Gunner Kiel to LSU: 3 Reasons the No. 1 QB Prospect Will Bust in Baton Rouge

The top pro-style passer in the 2012 recruiting class, Gunner Kiel, has ended the speculation and finally committed to LSU. He was formerly committed to Indiana but opened things up after head coach Kevin Wilson went 1-11 in his first season with the Hoosiers.

He was considering LSU, Vanderbilt and Notre Dame.

Kiel should have gone to one of those other schools because Baton Rouge is not the best fit for him. Here are three reasons why he won't live up to his No. 1 quarterback hype there.

Trouble Developing Quarterbacks

The last quarterback to come out of LSU that was supposed to be good in the NFL was JaMarcus Russell. What you accredit his failure in the NFL to is up to you, but the Tigers have not put a successful quarterback into the league since David Woodley surprised everyone and did decently back in the 1980s.

Kiel has all the measurables of a sound quarterback, but LSU simply does not have a resume of getting great play from its signal-callers.

Culture Shock

When you commit to Indiana, winning is not the most important thing on your mind. Now, Kiel is going to be playing his college ball at one of the most successful programs of the decade.

This is not a knock on LSU or Kiel, but there is a measurable difference between the two schools and he has to prepare himself mentally for that. For many kids, developing that mental maturity is the difference between being a benchwarmer and an All-Star. Just as JaMarcus Russell.

SEC Isn’t Kind to Quarterbacks

The SEC is the best conference in college football, but it is really hit or miss with quarterbacks. Peyton and Eli Manning, Matthew Stafford and Tim Tebow have all been hits in the NFL, but the bulk of the other guys to come from the conference have been mediocre at best.

Add that to LSU’s track record of putting quarterbacks in the league and you have all the signs of a guy who won’t properly develop into a complete signal-caller. Again, it’s nothing against Kiel, he should be a decent quarterback, but history does point to him not living up to this hype in Baton Rouge.