See the Top quarterback prospects of the last five years and see how Andrew Luck, Matt Barkley, Robert Griffin, Landry Jones, and Brandon Weeden stack up. Also, we’ll look at the prospects on Furman and Georgia Southern, both of which gave SEC teams a surprisingly test this past weekend, as well as two non-BCS teams loaded with talent and the Top 10 Scouting Steps left in the NFL Draft process.
Luck and Barkley Elite in My Eyes; Rankings Top QB Prospects Last 5 Years
The consensus seems to be that Andrew Luck is the “best quarterback prospect since…”, inserting Peyton, Elway, or EVER after it. And despite that hype, it may just be true. He is the best quarterback prospect I’ve ever seen, that’s for sure.
But what about the other QBs in this class? Where to do they stack up compared to recent drafts?
First off, I’ll try and make it well-documented now that MATT BARKLEY IS NEAR ELITE LEVEL and not as far away from Andrew Luck as a prospect. He is the 2nd best QB in the past 5 drafts, and one of only 4 QBs of last 10 years that I have given “elite” grade to (Luck, Barkley, Palmer, Rivers) coming out of college.
After Barkley, I have Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez, and Matt Ryan as the next three prospects out of college. Stafford close to elite level for me coming out, Sanchez has a high ceiling as an great athlete and intangible guy, and Ryan as one of the safest QB prospects I’ve graded.
After those three, Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford were next, as Clausen could’ve (and still could if given the right situation) been a very solid QB prospect, and Sam Bradford’s injury concerns (still getting hurt in the league) lowered my rating for the most part.
Robert Griffin and Cam Newton stack up next, as both are high ceiling, somewhat unpredictiable prospects, but both are smart, more creative, and game-changers that if they can continue to develop, which Newton has done so far. And finally, Landry Jones, Brandon Weeden, and Joe Flacco are all fighting for the #10 spot, and we’ll see how it shakes out as the draft process continues.
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Furman and Georgia Southern Challenging Florda and Alabama?
The Paladins over the Gators? Thats something that’s never been said before, but was close to becoming a reality this weekend.
LSU puts up 3 points against Alabama. Georgia Southern puts up 7 TIMES that against Alabama? Really?
These two FCS teams impressed and shocked this past week. While in 9 out of 10 games, these teams won’t pull off the SEC upset. But I’d say 5 or 6 out of 10 times, these FCS elite teams could give ANYONE at the FBS level a run for their money.
Furman features an “elite” prospect compared to most small school prospects coming out of college in cornerback Ryan Steed. Quick hips, good ball skills, and the length to stay with bigger receivers has made him very intriguing for NFL teams, and he could be in the Top 100-150 mix by draft day. Also on the Paladins, inside linebacker Kaddaron Anderson and quarterback Chris Forcier both should get post-NFL Draft looks in the undrafted free agent time frame, with Anderson possibly getting quite a few looks.
As for Georgia Southern, they still have some youth that could develop further in the future, but at now 9-2, this team is on the rise at the FCS level. As far as NFL prospects, only two are graded as potential NFL prospects. Georgia Tech transfer quarterback Jaybo Shaw could be looked at as an athlete, as he’s in the running offense and could play running back or safety at the next level. Also, cornerback Laron Scott could get some looks after the draft, but he’s undersized and relies on speed.
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Most Talented Non-BCS Teams
As usual, the BCS conference teams dominate the NFL Draft. In the last two drafts, 374 BCS-conference prospects have been selected, an average of 73% of the draft being from those conferences. The Big 6 BCS conferences have had the most prospects in the draft the past 5 years.
This year, it seems it’ll be no different. However, two teams are doing their best to crash the party in terms of having loads of prospects. Those teams? The Temple Owls and Boise State Broncos.
Temple has seven prospects that are potentially draftable in this years draft. Led by junior Bernard Pierce at running back, who could be a first round pick, this Temple team is loaded for now and the future on both sides. Also on the offense, tight end Evan Rodriguez and guards Derek Dennis, Wayne Tribue are all likely to be picked in the Top 5-6 rounds. Linebackers Stephen Johnson and Tahir Whitehead are also moving up some boards, with Johnson being a guy we feel is very draftable now, and Whitehead only in certain schemes. And finally, defensive end Adrian Robinson has frustrated me at times, but he’s a good athlete and could be an ideal fit for a 3-4 defense.
Boise State has five prospects as of now that I see as draft worthy. Quarterback Kellen Moore has been up for lots of debate as a propsect, but he may have the highest football IQ of any quarterback in this class (yes, more than Luck) and has the time of timing and accuracy of Chad Pennington, except add better mobility. Running Back Doug Martin is a top notch prospect, but I’m not sold he’s in the mid to high second round area. Nate Potter, Billy Winn, and Shae McClellin are offensive/defensive linemen that could be selected in the Top 4 rounds, but I don’t see any as consistent starters at the NFL leve as of now.
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Top 10…Events In the Draft Process for the Future 
The college football season may be coming to a close, but the scouting process for the NFL Draft is only half-way finished.
Below, I’ve outline the next 10 steps in the draft process, starting with College Bowl games and ending with the 2012 NFL Draft. A member of Optimum Scouting will be at a variety of Bowl Games, East-West Shrine Game, Senior Bowl, Beyond Sports Newtork combine, Pro Days, and the 2012 NFL Draft. Be sure to follow our coverage here!
1. Bowl Games/HBCU Game (Mid December to Early January)
2. Early Entry Deadline for Underclassmen to declare (Early January)
3. East-West Shrine Game (Mid January)
4. Senior Bowl (Mid-Late January)
5. Arkansas Players All-Star Game (Late January)
6. NFL Combine (Late February-Early March)
7. Beyond Sports Network Combine (Mid March)
8. Pro Days Across the Country (March-Early April)
9. Final Workouts/Interviews (Late March-Mid April)
10. 2012 NFL Draft (Late April)
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