Send in the QB's, Where are the QB's??

By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Managing Partner/Executive Editor-Football Reporters Online/Gridiron Draft Guide

I'm looking at various lists put out by the "big guys" regarding how they rate the Quarterbacks for the 2010 Draft. For the life of me i can't figure out what some of these guys are on. The Site with the "Acronyms" in it's name that has two supposed "Top Talent Evaluators" on it's staff and on it's airwaves claim that Sam Bradford of Oklahoma is the best QB in this Draft. Must be something in the Hair Gel fumes.
Bradford is talented, yes, but he has yet to impress many "real" Draft Scouts, unless some miracle lighting bolt hits Lucas Oil stadium this weekend. Bradford if you remember, spent the majority of the 2009 season injured. Unless he throws the football across the river and into the indy zoo, his status won't change by next week in my eyes. Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen isn't horrible either, but he's at least three full NFL seasons away from being close to a starter in my eyes. He suffers from "Tony Romo-itis" of his feet, amongst other issues with his game.

The Best "Big School" QB's in this draft are Texas' Colt McCoy, Central Michigan's
Dan LeFevour, and Cincinnati's Tony Pike. After those three, the next three best QB's in this class are at the FCS level. Number four is Jacksonville State's Ryan Perrilloux (the LSU transfer), then Fordham University's John Skelton rounds out the top 5. Skelton clearly has the best Arm of any QB in this class. Number six is Troy State's Levi Brown, followed by Holy Cross' Dominic Randolph at seven.
Too many independent scouts have underrated the players from the "lower" conferences for far too long. The Next "FBS" QB ranks at number eight, and he is Mississippi's Jevan Snead. Number nine is Northwestern's MIke Kafka, and rounding out the "Top Ten" is Oregon State's Sean Canfield. Below you will find (not in order) some other QB's we are tracking. You will notice that a certain QB from Florida isn't on my list. Again, unless he's hit by lighting, don't expect to hear his name called until late on day two if not day three of the draft.

Some more QB's that Impress:

Jonathan Crompton-Tennessee
Tyler Sheehan-Bowling Green
Tim Hiller- Western Michigan
Eric Ward- Richmond
Armanti Edwards-Appalachian St.
Pat Grace-N.Iowa

Our full ratings for every position will be published in the Gridiron Draft Guide (a combined work of Consensus Draft Services and Football Reporters Online, with assistance from the Black Athlete Sports Network) and can be purchased for Ten dollars U.S. at www.gridirondraftguide.com and will be e-mailed on April 4th and 5th.

Richmond University RB Josh Vaughn on his way to the end zone during a rain swept 34-14 win over Hofstra
Photo by A.C. Fumai-Chachkes for Football Reporters Online

So when is A QB really a QB, or a QB in Tight Ends' Pads?

Our Pre Draft Primer Part 2-Some more from the combine.
By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Managing Partner, Football Reporters Online

So you say your team needs a QB? Don't we all need at least a back-up if not a starter? Sure we do, but this may not be the draft class to go get one in the early rounds. Before last years draft, myself and one of my co-authors at our website (see below) felt that not only was Delaware's Joe Flacco worthy of a first round selection, but he could be every bit as good as Matt Ryan, or better. Not to pat myself on the back here, but we do take pride in our scouting. Ryan might have won rookie of the year, But Flacco took the Ravens to the AFC title game. Believe it or not, ESPN's John Clayton and i had a conversation with one of my now-co-hosts of my radio show, owner of the Blogimore Ravens Blog Dewey Hammond, where we actually had to beg him to believe us that J-Flack was that good. Now Dewey thinks Flacco should be Vice President instead of Joe Biden!

The truth is folks, this years class might not even be anywhere near as good, and when you consider that some of the better second tier Qb's from last year didn't start going until mid-to-late on day two (Josh Johnson from the University of San Diego at #160 to Tampa being just one), many of this years QB class might just have to wait to be signed as US-FA's (unsigned free agents).

Sometimes i just don't get why some players get invited to the combine and some don't. Case in point: FCS national title winners' university of Richmond got an invite extended to their stellar DE Lawrence Sidbury Jr., but RB John Vaughn was totally overlooked. Aside from being(now Arizona Cardinal) Tim Hightower's back-up on the 2007 team (with 723 rushing yards), Vaughn had 1,884 rushing yards as the starter in 2008, with a 117.8 yards per game average, and 5.3 yards per carry, to go along with a career total of 3,389 yards in four seasons. We personally saw him rush for 240 Net Yards that game in a driving rainstorm (see Photo Below). Another Player who didn't get an invite is UMass QB Liam Coen, who has just thrown the heck out of the football the last three years.

I also hope I am not alone in thinking that West Virginia QB Pat White shouldn't have to "Kowtow" to anyone when it comes to what position he feels he can play. So what if he's only 6 feet tall? I remember a guy named Fran Tarkington who was only 6 feet tall, and he had a very successful career. Some might even say this is the same "racist" mentality that kept University of Toledo QB Chuck Ealey From Playing QB in the NFL. Ealey had an 8 season career In the CFL because he knew he was a QB, and not a receiver or runningback. He was also, are you ready...53-0 as a high school and college QB. Undefeated until he lost his first game in the CFL.
Now you know why he stood his ground and played QB.

So i am not that enamored as of yet with this QB Class as i guess you can tell.

Don't forget our websites:

www.footballreportersonline.com
www.gridirondraftguide.com

and our weekly internet radio broadcast at:

www.blogtalkradio.com/football-reporters

Our guests for tomorrow nights' Show (2-26-09) at 9pm Eastern are:

Former NFL Greats Sam Huff, Dave Pear, and Bernie Parrish
as well as current NFL hopefuls Richard Charles Washington, A DT from Clark Atlanta University, and University of Delaware Tight End Robbie Agnone