The reason that teams are concerned or excited about a prospect is because there has usually been some ground work and evidence to suggest one of those outcomes. That evidence is looking at former and current players’ successes and failures and comparing them to this year’s crop of franchise changers or busts.
So, by taking a look at which of this year’s top quarterbacks remind of current NFL players, we can possibly get a good indication and projection of their potential of NFL success.
Sam Bradford, Oklahoma – Aaron Rodgers
There are a few current NFL players that Bradford emulates a little, such as Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Jake Delhomme, all of which are not terrible comparisons at all.
Bradford has the field vision, play understanding, and accuracy that already place him in the leagues elite, which is a rarity for NFL draft prospects. However, because of his shoulder injury and his need to get readjusted to a more consistent pro-style offense.
Bradford has a similar body make-up as Aaron Rodgers, plus has the intermediate and short accuracy that can make him successful in a West Coast system. He’s likely more pro-ready than Rodgers when he came out, but they could have similar success in the wide open, west coast, accuracy-based offense.
Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame – Matt Ryan
Similar to Matt Ryan for many reasons, the number one might be their comparable touch on their deeper passes.
Touch and footwork are two of the hardest things for quarterback prospects to adjust to when reaching the pro game, but Clausen had the coaching of NFL offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and that has drastically aided to his NFL readiness.
Because of those skills already in his arsenal, Clausen is capable of coming in opening day and competing for a starting job, similar to Matt Ryan and how he lead his Falcons in his rookie season.
Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan – Chad Pennington/Donovan McNabb
LeFevour is hard to find a match with because he’s such a unique player. Therefore, I’d like to push him together with two former 1st rounders in Pennington and McNabb.
Chad Pennington has very well-respected accuracy, but his arm strength has limited his ability in the NFL to be a consistent starter. McNabb is known as a very mobile in the pocket quarterback who can make plays with his feet along with keeping his eyes down field, but doesn’t always make the right throw with enough decisiveness, moreso in the early set of his career.
LeFevour has that tremendous accuracy and limited arm strength like Pennington, though a little stronger and a little less accurate than Chad. He also moves extremely well (more total yards than Tim Tebow in college career) and reads the play well, but didn’t make enough throws on the run for that to be a non-issue.
His lack of arm strength will push him down boards and likely out of the top two rounds, but I still feel he could end up being a sleeper in the mold of Joe Montana.
Jarrett Brown, West Virginia – Josh Freeman
While Brown isn’t as highly touted of a prospect as Freeman, in my books, they’re not that far apart when coming out of college.
Both prospects have very live arms and the size to put great velocity on their throws and complete passes from hash to hash. However, both players were inconsistent over their careers and neither in my books in a NFL-ready prospect.
Freeman did play well at times in his rookie season, which gives hope to Brown moving forward. And although Freeman was a little more productive and accurate than Brown, both could have similar, developmental type starts to their careers.
Tim Tebow, Florida – Vince Young
As you would expect, it’s hard to put my finger on one player that Tebow reminds me of. I thought of former Florida QB Danny Wuerffel. I thought of another playmaking lefty in Steve Young.
But, although they have much different skills sets, their future production in the league could be similar between Tebow and Vince Young. Both players were great leaders and the main focus in their college team’s scheme. However, neither player was really set up for the pro level and both had/will have a sharp learning curve as they adapt.
Young has taken to the coaching and is looking the part of a future starter. We know Tebow is extremely coachable, and it’ll be interesting to see if he can develop the same way, if not better.
Colt McCoy, Texas – Bruce Gradkowski
While his size is more comparable to a Donovan McNabb, his body makeup and the way he plays is more like a smaller, shiftier quarterback.
Jeff Garcia came to mind, but McCoy may actually be a better version of Bruce Gradkowski. He moves extremely well in the pocket and can maneuver through traffic as well as any quarterback in this draft. And the best part about his maneuverability is that he can keep his eyes down field and make a big play with his arm.
He has solid arm strength, likely enough to make him a starter in the NFL where the whole offense doesn’t have to change, like for example with a Chad Pennington-lead team. And with a 2nd-3rd round grade, he could have a much more stable and productive career than Gradkowski has had thus far.
John Skelton, Fordham – Derek Anderson
The Joe Flacco comparisons have been with Skelton most of the season because of the fact he’s from a FCS school, he has a huge arm, and he has NFL starting potential.
However, Skelton is more like a Derek Anderson, a less mobile, rocket arm quarterback with signs of great play in him. Derek Anderson took a little while to get adjusted to the pro game, but in his breakout year, he showed his potential as a starter when given the chance.
Skelton, like Anderson, needs great protection and the luxury of having some bigger bodied receivers. But he could develop into an Anderson-like spot starter, and maybe even a Pro Bowler if given the coaching, players, and system around him.
Jevan Snead, Ole Miss – Rex Grossman
I always find the story and concept of Grossman to be an intriguing look on why some guys “make it” in the NFL, while others don’t.
Grossman, when at practice, looks like one of the elite quarterbacks in the league, displaying confidence and conviction in everything that he does. But when it’s actually game time, he’s very inconsistent, erratic, inaccurate, nervous.
Snead may be the same way. Coming into his junior season, he was battling with Sam Bradford for the top quarterback spot in the draft. But after a season where the whole Ole Miss team couldn’t put it all together, Snead fell dramatically, with no one else to blame but himself.
The talent, arm strength, and technique is there to work with, which is why a team may take Snead a little earlier than expected because of his great potential to be a starter. But, he could end up being a career project similar to Grossman.
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