Feeling a Draft: Sam Bradford at a Crossroads

After last season, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford was considered the top quarterback prospect in the country and the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Surprisingly, Bradford—along with highly rated teammates Trent Williams , Jermaine Gresham and Gerald McCoy —decided to return to Oklahoma for a chance to win a national title. In Saturday's Red River Rivalry, Bradford suffered another injury to his throwing shoulder, ending the Sooners faint title hopes and possibly his college career.  

Many experts suggest it is now a no-brainer to enter the 2010 draft, as he can ill-afford another injury. He may have lost millions, they say. However, if his throwing shoulder needs surgery, he could be lucky to even be drafted in the first round considering he may not be able to throw for the scouts. 

Add in the fact he has hardly dazzled in limited action this season, and he may have to come back next season just to prove he is healthy and worthy of being considered a franchise quarterback. His decision is sure to be a difficult and an unfortunate one.

His story, along with teammate Gresham's (knee), will be a cautionary tale for players with first-round grades and lends credence to the theory that players should come out if they do not stand to improve their draft position. 

One player who should pay especially close attention to Bradford's story is Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen . I say this not because Clausen is assured of being a top 10 pick, but rather because he will be playing behind an inexperienced offensive line breaking in four new starters if he returns like Bradford has this season.

In general, the year of the quarterback has been hardly a good omen this season. Tim Tebow suffered a serious concussion and has done little to prove he has NFL quarterback skills. Colt McCoy has struggled with his accuracy as opponents have dared him to throw downfield. Fast-rising Tony Pike reinjured his non-throwing arm against South Florida this past, week making him a medical risk.  

The beneficiaries of these quarterbacks' misfortune could very well be Clausen and Jake Locker , who benefit from the aforementioned's struggles as well as playing in pro-style offenses.

Other notes from this week's action:

— Texas DE/LB Sergio Kindle is considered the better prospect, but when I watch Texas the player who stands out most is Roddrick Muckelroy , as he is always in on the action.

— Two other Texas notes: Jordan Shipley has the look of a great slot receiver (a Wes Welker-type), and keep an eye on sophomore S Earl Thomas, who shows great instincts in coverage.

— Got a much better view of the Alabama defense this week as South Carolina's Stephen Garcia was at least moderately competent at quarterback. Rolando McClain is the real deal and would push Brandon Spikes for the No. 1 ILB slot if he decided to come out. Also, in the absence of Javier Arenas , fellow senior Marquis Johnson stepped up his game and was brilliant in defending fade pattern and stubborn fade pattern.

— Watching sophomore RB Mark Ingram run showed me why Glen Coffee was a surprising early entrant last season.  

— Oklahoma State RB Keith Toston has made the most of his opportunities the past two weeks and could get notice as a late-round prospect he would not have gotten had Kendell Hunter remained healthy. He does not do anything fancy but has adequate size, runs with authority, and showed he can catch passes out of the backfield. 

— South Florida DE Jason Pierre-Paul outplayed teammate George Selvie in a high-profile game vs. Cincinnati. Unlike Selvie, Pierre-Paul has size to go with his tremendous athleticism and pass-rushing ability. CB Jerome Murphy is among the most talented corners in the country, but his aggressive nature led to multiple unnecessary penalties.

— Central Michigan beat Western Michigan 34-23 in the battle of the MAC's top quarterbacks, but both Central's Dan LeFevour and Western's Tim Hiller played well to keep themselves near the top of the second tier of college quarterbacks.

What to Watch This Weekend:

Tennessee @ Alabama — Can resurgent Jonathan Crompton test the 'Bama defense?  Also, will S Eric Berry help elevate the Vols defense against a suddenly one-dimensional Crimson Tide offense?

Penn State @ Michigan — Nittany Lions linebackers Sean Lee and Navarro Bowman play together for the first time.

TCU @ BYI — The Horned Frogs face their toughest test as DE Jerry Hughes gets his best chance to show his wares. Unfortunately, DirecTV subscribers will miss it as the game is on Versus.

Iowa @ Michigan State — The best linebacker you may not have heard of—Greg Jones (MSU)—hopes to lead an upset over the undefeated Hawkeyes and their highly regarded offensive tackles.

Chris Maier is senior editor for NFLDraft101.com and can be reached at [e-mail] .