When Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel was taken by the Buffalo Bills with the 16th overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, there were mixed responses from NFL analysts and fans.
Nearly every NFL analyst agrees that Manuel has plenty of upside. He has the prototype NFL body (6-foot-5 and 235 pounds). He has a strong arm, is accurate and mobile. He’s smart and personable.
There’s plenty to like. And then again, there are some concerns about his decision-making, ability to read the field and turnovers.
The problem with drafting quarterbacks in the NFL is that despite all of the game film, senior all-star games, combines, pro days, individual workouts and interviews, picking a quarterback is still a hit-and-miss proposition.
In the past 20 drafts before 2013, going back to the famous Drew Bledsoe-Rick Mirer debate of 1993, there have been 50 quarterbacks taken in the first round.
And 20 of those quarterbacks, 40 percent, can be labeled as a bust. Meanwhile, just six – Trent Dilfer, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Aaron Rodgers – started and won Super Bowls.
The list is also full of solid pros like Philip Rivers, Steve McNair and Carson Palmer. But it also includes players who had more success after they left the team that drafted them, like Kerry Collins and Jay Cutler.
What kind of pro will Manuel be? It’s really hard to tell. One bonus for him is that he is starting off with a new coaching staff and will play with a 1,000-yard rusher (C.J. Spiller) and a 1,000-yard receiver (Steve Johnson). It would appear that Manuel is going into a good situation.
