunistic defense but really struggled late in the season. The lone bright spot for Minnesota was WR Eric Decker who returned to full strength after having knee surgery in December. He hauled in 8 passes for 150 yards and a Touchdown.

The Gophers started the game with QB Adam Weber under center for 15 of the first 17 plays as the Gophers ran downhill which was a contrast from their usual spread attack. The offense was operating under new Offensive Line coach and running game coordinator Tim Davis.

By establishing the run early, Minnesota came back with play action passes from under center and hit targets over the middle with passes as the Kansas defense was guarding against the run.

The new wrinkle is something that the Gophers will work on during spring ball and should be a staple of their attack heading into this fall. Brewster emphasized that by being more multiple and sophisticated the Gophers attack can be even more potent next year.

Five Quarterback Situations to Watch in College Football This Weekend

Bryan Trulen — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:30:44 -0400

Every season there are quarterbacks who have a game or a string of games that thrust themselves and their respective teams into the national spotlight. This year will be no different. Here are five games featuring quarterbacks who I look to have breakout games this weekend.

I think you have to start this conversation with USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Sanchez is coming off a preseason knee injury that sidelined him for two weeks. He is back now and is close to 100 percent, and he is expected to start this weekend at Virginia. Look for Sanchez to have a big game for the Men of Troy.

This is a must-watch game for any college football fan, and you can catch the game on ABC this Saturday at 2:30 pm Central time.

Memphis opens the season with Ole Miss at home, and new starting quarterback Arkelon Hall will have an opportunity to start his first Division I game for the Tigers. Hall will be operating out of the spread offense and will put up big numbers all season starting in Week One.

Keep an eye on the LSU-Appalachian State contest. Quarterbacks Armanti Edwards and Andrew Hatch will be the center of attention in this game. If LSU is upset, it will be due to the play of Edwards, which could catapult him into early Heisman talk. Hatch, on the other hand, is a former Harvard QB who has all the weapons around him to succeed.

On Thursday, Aug. 28, Stanford is at Oregon State in a Pac-10 battle. Stanford QB Tavita Pritchard won the starting job in a heated competition. I look for Pritchard to play well in this game as the Cardinal roll.

Tennessee opens up at UCLA. Two first time starters will be going head to head in this one: Jonathan Crompton of UT and Kevin Craft of UCLA. This game is on national TV on Labor Day, and I look for one of these signal callers to emerge in Week One as a legitimate Division I quarterback.

Aaron Rodgers Will Flop Just Like Every Other Tedford Product

Bryan Trulen — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:46:12 -0400

Don't get me wrong, I love Aaron Rodgers. When I was a high school QB, he was just getting into his prime at Cal under Jeff Tedford. Let's see, how many other QBs performed well under Tedford? Way too many, all of whom have had little or no success in the NFL.

Here are some of the names who played collegeiately under Tedford—Joey Harrington, Kyle Boller, Trent Dilfer, Akili Smith, A.J. Feely, and David Carr. There is a recurring theme here.

Rodgers only played Division I ball for two years before bolting to the NFL. He has attempted around 30 or so passes in three years in the NFL, and is fairly untested on the field.

The fact is that all the pressure is on Rodgers to perform well. And, all of us know that probably won't happen because he has never started in an NFL game and has played extensively in only one game since 2005. I believe Rodgers is a system quarterback, just like all of the others who played under Tedford, and that will show this season if he gets to be the starter.

I just think that he is too inexperienced to have success in his first season. He will have to deal with so many situations during the season that he has never dealt with before, and he will eventually fold under pressure.

Rodgers only started six games at Cal in 2003, so he only started a total of 17 or 18 times in his college career.

Minnesota Football: Gopher Coach's Son to Transfer

Bryan Trulen — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:26:44 -0400

Clint Brewster, son of Gophers head coach Tim Brewster, has decided to transfer to another school and continue to play football. Clint redshirted in 2007 as a true freshman.

Before coming to the Gophers, he was hoping to make a case for the starting quarterback position, but redshirt freshman Adam Weber started all 11 games last year for the Gophers while winning one.

Either Brewster feels like he can't possibly start for the Gophers—who have a crowded quarterback position with Weber, incoming stud Marqueis Gray, senior backup Tony Mortenson, Mike Macajowski (who is a senior), and David Pittman, a JC transfer—or else he knows his dad doesn't know what he is doing and wants to get out before the Gophers endure another depressing autumn.

Update June 20, 2008 - Clint Brewster announced that he intends to tranfer to a Junior College in California. Brewster will either attend Pasadena City College or College of the Sequoias.

Minnesota Vikings: How Brad Childress Will Handle Delicate QB Situation

Bryan Trulen — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:04:55 -0400

The Minnesota Vikings have one of the most unsettled quarterback situations in the NFL, yet their moves this offseason indicate that they trust Tarvaris Jackson running the offense in only his second season as a starter.

We know Jackson made progress last year and possesses above average physical skills for an NFL QB. Anybody who knows anything about quarterbacks knows that 70 percent of their effectiveness is mental and Jackson flat out has to perform better in 2008.

He threw way too many interceptions and was indecisive all year. He has a year under his belt and has been putting in the work this offseason.

Reports out of Winter Park (training facility) say that he is much more relaxed and confident in what is expected of him and in his performance on and off the field as the leader of the franchise.

One interesting move was made when the Vikings drafted John David Booty out of USC in this years draft. Booty is NFL-ready and although he will not beat out Jackson this year, don't be surprised if the Vikings hand over the keys to him late in the season if things go sour with Jackson.

Gus Frerotte was brought into camp to...

1) Provide a capable backup, something the Vikings did not have last year; and

2) Bring Jackson along and help him with the nuances of the game.

Frerotte is not the long-term answer but will help the organization in some capacity this year.

My prediction on how the quarterback situation will unfold:

Tarvaris Jackson: He will be much improved over last season and with the addition of Bernard Berrian, he will have a go to receiver to fall back on. The rushing attack will also take pressure of Jackson, and I expect Tarvaris to lead the club to 10 or 11 wins and really improve in the decision making facet of quarterbacking.

This will prove to be key as the Vikings will win a lot of close games due to protecting the football, an area that is being overemphasized throughout the organization. Jackson will throw for 2,500 plus yards and up his TD total to around 20 through the air and six on the ground and the Vikings will win a wild card game and lose in the divisional round to Dallas.

John David Booty: A pro system guy coming out of USC, Booty excels in anticipatory throws and reading the coverage. I see Booty as a guy who plays sparingly in 2008 and will benefit greatly from being the No. 3 guy behind Frerotte.

Gus Frerotte: Adds much needed depth to the position and will tutor both JDB and Tarvaris exceptionally well.

Brooks Bollinger: Journeyman who is unfortunately going to be the odd man out. A proven quality backup, the Vikings will release him during training camp and he will be picked up by some NFL team this season.

Kyle Wright: Interesting project that has people drooling over his physical ability. Huge arm, great feet and may have the best natural passer out of the 2008 draft class.

I honestly feel he can compete with Booty for the No. 3 spot, but is not as polished in the West Coast system as Booty is. Wright will play well in the preseason and the Vikings will keep him as a fourth QB/practice squad guy.

Mark my words, he will be a starting quarterback in the NFL within three to four years somewhere.

College Football: JUCO Transfer Quarterbacks Looking To Make Impact

Bryan Trulen — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:20:01 -0400

Which Junior College transfer Quarterbacks have what it takes to produce at the next level? History tells us very few. Here are the top JC QB transfers for 2008.

Arkelon Hall (Memphis Tigers) RS Junior 6'1 220

Hall was an Elite 11 QB camp invite in 2004 and signed with Washington State out of high school. He couldn't cut it in the classroom up in Pullman and elected to play the 2007 season at College of the Sequoias (Calif.) where he had a solid season and signed with the University of Memphis.

The Situation: Memphis loses heralded QB Martin Hankins, who set several school records during his three-year tenure as the Tigers' signal caller. Hall's situation is favorable because the guy he was competing with in spring ball (Matt Malouf) has transferred. Hall's main competition now will be senior Will Hudgens who has played sparingly in his career.

The Verdict: When the Tigers travel to Oxford to play Ole Miss in late August Arkelon Hall will be starting at Quarterback. Expect a decent campaign from this well traveled and highly regarded kid from Fresno, Calif. I believe he has the tools to excel in the Tiger spread offense and will utilize the talent he has around him to win enough games and put up some pretty good numbers while doing so in this quarterback-friendly system.

Bold Prediction: Hall resurrects his college career while leading Memphis to a bowl game and earns second-team All Conference USA.

Kevin Craft (UCLA Bruins) RS Junior 6'5" 220

Craft's story is interesting. He also came highly regarded out of Valley Center High School in San Diego. He signed with San Diego State, where his dad Tom Craft, was the head coach.

The elder Craft was later fired and his son transferred to Mt. SAC Junior College in Pasadena, Calif., to garner some playing time where his dad ended up as OC.

Craft enjoyed a fantastic 2007 season at Mt. SAC, where he earned JC-All American honors while throwing for 35 touchdowns and leading Mt. SAC to the Cailifornia League Crown.

Craft chose UCLA over Hawaii and Miami (Ohio). The prospects of playing for Norm Chow proved to be the deciding factor for the laser-armed quarterback out of San Diego.

Spring Ball: Craft came to a UCLA club who already had quarterbacks Ben Olsen, Patrick Cowan, Osar Rashann and Chris Forcier. Before spring ball began, Craft was told by Norm Chow that he was competing for the backup job.

That all changed when Patrick Cowan suffered a career-ending knee injury and Ben Olsen injured his knee as well on the same day. Olsen is expected to be back by fall camp.

Cowan and Olsen's misfortunes became Craft's opportunity. He seized it and finished spring ball on a high note in the spring game while demonstrating a rocket arm UCLA has not seen since Cade McNown. Craft still has a lot of work to do this summer, but coaches say he is progressing rapidly and has all the physical tools needed to be a top-flight Pac 10 quarterback.

Chow has a proven track record with quarterbacks and don't be surprised if he takes Craft and UCLA to new heights in 2008 and beyond.

Bold Prediction Craft becomes the starter by Week 3 and throws for a ton of yards and 15 to 20 touchdowns during the season and comes off the bench in week 1 to lead an upset win over Tennessee at the Rose Bowl.

UCLA will be too young on defense and will end up in a low-tier bowl game, while Craft earns Honorable Mention all-Pac 10 in a QB-laden conference. After the season, UCLA fans will be talking about a potential National Championship run in 2009. That may be a bit far-fetched. Nonetheless, Kevin Craft will impress in the powder and gold this fall.

Other names to watch for

Dax Crum 6'1" 195 (Wyoming) Played JC ball for Scottsdale CC in Arizona where he led the nation in passing efficiency and yards. A pure passer who is very cerebral behind center. Enters an open competition with incumbent Karsten Sween.

Boo Jackson 6'1" 190 (Ohio) Like Kevin Craft, Jackson played JC ball in the highly competitive California League at powerhouse El Camino. He is a dual-threat guy who will add a spark to Ohio's offense immediately.

Tyson Lee 6'0" 210 (Mississippi State) After a stellar season at Itawamba CC in Mississippi, Lee decided to walk on at MSU, where he joins a muddled QB position with no clear-cut starter.

Lee is a strong kid who can spin the ball very well and is athletic enough to put some pressure on SEC defenses. Expect him to Redshirt even though he has the tools to play well this year (MSU would rather groom him and have him ready to roll in 2009).

David Pittman 5'10" 186 (Minnesota) Another dual threat QB/Athlete who could see time at WR, QB and RB for the Golden Gophers. Truly a special athlete who is a better passer than people think. Will take snaps at QB for the Golden Gophers this season but will not start. Comes from Pasadena City College. Originally from Georgia.

Greg Cross 6'2" 215 (Pittsburgh) Big strong-armed gunslinger who has impressed head Coach Dave Wannstedt with his leadership skills and toughness. All great Pitt Quarterbacks have been tough, from Marino all the way to Tyler Palko. Expect Cross to be the Panther QB by midseason. Played at Fort Scott CC in Kansas in 2007.

Chris Todd 6'2" 205 RS Junior (Auburn) Played at Texas Tech in 2005- 2006. Played JC ball at Hutchinson CC in Kansas, the same JC that former Nebraska QB Zac Taylor came from.

Situation Has a relationship that goes back to his high school days with AU offensive coordinator Tony Franklin when Franklin was a consultant for Todd's high school team in Kentucky. Franklin uses a spread offense that is foreign to Auburn football and different from Al Borges past Power I scheme. An elbow injury slowed Todd in spring ball but he was able to play in the spring game and be efficient in leading the offense down the field consistently and fitting balls into tight spots. Has the experience factor over fellow QB Kodi Burns who is more athletic than Todd. Simply put, Todd is a more refined passer than Burns and his skills will be used at Auburn this fall.

Prediction Auburn will use a two quarterback system and make it work for the most part. They will be in contention for the SEC west again and the offense will be much more exciting than it was last year with Todd flinging it around Jordan- Hare stadium.