College Football Top 25 QBs: Future NFL Star or Just Big Man on Campus?
For years, it has become common in college football for a quarterback to lead his school to double-digit win seasons, a BCS bowl victory, and gaudy statisticsโonly to either be completely ignored by NFL teams come draft time, or to be selected late and eventually spend a career stylishly holding a clipboard.
So how does that thought process translate to some of the best draft-eligible college quarterbacks today?
In particular, letโs say the top 25 draft-eligible quarterbacks according to Phil Steeleโwho, if you havenโt read him, is the best in the business when it comes to preseason college football rankings and projections.
Will each of these players be remembered for their time as an NFL quarterback, or instead, as just โBig Man on Campus?โ
Certainly, with examples like Ryan Leaf at the top of an NFL Draft or Tom Brady near the bottom of oneโit can be an inexact science predicting QB successโbut letโs give it a shot anyway:
25. Kevin Prince โ UCLA โ 6'2", 229
1 of 25
Prince has the size and frame as a pro-style quarterback, but has been injury-prone throughout his career with the Bruins thus farโand hasnโt impressed with his numbers, either.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
24. Adam Weber โ Minnesota โ 6'3", 221
2 of 25
Sure, heโs 6โ3โ and has pocket presence, but with more picks than touchdowns in โ09, one has to wonder how much of it was Eric Decker (pre-injury) saving him more than anything else.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
23. Scott Tolzien โ Wisconsin โ 6'3", 208
3 of 25
Tolzien is often overlooked with John Clay also in the Wisconsin backfield.ย Still, he struggled against big boys, Iowa and Ohio State, so he could easily be compared to Penn Stateโs Daryll Clark, who had the same strugglesโand wasnโt drafted.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
22. Jordan Jefferson โ LSU โ 6'5", 220
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First thingโs first: Add the fact that Ryan Perrilloux and JaMarcus Russell were packed with hypeโand that will likely jade your image of LSU QBs.ย That, plus Jefferson himself hasnโt been anything short of mediocre, but he does have the frame of an NFL quarterbackโand has limited his mistakes, so thereโs still a good chance he could turn things aroundโฆbut for nowโฆ
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
21. Pat Devlin โ Delaware โ 6'4", 217
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Many forget that Devlin led a game-winning drive for Penn State on the road against the Buckeyes a few seasons ago.ย He transferred that offseason and wound up at Delaware, the same place where Ravens QB Joe Flacco played in college.ย He also possesses an arm and talent similar to that of Flacco too.
NFL QUARTERBACK
20. Kirk Cousins โ Michigan State โ 6'3", 202
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Cousins is a 6โ3โ pro-style guy whoโwith all the talent around himโcould develop his game at Michigan State, but for now, unless he can improve on his completion percentage and be more consistent, heโll just be another one of Dantonioโs solid signal callers.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
19. Kevin Riley โ California โ 6'2", 223
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Riley has decent size for a prospect, but no skills that immediately jump off the page and scream "Pro Star."ย It will also be interesting to see how he performs without Jahvid Best this coming seasonโand at this point, an elite NFL career would be a surprise.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
18. Jacory Harris โ Miami โ 6'4", 190
8 of 25
Harris has been arguably the most inconsistent college quarterbackโfeaturing moments of explosiveness in one game, mixed with inconsistency and poor decisions in another.ย That kind of mobility coupled with inaccuracy makes me think of a guy like Quincy Carter, who was a bust at the pro level.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
17. Nick Foles โ Arizona โ 6'5", 245
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Foles has a large, intimidating presence in the pocketโand certainly could continue to develop and improve on his game, but an awful performance in last yearโs Holiday Bowl is the freshest thing in many minds.ย Heโll need to play that performance out of criticsโ heads.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
16. Landry Jones โ Oklahoma โ 6'4", 216
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The Sooners suffered a number of injuries last seasonโincluding one to star QB Sam Bradford, which paved the way for Landry Jones to get a shotโand some experience.ย With some extra time under center at OU, heโs only going to get betterโand has the skill-set and the frame to become something special years down the road.
NFL QUARTERBACK
15. Tyrod Taylor โ Virginia Tech โ 6'1", 217
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Taylor is drawing comparisons to Mike Vickโmostly due to his size, mobility, and the fact that heโs also a Hokies QB.ย Still, while he can throw the deep ball fairly well, his game suffers when the running game isnโt clickingโa Vick-like NFL career seems possibleโฆhopefully, without the additional drama.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
14. John Brantley โ Florida โ 6'3", 218
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Following in the footsteps of a legend like Tim Tebow can derail some players, but Brantley doesnโt appear to be one of those types.ย He has the skills to succeed and the talent around him to assist with his development.ย With Tebow fresh in Gator minds, itโs safe to say Brantley will be more known for his pro career, no matter what happens.
NFL QUARTERBACK
13. Greg McElroy โ Alabama โ 6'3", 225
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He doesnโt blow you away with any of his skills, but that doesnโt mean that he couldnโt stick around in the NFL for a number of years.ย Still, with one national title alreadyโand a top ranking heading into 2010, itโs more likely that McElroy will be remembered as the BMOCโand not for his accomplishments in the pros.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
12. Kellen Moore โ Boise State โ 6'0", 186
14 of 25
Many will quickly dismiss Moore for his size and frame, saying that heโd never make it in the NFL.ย But take a look at the success of Super Bowl-winning QB Drew Brees, and also Colt McCoyโwho got drafted and could get a shot with the Browns in the near future.ย Moore is extremely accurate, and has been a great leader.ย My gut tells me he could be the next undersized quarterback to become something.
NFL QUARTERBACKย
11. Ricky Stanzi โ Iowa โ 6'4", 230
15 of 25
Stanzi has the size and frame to make an impact in the NFLโand while he certainly kept Iowa in a lot of games last season, he also made way too many mistakes passing the ball.ย In the end, an average NFL signal caller like a Chris Chandler comes to mind more than anything.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
10. Andy Dalton โ TCU โ 6'3", 215
16 of 25
He certainly doesnโt have the biggest frame of all the quarterbacks who will enter his class, but Dalton is hard-nosed player who has become a proven winner for a program that made a BCS bowl last yearโand open in the top 10 this year.ย Success in the NFL could definitely happen.
NFL QUARTERBACK
9. Blaine Gabbert โ Missouri โ 6'5", 240
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He may be the most underrated QB in the college gameโand if it wasnโt for an ankle injury last season, he could have posted the best numbers in his conference.ย Gabbert will need to improve on his completion percentage to eventually make it in the pros, but his size and talent is enough to get him there if he can stay healthy.
NFL QUARTERBACK
8. Colin Kaepernick โ Nevada โ 6'6", 215
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No quarterback in the college game combines this kind of height with this kind of mobility, and those are the kind of traits that will draw NFL scouts towards him.ย If heโs drafted into the right situation, an NFL team could certainly find a way to hone his skill-set, get him to learn a pro offense, and turn him to a legitimate NFL QB.
NFL QUARTERBACK
7. Terrelle Pryor โ Ohio State โ 6'6", 233
19 of 25
Many say Pryor grew into something special late last seasonโspecifically against Penn State and Oregon.ย But while the talent and athleticism has always been there, one canโt help but think of how he succeeded against the Nittany Lionsโin some cases with deep passes that were nowhere near on target, but the receivers were just that wide open, that the receptions were made anyway.ย
NFL superstar?ย Donโt see it, but that could change after this year.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
6. Jerrod Johnson โ Texas A&M โ 6'5", 243
20 of 25
If you saw Johnson against the Longhorns last year, you will know how good he can be.ย Featuring big-play ability, plus an NFL frame, itโs a good bet that Johnson could wind up as one of the betterโif not the bestโquarterbacks in his draft class.ย Heโs a dark horseโand you heard it here firstโbut just as long as he can translate his game and learn a pro system.
NFL QUARTERBACK
5. Christian Ponder โ Florida State โ 6'3", 227
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He has a pro-style QB frame, combined with the smarts that could allow for him to easily learn in an NFL system, but there has been a lot of inconsistency at times throughout his college careerโwhich in the end might be what heโs most known for.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
4. Case Keenum โ Houston โ 6'2", 210
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Keenum has done nothing but light up the scoreboard at Houston, posting gaudy statistics that most college quarterbacks would never come close to seeing in a careerโlet alone one season.ย Still, while he has a lot of tools to become a solid NFL quarterbackโhe seems to be more of a product of his schoolโs system, instead.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
3. Ryan Mallett โ Arkansas โ 6'7", 238
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Letโs see, the kid has the kind of frame, coupled with a cannon arm that NFL scouts will just drool overโand many have slated him as a potential top pick in next yearโs draft.ย The biggest strike against him has been some injuries over the last few yearsโbut all in all, whether he pans out or not, he does seem destined to be a high NFL draft pick with loads of hype.
NFL QUARTERBACK
2. Andrew Luck โ Stanford โ 6'4", 235
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Luck already has the talent and the frame of an NFL quarterbackโand combine that with being under the tutelage of Stanford Head Coach, Jim Harbaugh, and one can point towards a successful pro career in his future.
NFL QUARTERBACK
1. Jake Locker โ Washington โ 6'3", 226
25 of 25
Locker is quite mobile and also possesses top-notch arm strength.ย If he can stay healthy and continue to grow within Coach Sarkโs system, he also has an outside shot to be the top pick in the NFL Draft.
NFL QUARTERBACK
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