QB Draft Profiles...

[hawaiianboy]

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JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU

College: LSU Number: 2
Height: 6-5 Weight: 252

Overview

Much like the Auburn staff did with Jason Campbell several years ago, the LSU coaches patiently waited for Russell to develop. That patience paid off in 2005, as Russell wrested the starting reigns away from Matt Flynn. Most experts now regard JaMarcus as the most physically gifted quarterback to ever wear a Louisiana State uniform.

The talented junior has what many feel is the strongest arm in college football. He can throw the ball the length of the field and put on an impressive performance prior to the 2006 Sugar Bowl, when he sat down on the ground and threw the pigskin 40 yards down field. Under the guidance of offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, JaMarcus developed a keen understanding and knowledge in how to manage the clock. He went on to compile a 25-4 record as a starter, the third-best record in school history.

Russell and his favorite target, receiver Dwayne Bowe, is the most prolific pass-catch scoring tandem in school history, as the duo connected on 23 touchdowns during their career. JaMarcus leaves LSU as the school's second-ranked passer with a 61.86 pass completion percentage and 52 touchdown tosses. He is just the third player in Tiger annals to throw for over 6,000 yards in a career and the first to lead the team to at least ten victories in consecutive seasons. He also proved to be a heroic passer, as he rallied the team late in the fourth quarter or during overtime to eight victories during his 36 games in an LSU uniform.

JaMarcus was regarded as one of the nation's top-rated quarterbacks during his time at Williamson High School. He was a consensus top five national pro-style quarterback by every major recruiting publication and named to the prestigious Parade All-American team. In 2002, he was rated the fourth-best quarterback prospect in the country by College Football News. He was also named Alabama's Mr. Football and Super Prep Dixie Offensive Player of the Year in 2002.

Russell was a member of Super Prep's All-American team, FSN South's Countdown to Signing Day "All-South" first-team, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Super Southern 100 and the Orlando Sentinel's All-Southern teams. The all-time leading passer in Alabama history, JaMarcus threw for 10,744 yards during his career, eclipsing the state record set by former Alabama and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle.

The two-time Class 5A All-State selection also rewrote the state record books with 84 touchdown passes. He connected on 219-of-372 passes (58.9%) for 3,332 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior, adding 400 yards and five scores rushing 2002. He also passed for 1,850 yards and seventeen touchdowns as a junior. Russell also excelled on the school's basketball team as a small forward, averaging fifteen points, ten rebounds and four assists per game as a junior.

Russell enrolled at Louisiana State in 2003, spending the season performing on the scout team. He played in eleven games, sharing quarterback duties with Marcus Randall in 2004, earning five starting assignments. He completed 73-of-144 passes (50.7%) for 1,053 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions. But, despite his 4.7 speed, he was sacked thirteen times and lost 41 yards on 26 carries, finishing with 1,012 yards in total offense.

JaMarcus became the full-time starter for the Tigers in 2005, leading the team to a 10-2 record in their first twelve games. He suffered a left shoulder separation and right wrist ligament damage vs. Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, missing the Peach Bowl and 2005 spring practice after undergoing wrist surgery. He hit on 188-of-311 attempts (60.5%) for 2,443 yards, fifteen touchdowns and nine interceptions. He scored twice on 61 carries, but was held to minus 22 yards, as he was sacked 21 times and turned the ball over four times on fumbles.

Russell changed his uniform to #2 in 2006, after wearing #4 during his first two seasons. The first-team All-Southeastern Conference choice led the Tigers to an 11-3 record in his final campaign. He gained 3,129 yards with 28 touchdowns and only eight interceptions, as he connected on 232-of-342 throws (67.8%). JaMarcus added 142 yards and a score on 52 carries, amassing 3,271 yards in total offense.

In 36 games at Louisiana State, Russell started thirty contests. He threw for 6,625 yards and 52 touchdowns and 21 interceptions, as he completed 493-of-797 throws (61.9%). He rushed 139 times for 79 yards (0.6 avg) and four scores while also recording four solo tackles. On 936 plays, JaMarcus piled up 6,704 yards in total offense, an average of 186.22 yards per game.



Analysis

Positives…Has a well-built, strong and athletic frame with good overall muscle definition, long arms, large hands, good bubble, high-cut with wide shoulders and thick thighs…Has outstanding arm strength and size for his position…Shows good overall foot quickness and agility to step out of the pocket and buy time for his receivers…Has the lower body power to break tackles…Demonstrates above average body control and balance driving back from center and shows good accuracy firing the ball up the seams…Has a fluid throwing motion, much like the Colts' Peyton Manning…Made good strides in recognizing protections and is capable of calling audibles…Not the type that needs the glory and attention most quarterbacks relish.

Determined field leader with ice water running through his veins…Will play through pain and does a great job of standing tall in the pocket…Has good balance in his drop-back and generally moves in control, showing a nice rhythm while planting his feet through his delivery…When he sits back and scans the field, he can pick apart the zones…Makes right decisions on long throws, thanks to his raw power, but needs to vary the speed on his short throws, as his targets sometimes have a hard time fielding the ball cleanly (puts too much zip on the throws)…His arm strength and fluid mechanics let him get the ball out quickly, once he sets his feet… Shows no wasted motion and is consistently in good position to deliver the ball on time has the strongest arm in football, at any level…Can throw the ball the length of the field and put on an impressive show during Sugar Bowl practices, when he sat down on the ground and effortlessly flicked the ball out over 40 yards…Generates great velocity and ball speed firing up the seams and is an excellent prospect for a vertical passing game.

Makes it easy for receivers to stay in stride when firing up the seam…Effective throwing on the move and has the ability to consistently place the ball on the receiver's outside shoulder…When working from a three-step technique, Russell shows very good timing and placement attacking the deep secondary, but must take some heat off his short throws…Steps into his throws well, but also has more than enough arm strength to throw off the wrong foot…Stands tall in the pocket and there is no panic in his game…Will take shots and throw under duress, but just needs to check off his primary target quicker rather than try to buy time with his feet moving around the pocket…Made great strides in maintaining his focus down field, even under heavy pressure…Has enough movement skills to buy time in the backfield…Earlier in his career, he would step back and fall away from his throws, but now is much more confident in his arm and ability to step up and find the throwing lanes…You don't see Russell scramble much, but when he tucks the ball and runs with it, he has the size, strength and bulk to consistently break tackles…Puts good velocity on his throws firing from the outside hashes and has a fluid release, whether throwing from the left or right side.

Negatives: At maximum growth potential and any more weight will affect his quickness… His weight needs to be monitored, as he will lose some of his agility when he hits the 260-pound range…Lacks the change of direction agility to make the initial tackler miss…Has a good grasp of the passing game, but sometimes gets too confident in his arm strength and will try to force the ball into tight spots…Quiet sort who seems to shy away from the media attention…Shows good fluidity and quickness in his drive back from center, but is not a threat to run with the ball. ..Can buy time for his receivers when rolling out, but appears a little stiff in his hips when having to escape pocket pressure for too long… Tends to get a bit impatient in the pocket and showed too much confidence in his arm strength, firing the ball right into coverage (see 2006 Fresno State and Tennessee, 2005 Florida and Arkansas and 2005 Alabama and Mississippi games)…Would hold the ball too long waiting for his targets to get open and this would result in a sack or costly fumble…
Can make all the throws, but needs to take a little of his zip off his shorter area tosses.
Cool under pressure, but will get impatient at times and force the ball in tight areas…Not the type that can get into the second level with his feet, as he is a little stiff in his hips changing direction.

Compares To: DAUNTE CULPEPPER-Miami…Russell has a defensive lineman's build with quick feet for a player his size. He has one of the strongest arms in the game and showed better patience waiting for his targets to get open, doing a better job with his reads to improve his overall accuracy as a junior. He is a perfect prospect for a vertical passing attack. Unlike most big quarterbacks, he doesn't have a windmill-type release and can throw the ball the length of the field.

 

[hawaiianboy]

Brady Quinn

College: Notre Dame Number: 10
Height: 6-4 Weight: 228

Overview

With the arrival of head coach Charlie Weis from the New England Patriots at Notre Dame, the former NFL offensive coordinator quickly bonded with Brady and the results were immediately evident in 2005. Having been compared to Weis' former pupil, Tom Brady, Quinn averaged more than 110 yards passing per game than he had as a sophomore while nearly doubling his touchdown passes (32 from 17).

In just three seasons with the Fighting Irish, Quinn has shattered thirty school records (nine career, nine single-season, four single-game and eight others). His 8,336 aerial yards surpassed Notre Dame's previous career mark of 7,602 by Ron Powlus (1994-97) while his 640 completions of 1,135 passes topped the old school records of 558-of-969 attempts by Powlus. Quinn also passed Powlus (52) on the career touchdown passing list (58) and Brady's average of 231.56 yards passing per game obliterated Powlus' old Irish career mark of 172.7 yards.

The Coffman High School product was ranked sixth on the Detroit Free Press "Best of the Midwest" team and listed 20th on ESPN's list of the nation's top 100 players. He was named Columbus Dispatch and Ohio Capital Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was an All-State choice as a senior. The two-time All-Conference selection served as team captain twice.

As a senior in 2002, Quinn completed 143 of 258 passes for 2,149 yards, 25 touchdowns and only four interceptions while rushing for 108 yards and six touchdowns. He helped his team post an 8-3 mark in 2002 and played in the U.S. Army All-America game in San Antonio. The two-year starter threw for 2,200 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior in 2001, a 9-4 season that saw Coffman reach the Division I state semifinals. Quinn also lettered three times in baseball. He was named All-Conference in baseball as a junior and was a member of Young Life, the Rock Solid Club and Who's Who Among America High School Students.

As a true freshman at Notre Dame, Quinn appeared in twelve games, starting the final nine contests of the 2003 campaign. He connected on 157 of 332 passes (47.3%) for 1,831 yards, nine touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He added 25 yards on 48 carries, but also fumbled six times, with the opposition recovering two of those miscues.

In 2004, Quinn was successful on 191 of 253 throws (54.1%) for 2,586 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was intercepted ten times and fumbled four times, but added three more scores on the ground. Brady earned All-American third-team honors as a junior, ranking third in the nation in passing yardage (3,919) while establishing school season records with 292 completions of 450 attempts with 32 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.

In 36 games at Notre Dame, Quinn started 33 times. He set school career-records with 640 of 1,135 passes (56.4%) for 8,336 yards, 58 touchdowns and 32 interceptions (fourth-highest pass theft total in Irish annals). He carried 172 times for 111 yards (0.6 avg) and four scores. His 1,135 pass attempts rank first among active NCAA Division 1-A quarterbacks while only Houston's Kevin Kolb (9,155) has thrown for more yards. His 58 touchdown tosses rank third among active passers while his 8,447 yards in total offense rank second (also set a school record).



Analysis

Positives: Has a tall, big frame with broad shoulders, good overall muscle development, smooth tone and room to add more bulk…Demonstrates a strong arm that allows him to deliver the long ball with touch and accuracy…Has the ability to put the ball where the receiver can catch it and shows good balance throwing on the move…Good student of the game, showing the field vision and intelligence to recognize coverages on his pre-snap scan of the field and in his pass drop…Shows decent foot quickness in his set-up, keeping his feet under him while maintaining balance…Can reach his throwing point with a normal stride and has the body control and agility needed to drive back from center quickly…Has keen awareness and a good grasp of the offensive system…Does a nice job scanning the field and throws with good timing and touch.

Carries the ball medium/high and can flick it out either with a high ¾ delivery or over the head…Has a compact release to unload the ball quickly and good mechanics when launching the ball long…Puts very good zip on all of his throws, especially in the intermediate area or when going long…Can throw in the seam with consistency and you now see an accurate long ball and a lively short pass…In the short passing game, Quinn puts the ball where the receiver can catch it, throwing a catchable ball with zip or touch and does a nice job of keeping the receiver in the route…Shows good anticipation and timing with the awareness, field smarts and athletic agility to slide or step up in the pocket to buy time.

Has developed a nice feel and awareness to anticipate when the receivers are coming out of their cuts…Makes good adjustments at the line of scrimmage…Does a good job of scanning down field and shows enough pocket movement awareness to find the lanes when flushed out…Has the athletic ability to slide or step up to buy time and does a good job of maintaining focus down field, even under heavy pressure.

Negatives: Shows some elusiveness on the run, but won't frighten any defense when having to carry the ball (out in the open, he simply lacks the elusiveness to gain positive yardage)…Not the type that can consistently make plays with his feet…Used to drop the ball and pat it a bit, but with his improved over-the-top release point, he was able to generate better quickness with his tosses…When he throws with a long arc, he doesn't always follow through (mostly on deep outs)…Will still sometimes force the receiver to adjust a bit on crossing patterns and needs to take something off his passes when dumping off, but can drop the ball over the top…Does not have that overpowering arm to lead the receivers going deep, but can put good touch on those throws (showed good improvement with his trajectory, but when going long on the move, he did make his receivers adjust a bit)…Has better timing when taking a three-step drop, but may hold the ball a little too long, resulting his sacks when he takes a longer (five-step) drop…Has good movement skills for a tall quarterback to avoid and elude the pass rush, but must continue to work on ball security (ten fumbles his first two years, but only three in 2005), as he leaves the ball too exposed when on the move…Can throw on the run, but needs to do a better job of squaring his shoulders when delivering the ball (plays on his feet, but you see that he loses some of his accuracy when throwing on the move).

 

[hawaiianboy]

Troy Smith

College: Ohio State Number: 10
Height: 6-1 Weight: 212

Overview

Troy Smith is coming off a brilliant junior year in which he directed the Buckeyes to a 10-2 record that included a Big Ten Conference co-championship and season-ending wins over Michigan and Notre Dame. With the Fiesta Bowl win, Smith improved to 13-2 as Ohio State's starting quarterback. In his last seven games, he accounted for 19 touchdowns (passed for 13, rushed for six). Overall in 2005, he has accounted for 27 (16 passing, 11 rushing).

What makes his performance even more remarkable is the fact that Smith almost did not play for the Buckeyes in 2005. Living a roller coaster existence off the field, Troy was suspended for the 2004 Alamo Bowl and the 2005 season opener until he paid back $500 that he took from an OSU booster. It was not the only incident away from the game that put his career temporarily on hold.

Smith was a standout basketball/track/football star from Cleveland's Glenville High School who thought he ruled the world, but couldn't control himself. Coming from a broken home, he carried his life as if he had a big chip on his shoulder. There were quite a few times that the coaching staff had to sit him down and explain that his actions were "poisoning the program." "Troy had never been able to trust a man in his whole entire life," said his high school coach, Ted Ginn Sr.

His troubles escalated once he arrived at Ohio State. He openly complained about a lack of playing time and also ran afoul of the law. On November 13, 2003, he was arrested with receiver Santonio Holmes for misdemeanor disorderly conduct after a fight in a parking lot on campus. A window in a car was kicked out and one woman reported her jaw was broken. Holmes pleaded innocent to the disorderly conduct charge and the charge was dismissed against the Pittsburgh Steelers 2006 first round pick, but Smith was found guilty of the charge on March 30, 2004.

Smith played his first two years of football at Lakewood St. Edward High School, but transferred to Glenville High as a senior, where he was coached by Ted Ginn, Sr., the father of Troy's prep and OSU teammate, receiver Ted Ginn, Jr.

He threw for 969 yards and twelve touchdowns as a senior, leading Glenville to the state playoffs. He also gained 324 yards with four scores rushing that year. As a junior at St. Edward, he picked up 1,400 yards passing, adding 500 more yards on the ground.

Troy lettered three times in basketball and ran track, competing in the high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay. He was rated the nation's 13th-ranked quarterback and timed at 4.1 in the 40-yard dash by Rivals.com.

Smith enrolled at Ohio State in 2002, but sat out the season as a redshirt. He was a seldom-used running back for the Buckeyes, appearing in ten games in 2003, running three times for 14 yards (4.7 avg) and returned five kickoffs for 83 yards (16.6 avg).

Smith played in eight games in 2004, starting the final five regular season contests at quarterback. He completed 68 of 122 passes (55.7%) for 896 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He scored twice on 82 carries, gaining 339 yards (4.1 avg), finishing with 1,235 yards in total offense before being suspended prior to the Alamo Bowl.

After sitting out the 2005 season opener, Smith shared playing time with Justin Zwick early in the campaign. He played in eleven games, starting the final ten contests. Troy hit on 149 of 237 throws (62.9%) for 2,282 yards, 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions, but also fumbled eleven times, with the opposition recovering six of those miscues. He ranked second on the squad with 136 rushing attempts for 611 yards (4.5 avg) and led the team with eleven scores. He also became the first player in school history to throw for over 2,000 yards and rush for over 500 yards in a season.

Smith appeared in 29 games at Ohio State, including nineteen contests at quarterback. He boasts a 13-2 record as the team's starting quarterback, completing 217 of 359 passes (60.4%) for 3,178 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He collected 964 yards with thirteen scores on 221 carries (4.4 avg) and gained 83 yards on five kickoff returns (16.6 avg). He also recorded two solo tackles while amassing 4,142 yards in total offense on 580 plays.



Analysis

Positives: Has good body structure with solid muscle definition, good upper body tone in his chest and arms, good bubble, thick thighs and calves and above average body control, balance and flexibility…His feet and strong throwing arm make him a viable threat to score on the ground or throwing the ball…Has the foot quickness and agility to throw on the move, showing the body control and balance to break tackles or avoid the defender with his explosive second gear to accelerate into the second level…His ability to scramble allows him to stay alive rolling out of the pocket, as well as put the ball away and run with it when his targets are covered (see 2004 Michigan and 2005 San Diego State, Iowa and Northwestern games).

Does a good job of retaining plays and is quick to improvise on the run…His natural football instincts are displayed with his ability to create when his targets are covered…His low interception ratio (only 7 INTs on 359 pass attempts) indicates that he is capable of scanning the field, stepping up in the pocket or throwing the ball away rather than try to force the ball into a crowd…Aggressive playmaker who will not hesitate to sacrifice his body to make the play…Sells out and plays with reckless abandon, sort of like Steve McNair earlier in the former Titans (now Baltimore) QB's career…Shows good accuracy with all of his throws and will make a lethargic defense pay for even one mistake…One of his best attributes is his ability to create on a broken play (see 2005 Michigan and Notre Dame games)…Very effective throwing on the move and carries the ball chest-high…Steps to his target point with good balance in his drop and helps put good velocity behind his tosses by keeping his feet under him.

Does a good job of laying the ball away from defenders and it is rare to see him try to force the ball into a crowd… Does not eye-ball his primary target for too long and is very good job of recognizing underneath coverage (not many of his passes are tipped at the line of scrimmage)…Has developed a high release, showing the ability to improvise on the move…Throws across his body effectively and has good timing and consistency moving the chains …Takes what the defense gives him rather than going for the "home run" ball at every opportunity…Has nice touch throwing in the short-to-intermediate areas and threads the needle well…Has a knack for making proper adjustments at the line of scrimmage and the vision needed to scan the field.

Distributes the ball well, utilizing all of his receivers with effectiveness and is quick to look off his primary target and go through progressions…Effective at hitting his receivers in stride and over his target's outside shoulder…It is very hard for the defender to lock on to Smith due to his natural awareness…Poses a real threat for the opponent with his quick feet when flushed out…Can avoid the sack and buy a second chance, showing the ability to create out of a complete breakdown in protection…Has good body control rolling out of the pocket and does a nice job of avoiding on the move…Best when attacking from the far hash, as he is a threat with both his feet and arm…Has very good accuracy throwing the intermediate pass when on the run.


Negatives: Lacks the ideal height you look for in a pocket quarterback…Better suited for a spread offense…Will sometimes revert to a wind-up delivery, but still has the ability to get the ball off quickly…While he might revert to sidearm action at times (see 2004 Purdue game), he will generally use an over-the-top release…Does show a bit of a windmill action at times, but demonstrates quick load-&-reload ability, thanks to his arm strength and quickness…Best in the short-to-intermediate area, as some of his deep throws will sail…Seems to be more accurate throwing on the run than in his drops from center…Had character problems in high school and openly complained on how the OSU coaching staff used him his first two years in the program…Has had several off-field incidents, most notably a 2003 arrest (see Off-Field Issues on his profile)…His lack of size and off-field past will not win him many fans among pro scouts unless he continued to show a solid work ethic.

 

[hawaiianboy]

Trent Edwards

College: Stanford Number: 5
Height: 6-4 Weight: 222

Overview

Pro scouts that attended Stanford's 2006 spring drills sensed that this season could see the emergence of Trent Edwards as the elite passer in the West. Entering their senior years, former Pac-10 Conference passers, Dan Fouts (Oregon, 1970-72; San Diego, 1973), Jack Thompson (Washington State, 1975-78; Cincinnati, 1979), Akili Smith (Oregon, 1997-98; Cincinnati, 1999), Joey Harrington (Oregon, 1998-2001; Detroit, 2002) and Carson Palmer (Southern California, 1998-2002; Cincinnati, 2003) were not ranked among the nation's premier players, but by the time they finished their final season, the NFL teams came clamoring for their services. All, except for Fouts, garnered first round draft status. Trent could soon rank with this group of stellar Pac-10 quarterbacks.

Injuries and poor protection by his offensive line have prevented Edwards from amassing the gaudy statistics the five above mentioned quarterbacks had on their collegiate resume. With offensive guru Walt Harris having taken over as Stanford's head coach in 2004, Trent has received some of the best tutelage an emerging quarterback could be afforded. If the Cardinal offensive line can jell around guard Alex Fletcher, Edwards will have the protection he needs to deliver the big plays. The Stanford quarterback certainly has the ammunition to deliver, based on his athletic ability, strong arm and a vastly improved receiving corps led by receivers Evan Moore (6:07, 235), Mark Bradford (6:02, 200) and Patrick Danahy (6:04, 240).

One of the premiere recruits in the nation in 2001 at Los Gatos High School, Edwards was rated among the top quarterback prospects in the country by every recruiting publication. USA Today ranked Trent the best passing quarterback in the nation while Student Sports ranked him as the second-best quarterback prospect. He was named an All-American by Super Prep, Prep Star, Parade, Student Sports and Tom Lemming's Report, to name a few, and was a member of Prep Star's "Dream Team" and the Student Sports Top 101 squad.

ESPN's Tom Lemming named him the seventh-best passer in the nation and the No. 15 overall recruit. Parade ranked him the third-best quarterback in the country, Prep Star ranked Trent fourth overall in the nation while Super Prep had him ranked seventh at quarterback. Edwards also added National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete for Santa Clara County honors following his senior season.

As a senior, Edwards was named the CCS Player of the Year by the San Jose Mercury News, first-team All-State by Cal-Hi Sports, All-League, DeAnza League MVP and All-CCS. He completed 154-of-213 (72.3%) for 2,535 yards, 29 touchdowns and three interceptions during his final year. As a junior, he was named first-team All-League, All-CCS, All-State Underclassman and All-American. He set a state record with a completion percentage of .781 (125-of-160), as he threw for 2,529 yards, 29 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

In his junior and senior seasons, he not only led the team to a 26-0 record and back-to-back Central Coast Section Division III championships, but he also posted very impressive numbers: 279-of-373, 5,064 yards, 58 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.

After redshirting in 2002 at Stanford, Edwards played in eight games and started four in 2003. He began the year as the team's second-string quarterback behind Chris Lewis, but after an impressive showing in the season opener vs. San Jose State, he earned the starting assignment for game two at Brigham Young. He remained the team's starter for four games before a shoulder injury against Washington State limited his play for the remainder of the season. He finished the season by completing 77-of-170 passes for 750 yards and four touchdowns, but was also intercepted nine times.

Trent was Stanford's starting quarterback in 2004 despite missing the final two games due to a shoulder injury and being knocked out of two others. He still started the first nine games of the year and threw for 1,732 yards and nine touchdowns while completing 149-of-274 passes (54.4%), but was also picked off eleven times.

Edwards started all eleven games and threw for a career-high 1,934 yards as a junior in 2005, completing 168-of-268 tosses (62.7%) passes with 17 touchdowns and just seven interceptions to earn the team's Most Valuable Player award. He showed his toughness that year, as he played through hand, thumb and shoulder injuries.

In 28 games with the Cardinal, Edwards started 24 times. Trent hit on 293-of-709 attempts (55.4%) for 4,402 yards, 30 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He carried 167 times for 162 yards (1.0 avg) and two scores. In 876 plays, he collected 4,564 yards in total offense and also caught one pass for a 6-yard loss.



Analysis

Positives: Has a tall and linear frame with adequate muscle thickness, broad shoulders, good bubble, thick thighs, long calves and room on his frame to add more bulk…Shows much better accuracy throwing short to intermediate routes, but also does a good job of throwing the ball down the middle of the field…Quick to learn and retain plays and does a nice job of reading and diagnosing defensive schemes, when given time to scan the field…Made marked improvement with his progression reads and was quicker at locating his second and third targets in 2005 than he did in the past…Maintains balance and drive back from center to stand tall in the pocket…His feet are fundamentally sound (just lacks speed) and he shows good fluidity and footwork…Looks more comfortable operating in the pocket than on the move, as he does a very good job of scanning the field and following through with his throws when given time…Best when going through his progressions and having time to read the defenses.

Does a good job of seeing the pre-snap and is adequate to react to the bull rush…Has a proper overhand release and is creative enough to improvise and make the play…Displays a compact over-the-top delivery, has a very smooth motion and when given protection, he is very effective at getting rid of the ball in a timely fashion, doing a much better job of stepping off his front foot to generate consistent ball speed…You can see that Trent has the ability to control a secondary on deep and intermediate passes and he also shows improved touch working underneath…Gets good placement on his short passes, throwing a catchable ball…Has a good understanding for when to zip the ball, thanks to his improved touch…Can stick the pass into tight areas much better than he did in the past and has good awareness to know when to fire the ball or put touch behind his passes…Throws a tight spiral on intermediate and long tosses, showing good zip and the ability to give his receiver a chance to compete for the pigskin…Tough standing under the pass rush, perhaps realizing that he is not the type that can gain valid yardage with his feet.

Has good pocket presence and awareness, doing a nice job of standing in and delivering under pressure than he did in the past… Since he improved his progression reads, he is much quicker scanning the field to locate secondary targets than he was earlier in his career…Shows good timing throwing over the middle and is a good progression reader with the ability to find his secondary targets… Has a good feel and understanding of the offense and keeps his head on a swivel to make the check downs in time while maintaining poise…You don't see much movement from Edwards as a scrambler, but he does have enough agility to avoid the pass rush when pressured.

Negatives: Has some stiffness in his running stride and only adequate ability to roll out and throw…Sometimes make poor decisions trying to escape (does not follow blockers well), but shows good balance and body control stepping up in the pocket…More of a dropback passer than one that will be effective throwing from the outside hashes…His nagging shoulder injury might need further medical evaluation…Not the type that will flinch on contact, but has taken considerable beatings behind a suspect offensive line and lacks the ideal foot speed and nimbleness to throw on the move...Shows good overall judgment, but when he gets too brave under the pass rush, he will try to force the ball… Prone to lofting the ball up on occasion (see 2005 Washington State, USC and Oregon State games)…Gets into trouble when throwing on the move, as he does not always have good vision when unleashing the ball on roll-outs…When he throws under duress, he has trouble following through when flushed out of the pocket and occasionally drops to a ¾ release, as it appears that he will rush the ball, at times.

Has good velocity on his short and intermediate throws, but sometimes shows a long arc on his deep outs, needing to do a better job of stepping into those tosses…Will get "happy feet" at times, but has only adequate ball security and is prone to fumbling when taking a crunching hit (see 2005 USC and Oregon State games)…In 2005, he did not panic behind poor offensive line protection, but is still prone to getting impatient and will rush it and show questionable judgment (see 2005 USC and Oregon games), as he would lock on to his primary target too long and then have to force things when the play failed to develop…It is evident that he is not elusive and is easily caught at times when trying to run with the ball…Better when standing in the pocket rather than throwing on the move (does not always set his feet well on the outside hash)…Does not have the foot speed to stay away from the quick bull rush and is too slow-footed to threaten down field…Has the size and runs hard, but isn't really deceptive with his fakes and is a little bit of a stiff straight-line runner.

 

[hawaiianboy]

Kevin Kolb

College: Houston Number: 4
Height: 6-3 Weight: 225

Overview

During the 1989-1990 seasons, the Cougars featured a "Run & Shoot" offense that brought about a resurgence of the collegiate aerial game. All-American quarterbacks Andre Ware (1989) and David Klingler (1990) led the nation in total offense during those years, but the Houston offense was then stagnant for more than a decade. That all changed with the arrival of Kevin Kolb to the UH campus in 2003.

Kolb became the first true freshman in school history to start a season opener at quarter-back for the Cougars. Once he was named the team's starter, he never relinquished that job, handling the signal-calling duties for the next 36 contests. He went on to join David Klingler as the only quarterbacks in school history to produce two 3,000-yard passing seasons in a career. He enters the 2006 campaign ranked in the top ten nationally in every passing and total offense among returning active players and is on the verge of breaking every UH passing mark entering his final season.

Kolb was a standout quarterback at Stephenville High School. He was a member of the Dallas Morning News Top Area 100 squad and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram State Top 100 list. He was rated the 20th-best player in the Big Twelve Region by Heartland Recruiting and earned Max Emfinger Texas Super All-State Team honors as well as the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal State Fab 44 accolades.

The two-time District 8-4A Offensive MVP was also picked first-team All-Big County by the Abilene Reporter News. He was selected honorable mention All-State in 2002 and picked second-team Academic All-State. As a senior, Kevin completed 206 of 321 attempts for 3,357 yards and 29 touchdowns, while also tacking on an additional 197 yards rushing.

Recruited by most of the Big Twelve Conference schools, Kevin decided to enroll at Houston. He went on to earn Freshman All-American third-team honors from The Sporting News and was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 2003. His passing efficiency rating of 153.75 was the second-highest season total in school annals. He hit on 220 of 360 passes (61.1%) for 3,131 yards, 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He added seven scores on 139 carries, picking up 346 yards (2.5 avg). He also averaged 267.5 yards per game in total offense, but had fifteen fumbles, with the opposition recovering four of those miscues.

The 2004 season saw Kevin gain 2,766 yards on 198 of 353 attempts (56.1%), with eleven touchdowns and six interceptions. He rushed 118 times for 51 yards (0.4 avg) and five scores, finishing with 2,817 yards in total offense. He fumbled eight times and had 48 passes deflected while being sacked a career-high 42 times.

Kolb was a third-team All-Conference USA choice in 2005. He led the team to the Fort Worth Bowl ass he connected on 254 of 420 passes (60.5%) for 3,258 yards, 19 touch-downs and a career-high 15 interceptions. He ranked third on the team with 200 yards on 104 carries (1.9 avg), scoring five times. He also amassed 3,458 yards in total offense while recording two tackles and breaking up one pass. He reduced his fumbles to a career-low five, as the opposition recovered two, but had a career-high 54 passes deflected and was sacked 29 times.

In 36 games at Houston, all starts, Kolb completed 672 of 1,133 passes (59.4%) for 9,155 yards, 55 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He carried 361 times for 597 yards (1.7 avg) and 17 scores. Kevin participated in 1,494 plays, gaining 9,752 yards in total offense. He made two solo tackles and broke up one pass. However, he also fumbled 28 times, with the opposition recovering seven of those miscues. 129 of his 1,133 pass attempts were deflected, but 345 of his 672 pass completions were good for first downs. He was also sacked 95 times for losses totaling 621 yards. Kolb gained over 300 yards passing in eleven contests.



Analysis

Positives: Mobile passer with the nimble feet to make all of his throws when rolling out of the pocket…Displays good arm strength and accuracy on sideline, screens, slants and crossing routes…Has enough foot speed and balance to be a threat running with the ball and shows good body control in his pass set-up…Can slide and avoid, doing a nice job of escaping pressure and creating when on the move…Does whatever he can to stay alive in the pocket, as he picks up defensive schemes quickly and has no problems taking plays from the chalkboard to the field…Best when making calls at the line of scrimmage, as he does a good job of scanning the field…Can pull the ball down and make something out of a broken play with his feet and is pretty accurate throwing on the move…Has adequate quickness dropping back from center to his pass-set point and is able to get good depth due to his fine balance and quick feet.

The ball comes off Kolb's hand with average zip and good touch….When he uses a compact ¾ release and steps into his throws, his release is much more compact and natural…Throws the long ball with adequate touch and accuracy, zips the posts and even when he passes off his back foot, he is still able to generate good velocity…Shows better accuracy with underneath tosses…Puts good air behind the short fade routes, knowing when to take something off those throws…Can zip the pass into tight coverage away from the defender, demonstrating placement and has the awareness and ability to slide in the pocket and continue to scan down field (but seemed to regress in 2005)…Can escape the rush due to his nimble feet and is instinctive knowing when he has to bail…Big, athletic scrambler who throws with ease on the run, whether from the right or left hash.

Negatives: Has a soft midsection, marginal chest muscles, adequate lower body muscle tone, high-cut calves and thin ankles…Forced the ball more often during his junior year, as he ran through several streaks where he simply threw right to the opposition, resulting in 15 interceptions after having only 12 during his first two years combined…When he holds on to the ball too long, he will be forced to improvise and the result was generally not good (lots of fumbles due to poor ball security)…His problems throwing the ball away came when he threw it to dangerous spots on the field where there was no receiver in sight (see 2005 Texas-El Paso, SMU and Kansas games)…It was uncharacteristic to see him force the ball into double coverage, as some felt he was too over-confident in his arm strength, resulting in him taking costly chances…Has a nice over-the-top release, but sometimes will wind up (no major issues though).

When he carries the ball too low, it slows down his delivery a bit…When pressured and forced to roll out, he had a little bit of a problem, as his receivers did have to adjust a bit (see 2005 UTEP and Kansas games)…Most of the time, he is seldom late and if anything, most of his trouble happens when he rushes his throws (receivers are nowhere in sight)…While he doesn't get rattled under pressure, his lack of ball security and poor ball distribution when running left the pigskin exposed, resulting in 25 fumbles in 36 games…Stands in the pocket taking vicious hits trying to make the pass play because of poor protection throughout his career and needs to throw the ball away more rather than try to create something out of nothing.

 

[hawaiianboy]

Drew Stanton

College: Michigan State Number: 5
Height: 6-3 Weight: 230

Overview

The 2005 semi-finalist for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, Drew is an outstanding all-around athlete whose scrambling and running ability brought another dimension to the Spartans' spread offense. Stanton, known for his pinpoint accuracy, gave defenses fits with his ability to gain positive yardage with his feet. He reminds many of former NFL standout Rich Gannon with his elusiveness and ability to throw rolling out of the pocket.

As a junior, Stanton became only the second player in school history to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season. He was only the fourth MSU quarterback to complete 200 or more passes in a season, joining Jeff Smoker (2003), Jim Miller (1993) and Dave Yarema (1986). His accuracy as a passer is gaining him well-deserved national attention. His pass completion percentage of 65.7 is a school career-record and he boasts two of the school's three best season completion percentage marks (64.1% in 2004 and 66.7% in 2005).

Stanton earned Super Prep, Prep Star and Max Emfinger All-American honors as a senior at Harrison High School. He was rated among the nation's top twenty quarterbacks by Super Prep, Student Sports Magazine, TheInsiders.com and ESPN.com's Tom Lemming and also ranked seventh among the country's top passing quarterbacks by USA Today's Max Emfinger. Drew was listed among the Midwest's top prospects by the Detroit Free Press (No. 15) and Super Prep (No. 17) and ranked among the state's top seniors by The Detroit News (third), Lansing State Journal (third) and Detroit Free Press (sixth). He was also named to The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press Dream teams.

The two-year starter completed 234 of 357 career passes (65.5%) for 5,293 yards and 58 touchdowns and only nine interceptions while leading Harrison High to back-to-back state titles in 2000-01. He connected on 132 of 196 throws (67.3%) for 2,822 yards and 31 touch-downs as a senior, as his passing yards and scoring tosses mark the fifth-best single-season totals in state history. He also rushed for 350 yards (47 carries) and nine scores in 2001. Drew accounted for 259 total yards and three touchdowns in the 2001 state Division 3 championship game vs. Fruitport as Harrison capped off its perfect season (14-0) with a 28-6 victory, as he hit 14-of-18 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 24-yard run in the second quarter.

Stanton completed 102 of 161 throws (63.4%) for 2,471 yards and 27 touchdowns as a junior. During that season, he threw for 163 yards and two scores plus ran for another touchdown in a 42-0 win over East Lansing in the 2000 state championship game. Drew also lettered in baseball as a shortstop/pitcher, batting .561 as a junior, including three homers and four triples.

Drew redshirted in 2002 at Michigan State. He saw action in every game on special teams in 2003 for the Spartans, but was limited to only four appearances as a quarterback. He finished his redshirt freshman campaign with 39 yards on two of three passes, adding 42 yards. However, he suffered a knee injury covering a punt vs. Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl, undergoing reconstructive surgery.

Stanton appeared in ten games in 2004, starting seven times. He missed the second half of the Michigan clash and the entire Ohio State contest with a shoulder separation. But, Drew still completed 141 of 220 passes (64.1%) for 1,601 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions. He also proved to be a dangerous runner, carrying 96 times for 687 yards (7.2 avg) and five scores, as he was sacked only eight times for the campaign, earning All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention. He also caught two passes for 22 yards and a touchdown.

The media again awarded Stanton with All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2005. He guided an offense that ranked fifth in the nation with an average of 497.27 yards per game. Drew ranked tenth nationally with an average of 310.5 yards per game in total offense and tenth with a 153.4 pass efficiency rating. He became only the second player in school history to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season, gaining 3,077 yards with 22 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on 276 of 354 attempts (66.7%). He ranked fourth on the team with 121 runs for 338 yards (2.8 avg) and four scores. He also threw three two-point conversions and ran for a pair of two-point PATs while posting a pair of solo tackles.

In 34 games at Michigan State, Stanton appeared in 25 contests as a quarterback, starting eighteen times. He connected on 379 of 577 passes (school record 65.7%) for 4,717 yards, 30 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He threw for four two-point conversions, ran for two others, recorded two solo tackles and caught three passes for 16 yards and a score. He added 1,067 yards and ten touchdowns on 222 carries (4.8 avg), gaining 5,784 yards in total offense on 799 plays (231.36 ypg).



Analysis

Positives: Has a well-built, natural frame with good arm length, broad shoulders, developed chest, good bubble, thick thighs and room to add more bulk…Shows good athleticism, with nimble feet that defenses must always account for…Demonstrates a very lively arm with a quick throwing motion and good speed to gain valid yardage into the second level…Has a fluid throwing motion with good arm strength and above average pocket mobility…Shows balance and body control on the move and consistently sprints back to his pass set point…When under center, he moves quickly and is ready to throw at the end of his drop.

Throws with a tight circle and flicks the pass out quickly…Carries the ball chest high and does a nice job of stepping into his throws…Effective at hitting his receivers in stride on short and intermediate routes, even when he falls away from some of his tosses…Puts good zip on the ball over the middle, showing the overall arm strength to have good success at the next level…Best when taking a three-step drop and flicking the ball out quickly than when using a five-step approach (line deficiencies result in costly sacks).

Throws a catchable ball underneath and does not make the receivers adjust in the routes…Even when rolling out, he shows good touch on his short and intermediate throws…When he sets his feet, Stanton is very capable of getting good placement on the deep ball, especially when he puts it on the outside shoulder of his targets…Will generally hit his targets coming out of their breaks, as his passes come out with good touch and velocity…Knows when to take something off his dump-off passes and is very effective at feathering the ball over the top of the defenders…His quick feet allow him to escape the pass rush and buy time.

Adept at stepping up to find the throwing lanes…Has good straight-line speed and the loose hips and wiggle to elude the defender in the open…Won't win many foot races down field, but has the leg drive to break tackles and the lower body power to drag defenders for extra yardage…His mobility allows him to escape pressure and he rolls out by design, showing the athletic agility and skills to be an effective runner…Shows good accuracy and zip on his roll-outs to his left and his feet allow him time to find his secondary targets.

Negatives: Good competitor, but sometimes tries to carry the weight of the world too much…Generally consistent on all throws, but will force the ball under a fierce pass rush (see 2005 Northwestern and Penn State games)…Makes good decisions on his short and intermediate throws, but most of his interceptions come when he tries to throw the ball up down field…Intelligent athlete, but some of those long throws make some scouts question his judgment, at times (it is not like he throws into coverage often, but when he does, his errors come in bunches)…Sometimes rotate his hips too much on his long tosses, resulting in a long throwing arc (also doesn't always follow through)…While he can make all the throws, the spread offense limits his opportunities to go long more often.

More effective on intermediate throws and needs some foot technique refinement to generate better power behind the long tosses…Throws perfect fades, but must improve the trajectory on his wide-open streaks (earlier in his career, he did not step into his long tosses well, but showed very good improvement from the midway point of the 2004 season to present)…Will sometimes fall away from some throws, but he is not distracted by defenders zeroing in on him and maintains his focus to complete the play…When he tries too hard to make things happen, it will result in costly interceptions or fumbles, but it is not something he does on a regular basis.

 

[Crossbones]

Next to being fast, this ought to do it...

He has one of the strongest arms in the game...

Again, I'm torn. If this guy pans out and the Raiders don't take him....yikes. Just wondering how many Super Bowl rings the Raiders might have if we had drafted the kid from Pittsburgh many years ago?

 

[Banter]

That line is good but this one is too.

He is a perfect prospect for a vertical passing attack.

Watching that press conference yesterday he looks like a basketball player. Got those huge Michael Jordan sized hands.