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NFL Draft Preview: Quarterbacks
by Geoffrey Stein on April 18 2008
Last season, six NFL rookie quarterbacks -- John Beck, Trent Edwards, Kevin Kolb, Brady Quinn, JaMarcus Russell and Troy Smith -- took a snap in a regular season contest. Combined, the sextuplet totaled 12 touchdowns, seven of which came from the arm of Edwards.
Needless to say, history has shown that freshmen gunslingers have little value in redraft leagues; a trend that will hold true in 2008 with a rookie quarterback crop that lacks a can`t-miss superstar talent.
Here`s a breakdown of the future fortunes of the top quarterbacks from the 2008 NFL Draft.
First String:
Brian Brohm, Louisville: Projected as an early first-round pick in 2007, Brohm returned to Louisville, and despite 30 touchdown passes had what many considered to be a disappointing senior season for a 6-6 squad that had preseason National Championship aspirations. Despite the struggles of his team, Brohm did his part, completing 65.1 percent of his passes in an unfamiliar offense brought in by first-year Cardinals coach Steve Kragthorpe. Injury and off-field issues with his top targets -- speedster Harry Douglas and big-bodied Mario Urritia -- didn`t help Brohm`s cause either. The 22-year-old will most likely end up the No. 2 quarterback selected on April 26; a potential steal considering many had Brohm penciled in as the No. 1 overall selection as recently as September.
Matt Ryan, Boston College: By default of being the first quarterback selected -- likely to Atlanta at No. 3 overall or Baltimore at No. 8 overall -- Ryan will receive the most attention from fantasy footballers. In his senior season, the 2007 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Player of the Year led Boston College to as high as the No. 2 ranking in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings while throwing for 31 touchdowns. Ryan`s success in head coach Jeff Jagodzinski`s pro-style offense has many believing the transition from the college to professional ranks will be a smooth one for the 22-year-old. The financial investment required to land a quarterback in the top-10 will have Ryan as a NFL starting quarterback by the beginning of 2009 at the latest.
Second String:
Joe Flacco, Delaware: After transferring from the University of Pittsburgh in 2004, Flacco completed 63.5 percent of his passes -- 23 of which went for touchdowns -- in his senior season for the Blue Hens. At 6 feet 7 inches tall, the 230-plus-pound Flacco has moved to the No. 3 quarterback on most draft boards thanks to his physical tools which also include a cannon for an arm. The lack of experience against top-notch competition makes his chances of taking a meaningful snap this upcoming season slim to none. Wherever he ends up, he`s going to be a project with a low basement that matches his high ceiling.
Third String:
Chad Henne, Michigan: A four-year starter at the University of Michigan, Henne is the prototypical Wolverine quarterback: good arm, lots of smarts and the speed of a three-legged turtle. And while he`s much more likely to be John Navarre than Tom Brady, he`ll have a spot on a NFL roster for many years to come. Look for Henne to leave the board sometime in Round 3 with Chicago a likely destination.
Andre Woodson, Kentucky: After throwing 16 touchdown passes during the University of Kentucky`s 5-0 start, many talked Woodson up to early first-round levels. Though he finished the season with 40 scoring strikes in the highly competitive Southeastern Conference, questionable throwing mechanics and a shotgun-heavy college offense have probably dropped Woodson out of the first 31 selections. With the state of NFL quarterbacking the way it is, it would be a shock if the athletic 23-year-old made it out of Round 2.
Needless to say, history has shown that freshmen gunslingers have little value in redraft leagues; a trend that will hold true in 2008 with a rookie quarterback crop that lacks a can`t-miss superstar talent.
Here`s a breakdown of the future fortunes of the top quarterbacks from the 2008 NFL Draft.
First String:
Brian Brohm, Louisville: Projected as an early first-round pick in 2007, Brohm returned to Louisville, and despite 30 touchdown passes had what many considered to be a disappointing senior season for a 6-6 squad that had preseason National Championship aspirations. Despite the struggles of his team, Brohm did his part, completing 65.1 percent of his passes in an unfamiliar offense brought in by first-year Cardinals coach Steve Kragthorpe. Injury and off-field issues with his top targets -- speedster Harry Douglas and big-bodied Mario Urritia -- didn`t help Brohm`s cause either. The 22-year-old will most likely end up the No. 2 quarterback selected on April 26; a potential steal considering many had Brohm penciled in as the No. 1 overall selection as recently as September.
Matt Ryan, Boston College: By default of being the first quarterback selected -- likely to Atlanta at No. 3 overall or Baltimore at No. 8 overall -- Ryan will receive the most attention from fantasy footballers. In his senior season, the 2007 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Player of the Year led Boston College to as high as the No. 2 ranking in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings while throwing for 31 touchdowns. Ryan`s success in head coach Jeff Jagodzinski`s pro-style offense has many believing the transition from the college to professional ranks will be a smooth one for the 22-year-old. The financial investment required to land a quarterback in the top-10 will have Ryan as a NFL starting quarterback by the beginning of 2009 at the latest.
Second String:
Joe Flacco, Delaware: After transferring from the University of Pittsburgh in 2004, Flacco completed 63.5 percent of his passes -- 23 of which went for touchdowns -- in his senior season for the Blue Hens. At 6 feet 7 inches tall, the 230-plus-pound Flacco has moved to the No. 3 quarterback on most draft boards thanks to his physical tools which also include a cannon for an arm. The lack of experience against top-notch competition makes his chances of taking a meaningful snap this upcoming season slim to none. Wherever he ends up, he`s going to be a project with a low basement that matches his high ceiling.
Third String:
Chad Henne, Michigan: A four-year starter at the University of Michigan, Henne is the prototypical Wolverine quarterback: good arm, lots of smarts and the speed of a three-legged turtle. And while he`s much more likely to be John Navarre than Tom Brady, he`ll have a spot on a NFL roster for many years to come. Look for Henne to leave the board sometime in Round 3 with Chicago a likely destination.
Andre Woodson, Kentucky: After throwing 16 touchdown passes during the University of Kentucky`s 5-0 start, many talked Woodson up to early first-round levels. Though he finished the season with 40 scoring strikes in the highly competitive Southeastern Conference, questionable throwing mechanics and a shotgun-heavy college offense have probably dropped Woodson out of the first 31 selections. With the state of NFL quarterbacking the way it is, it would be a shock if the athletic 23-year-old made it out of Round 2.
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