Sure, the Major League Baseball season has just gotten underway.
But, the NFL shield is never too far off of the radar. In two weeks, fans and fantasy owners will be introduced to the next crop of would-be stars. The glory of the NFL Draft is just off in the distance.
All of the questions regarding the draft-worthiness of our collegiate stars will be answered. OK, the slow process of completing the draft board will actually initialize the creation of an entirely new set of questions. We’ll question each team’s rationale in its selections. We’ll examine any holes left open on each squad following the three-day affair and berate team management for any glaring omissions. And, of course, we’ll celebrate the first baby steps toward the 2010 fantasy football draft season.
This time out, I’m taking a step back to review the credentials of the 2010 quarterback class. From a fantasy perspective, you’re never looking at a rookie quarterback as anything more than a deep No. 2 in a single-season league. However, the growth in popularity of dynasty and keeper leagues (some with rookie-specific drafts) warrants a more thorough introduction to this year’s entrants. Several of these players may find themselves under center immediately (I’m thinking St. Louis), while others are longer-term prospects.
Either way, it’s never too early to don some eye black and a mouthguard.
Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
The Rams’ release of Marc Bulger appears to signal the arrival of Bradford on draft day, although they’re certainly sending out messages to the contrary. Bradford eased concerns about his injured shoulder with a tremendous pro day, and his accuracy certainly has scouts intrigued (68 percent). He threw 86 touchdowns in two full seasons with the Sooners, including 50 during his Heisman Trophy-winning campaign.
While the risk is obviously high in selecting a quarterback at No. 1, the Rams need a new face for the franchise to team with Steven Jackson and to create hope for the future. No matter how much you love Suh or the other potential No. 1 options, inspiring a fan base that longs for the Kurt Warner days gone by (remember when he was replaced by Bulger?) to buy jerseys, tickets and face paint.
Bradford might not get the call from St. Louis, but there’s zero chance that day two of the draft finishes without the introduction of a new signal-caller for the Rams.
Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
Clausen, like Tebow, is a polarizing figure on the draft board. His training in Charlie Weis’ system lends itself nicely to the pro game. However, Notre Dame’s schedule leaves some pundits and fans wondering, self included. It’s hard not to like the physical skills. Clausen stands 6-foot-3 and throws well on the move, knowing when to add zip or pull the proverbial string.
We can take Clausen out of the running for the fourth slot in the draft now that Donovan McNabb is in Washington, but he won’t be on the board too long. The ability to bring in a quarterback from an NFL-ready system will be too enticing.
Tim Tebow, Florida
What else needs to be written about Tebow? We know of his athleticism, his good works off the gridiron and his dominance for Urban Meyer. Much has been made about Tebow’s throwing style, his desire to tuck the ball and use his athleticism (the thing that gets people talking about him as a tight end prospect).
He’s a marketer’s dream and a player that can energize a fan base (read: sell tickets in a Buffalo or Jacksonville). As such, Tebow likely comes off of the draft board earlier than his "style" suggests that he should. Could he become a "Slash-like" quarterback who gets split out as a receiver on occasion? Absolutely.
Colt McCoy, Texas
McCoy racked up 13,253 passing yards in Mack Brown’s passing attack while completing 70 percent of his attempts. His collegiate career ended early because of a shoulder injury sustained against the Crimson Tide in the BCS Championship Game. McCoy impressed scouts and coaches with his arm strength during his pro day, and positive reviews have leaked from his private workouts.
He’s a battle-tested, proven winner from a top-notch program. In a quick-hit, up-tempo attack, McCoy could prove quite interesting at the next level.
Dan LaFevour, Central Michigan
LaFevour boasts numbers to rival those of his more celebrated draft classmates. He passed for nearly 13,000 yards for the Chippewas while tossing nearly three touchdowns per interception. Twenty-two teams were represented at LaFevour’s pro day and watched the 6-foot-3 quarterback complete 55 of his 62 pass attempts. Most of the criticism of LaFevour’s workout was focused on his inconsistent delivery of the deep ball.
Tony Pike, Cincinnati
Pike is a work in progress, but his raw physical tools and size make him an intriguing draft prospect. At 6-foot-6, he stands tall in the pocket and has the physicality to brush off pressure and buy time for his receivers downfield. Pike has the arm strength to make all throws, as evidenced by his efforts alongside Mardy Gilyard. Perhaps the only knock on Pike as the draft approaches is that he’s still green in the pro-style format and needs to make the adjustment to become more accurate. Still, the upside is immense.
John Skelton, Fordham
Skelton is the unknown quantity on the list. Sure, Pike and LaFevour played at smaller schools, but both enjoyed their fair share of time in the spotlight. Skelton played in relative anonymity at Fordham while amassing 3,700 passing yards and 26 touchdowns for the Fordham Rams in 2009.
His physical stature gets you to do a double-take. Skelton stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 258 pounds. As a result, Skelton has the ability to shake off would-be tacklers and buy extra time in the pocket. One of the main criticisms of Skelton is that he over-emphasizes his big arm and forces his throws, thereby putting tremendous pressure on his receivers to make adjustments. The physical tools are there. It’s now just a function of refining the mechanics and learning “touch.” I suspect that he’ll be a more disciplined student than No. 2 in Oakland.
Jonathan Crompton, Tennessee
Crompton played unevenly at times during the 2009 season and still has some refinement of his pocket presence ahead of him. That’s easy to understand, as Crompton played only one full season for the Volunteers. Still, Crompton possesses a tremendous arm and the classic quarterback stature (6-foot-4 and 228 pounds), and can throw on the move.
I’m intrigued by what I saw from Crompton under Lane Kiffin’s tutelage. His best fit is with a team that has a long-term plan of succession. There’s definitely upside here.
Mike Kafka, Northwestern
No, this is not a homer pick … entirely. Kafka possesses adequate arm strength for short and intermediate throws and moves well out of the pocket. The obvious question about Kafka going forward concerns his ability to convert from the spread, frenetic offense employed by the Wildcats into a more structured, traditional pro-style set. Kafka completed nearly 65 percent of his pass attempts for 3,400 yards for the up-tempo offense, his lone complete season as the engineer of the Northwestern offense.
We normally talk of baseball players in terms of their "prospect" potential, but that’s exactly the label applied to Kafka. He’s performed well in each of his postseason efforts, including an MVP effort in the East-West Shrine Game. Kafka stands 6-foot-3, and has proven his mobility and ability to throw on the run. That will get his ticket punched on draft day.
Jevan Snead, Mississippi
Snead has the size and pocket presence to develop into a potential starter at the next level. He needs to improve his accuracy (55.3 percent completion rate in his college career), and work through his progressions more quickly.
Most importantly, Snead needs to become more comfortable in checking down to alternate receivers rather than relying on his arm strength to fit balls into a tight spot (as evidenced by his high-interception rate). Still, that arm strength will be his calling card to the dance.
