April 16, 2008

Flacco Keeps Defying Odds As His Draft Stock Rises

By Jon Wagner Football Reporters Online Writer

NFL draft history says most NFL teams will tend to shy away from drafting smaller-school college football players, especially when it comes to the all-important quarterback position.
However, don’t tell that to quarterback Joe Flacco, who is now regularly mentioned as a possible first-round pick alongside much bigger-name quarterbacks such as Boston College’s Matt Ryan, Louisville’s Brian Brohm, and Michigan’s Chad Henne.
Hailing from the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) ranks, the Audubon, NJ product has turned a brief two-year college career at the Colonial Athletic Association’s University Of Delaware into a great chance at being only the third non Division I-A quarterback selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft since 1984.
Flacco’s road to that point was a journey that required both a lot of belief in his own ability, and a lot of patience while waiting for the chance to prove to others that he could ultimately play at an NFL level.
Although Flacco was a top high school recruit, he threw all of four passes during his first two years of college eligibility. After being relegated to the bench as a redshirt freshman at I-A Pittsburgh, in 2004, Flacco sought more playing time by transferring to Delaware. He was forced to sit out his sophomore year though, when Pittsburgh refused to release Flacco from his scholarship.
Finally, in his junior season, as a starter at Delaware, Flacco began to garner attention. His Blue Hens struggled in 2006, going 5-6, but Flacco completed 63 percent of his passes, for 2,783 yards, while throwing 18 touchdowns and ten interceptions.
Flacco then had his breakout year last season, as a senior. He was recognized as the CAA Co-Offensive Player of the Year, while completing 64 percent of his passes for 4,263 yards, finishing his college career setting 20 different Delaware passing records.
Those are all great accolades and numbers for sure, but were they NFL-worthy, even NFL-first-round-pick worthy, in a non-BCS program? Flacco knew NFL scouts likely wanted to see leadership, a capability to play well in big games, and an ability to protect the football (as important as the turnover ratio is in NFL games).
Flacco delivered on all accounts.
In his senior season, Flacco threw 23 touchdown passes and just five interceptions, including six touchdown passes and no interceptions in the postseason. He led Delaware to three playoff victories, en route to the 2007 FCS championship game against Appalachian State. Flacco led the Blue Hens to an improbable 39-27 quarterfinal win at heavily favored, top-seeded, and top-ranked Northern Iowa last year, throwing for 312 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. That impressive performance was followed up by throwing for 243 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Delaware’s 20-17 semifinal upset at fourth-ranked and second-seeded Southern Illinois.
In January, after an injury to Brohm, Flacco was invited to replace Brohm and play in the Senior Bowl with the likes of Henne, USC’s John David Booty, Tennessee’s Erik Ainge, Hawaii’s Colt Brennan, and Kentucky’s Andre Woodson.
Although Flacco was only 2-for-7 for 22 yards, no touchdowns, and 1 interception in that game, he later demonstrated some resiliency against the same high-profile quarterbacks he played with, and against, at the Senior Bowl.
Flacco was invited to participate in the 10th College Football All-Star Challenge during Super Bowl XLII week in Arizona. Going against Ryan, Henne, Booty, and Brennan, Flacco showed off his arm strength, winning two challenges, including the long toss pass, with a pass of 74 yards.
Now, less than two weeks before the NFL draft in New York, April 26-27, Flacco is widely regarded as the quarterback possessing the strongest arm in the entire draft.
Still, Flacco had to further prove himself to those who are more likely to tout the higher-profile quarterbacks from BCS schools.
One of Flacco’s biggest attributes and strengths—his size—caused doubters to question his mobility and agility.
However, the 6-6, 235-pound Flacco put those doubts to rest as well, at the February combine in Indianapolis, when he recorded a time of 4.84 seconds in the 40-yard dash, had the fastest time in the 3-cone drill, and the second fastest time in the short shuttle.
Can Flacco crack the top two or three quarterbacks selected in this year’s NFL draft? We’ll find out soon. Given all that Flacco’s already overcome and all of the times he’s already answered his critics, don’t bet against it.