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.

John McClain, Anna Megan and nfldraftbible.com's John Murphy discuss the draft

49ers QB Smith eager for fresh start

Shoulder healing; Smith, Nolan eager for a fresh start
San Jose Mercury News

Alex Smith said his surgically repaired throwing shoulder is easing its way toward a full recovery.
As for his standing with Coach Mike Nolan, the 49ers quarterback said that fractured relationship has 100 percent healed.
"I think we both understand each other," Smith said. "There are definitely things I look back at and wish I could do over again."
The 49ers, perhaps welcoming a respite from stories about their tampering penalty, put Smith on a conference call with Bay Area reporters Thursday. The quarterback sounded rejuvenated in spirit - and nothing like the player whose sour 2007 included a separated right shoulder and public feud with his coach.
The latter issue came to a boil in December, when Smith told the Mercury News that Nolan had tried to "spin" his teammates against him by indicating Smith's injury wasn't that severe.
Thursday, however, the quarterback declared the air cleared.
"(Nolan) and I are both looking forward to putting last year behind us," Smith said. "I've talked with him several times and I think we're both excited about it. I know I definitely am. (Last year) is not a reflection of either of us.
"We're both better than that and I think we're looking forward to obviously erasing that and proving not only to the people in this building, but everywhere, that we're going to move on and we're going to do better than that and we expect better."
Smith, at the 49ers' urging, held off on surgery until
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December. He is now working his way back into playing shape with an eye on re-establishing his claim to the starting quarterback job.
He said he throws every few days, with a schedule similar to a baseball pitcher. At this point, Smith is playing catch at a distance of up to 40 yards.
"I'm definitely not out here gunning these things," he said. "But to throw the ball 40 yards, you've got to be throwing it decent."
He is more encouraged by his progress in the weight room where, he said, "I've been lifting pretty much full go."
Smith's health will be crucial if he is to fend off Shaun Hill for the No. 1 role. Nolan, as well as new offensive coordinator Mike Martz, has declared the job wide open.
Smith said he is already working with Martz and quarterbacks coach Ted Tollner to get a feel for the system. He is excited by Martz's success rate with previous passers, even previously unheralded players such as Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger.
"No question," Smith said. "You just look at the track record he had with all those quarterbacks and the numbers they've put up.
"I'm just excited for the chance to reach my potential. I feel like I haven't even been there yet. With Coach Martz's help, and all the guys around here, I hope to get there."
Smith, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005, has 19 career touchdown passes, 31 interceptions and a meager 63.9 passer rating.
He acknowledged that he took inspiration when Eli Manning - another former No. 1 pick who had a rocky career start - blossomed into the Super Bowl MVP last season.
Smith and Manning share the same agent, Tom Condon, and have spoken several times since the Super Bowl.
"If you look at Eli two years ago and what was being said in New York, and if you look at it now, a lot has changed in that time," Smith said. "That's the exciting thing about this game - you have a chance to do that and erase last year."