By Richard Cirminiello
David Carr and Joey Harrington did it three years ago. Carson Palmer and Kyle Boller pulled it off in 2002. And Ben Roethlisberger and J.P. Losman made it happen last fall. All six were nice pro prospects, but hardly first-round certainties before their final seasons on campus. Palmer and Carr were the poster boys for how one timely breakout year could eradicate the past and be parlayed into a hefty signing bonus; who might be so lucky this year? Like countless others before them, each used that last opportunity to capture the attention of scouts and general managers and climb draft boards quicker than a run-stuffing tackle.
With the upcoming season fast approaching, there?s an obvious dearth of top-flight pro prospects at the quarterback position. Again, lots of kids with potential, but nary a soul at this juncture who?s a lock to be plucked out of the opening round. In fact, a recent report from the NFL?s National Scouting Combine failed to project a senior-to-be signal caller as a Top 32 talent for next spring?s draft. In a few months, someone will make that analysis look silly. Some opportunistic junior or senior always does. Ten up-and-comers, in particular, are poised to carpe annum, or seize the year.
1. Dan Orlovsky, 6-5, 236 Connecticut ? Unheralded and relatively unknown in most circles, Orlovsky is just now beginning to get the recognition befitting one of the nation?s top quarterback prospects rated as the top quarterback by several services. And if a recent favorable report from the NFL?s National Scouting Combine is any indication, his brush with anonymity is about to end. Orlovsky is unlike any other 6-5 export to come out of perennial basketball power UConn. He?s a poised and polished veteran, and on the brink of becoming the highest drafted Husky in school history. He?s got above average arm strength to go along with intangibles, like intelligence and leadership that cannot be coached. UConn?s maiden voyage into the Big East means a step up in competition and a much larger audience for Orlovsky to display those skills in 2004.
2003 Numbers ? 279-of-475 for 3,485 yards, 33 TDs and 14 INTs
Shades of?Peyton Manning
2. Charlie Frye, 6-4, 224 Akron ? You?ve probably never seen Frye play, but then again, you?re probably not an NFL scout. Buried in an Akron program that has never played in a bowl game, he?s got the ability to climb draft boards this fall, and give the MAC a first-round quarterback for the third straight year. Frye?s a terrific all-around athlete and a confident, vocal leader in the huddle. He?s a tremendously accurate passer, and can locate his targets outside the tackles as well as any quarterback in the country. He needs receivers to throw to, but he'll be helped by spendibg the last half-year digesting J.D. Brookhart?s offense, a passer-friendly system, which should make the senior even more lethal in the upcoming season. He?ll be one of the stars at next February?s NFL Combine.
2003 Numbers ? 273-of-421 for 3,549 yards, 22 TDs and 9 INTs
Shades of?Ben Roethlisberger
3. *Matt Leinart, 6-5, 220 USC ? Just 12 short months ago, the Trojans? situation at quarterback was murky and unsettled. Today, the program is welcoming back a rising star, who seamlessly picked up where Heisman winner Carson Palmer left off in 2002. Leinart?s debut was nothing short of miraculous. He tossed 38 touchdowns to just nine picks, and helped lead USC to a share of the national championship. He?s got great size and throws a very catchable ball, but it?s his vision and field awareness, which make scouts giddy. Leinart?s developed nicely with his progressive reads, and another year sponging from Norm Chow will make him even more of a student of the game. If there?s a concern about Leinart, it?s whether he?d flourish away from Chow, his system and all that Trojan speed. It?s an issue that won?t be addressed for two years, maybe one. If Leinart wins the Heisman, another title or both, what?s left to prove?
2003 Numbers ? 255-of-402 for 3,556 yards, 38 TDs and 9 INTs
Shades of?Carson Palmer
4. Andrew Walter, 6-5, 235 Arizona State ? Last year was supposed to catapult Walter into the mainstream lexicon, but nagging injuries kept it from happening. After taking a step back from his breakout 2002 season, he wisely chose to stay in school for one more year. Walter?s a pure drop-back passer, whose powerful right arm makes him very appealing to NFL scouts. At 6-5 and somewhere in the neighborhood of 225 pounds, he has quite a pocket presence, but a lack of mobility also makes him a bigger target for defenders. Unlike many of his peers, the senior will benefit from playing three seasons in a sophisticated pro-style offense tailored by head coach Dirk Koetter. Another year passing in that system and bonding with receiver Derek Hagan should get him closer to his 2002 production and a fat paycheck next April.
2003 Numbers ? 221-of-421 for 3,044 yards, 24 TDs and 10 INTs
Shades of?Drew Bledsoe
5. *Aaron Rodgers, 6-2, 200 California ? Already coach Jeff Tedford?s newest star pupil, Rodgers is on the verge of becoming the next big thing in college quarterbacks. The Butte College transfer began last season on the bench, but flourished once he broke the lineup, and gave the nation a taste of what?s to come with a brilliant 424-yard, four-touchdown effort to beat Virginia Tech in the Insight Bowl. Under Tedford, Rodgers is being groomed to be an NFL quarterback and he?s progressing swimmingly. He?s strong, accurate with his passes and deft at finding passing lanes with his feet. The mere presence of Tedford ensures that scouts will be watching the junior closely. The numbers he and receiver Geoff McArthur are about to post will make them fawn. Right now, 2004 doesn?t look like it?ll be teeming with elite senior quarterbacks, increasing the likelihood Rodgers could leave school early and deepen the pool.
2003 Numbers ? 215-of-349 for 2,903 yards, 19 TDs and 5 INTs
Shades of?David Carr
6. *Charlie Whitehurst, 6-4, 220 Clemson ? Few returners east of the Pac-10 made bigger strides last year than Whitehurst, the son of former NFL quarterback, David. He gave a glimpse of the future in 2002, and then rapidly developed into a complete player toward the end of last season. He?s repeatedly suggested otherwise, but with similar growth this fall, he may be compelled to forego his final year of eligibility and test the NFL waters. Whitehurst is very nimble for a 6-4 quarterback, accurate with his throws and mature beyond his years. You could just see him develop into the inspirational leader of the program when the Tigers closed 2003 with an emotional four-game winning streak. He has the look, demeanor and potential of a future All-Pro.
2003 Numbers ? 288-of-465 for 3,561 yards, 21 TDs and 13 INTs
Shades of?Chad Pennington
7. Kyle Orton, 6-4, 220 Purdue ? Since distancing himself from backup Brandon Kirsch two years ago, Orton has continued to polish his game and solidify himself as the Boilers? offensive catalyst. He?s got a terrific arm and has really improved his game management and ball security; witness the 2.43 interception percentage, lowest in school history. Orton?s numbers?just 32 touchdowns in three years?don?t conjured up visions of Drew Brees, but that could change in 2004. He?s in his fourth season in Joe Tiller?s system, leading a veteran unit that?ll be asked to compensate for a young defense that?s breaking in eight new starters. Improving his draft stock was high on Orton?s list of reasons for returning to West Lafayette. He?s well-positioned to make a quantum leap this fall and mount a challenge to be the first quarterback taken next spring.
2003 Numbers ? 251-of-414 for 2,885 yards, 15 TDs and 7 INTs
Shades of?Matt Hasselbeck
8. David Greene, 6-3, 230 Georgia ? The fourth-year starter doesn?t do any one thing great, but he?s off the charts when it comes to intangibles. Greene is the consummate leader, a proven winner and a steadying influence in the huddle. He?s unflappable under pressure and, in many ways, an extension of coach Mark Richt when he?s under center. Greene is to the Georgia program what Ken Dorsey and John Navarre were to Miami and Michigan, respectively, the past few years. He spent much of 2003 on his back and without big-play receiver Fred Gibson, which goes a long way in explaining his off year. If nothing more, the SEC-most 47 sacks allowed by the Dawg line is a testament to his durability?and limited mobility. A trimmer Greene is determined to rebound from last year. He?ll need to in a big way to get into the first round because he won?t floor scouts in next year?s workouts.
2003 Numbers ? 264-of-438 for 3,307 yards, 13 TDs and 11 INTs
Shades of?Tom Brady
9. Chris Rix, Florida State, 6-4, 210 ? Rix, often a magnet for critics, also happens to possess the best raw talent of any quarterback in Seminole history. Better than Charlie Ward and better than Chris Weinke, the program?s two Heisman winners. Yet, for all his physical gifts and considerable upside, Rix is the same player, who can exasperate a coaching staff with poor reads and reckless attempts to make something out of nothing. If, however, the light suddenly goes on, and he parlays all that talent into one breakthrough year, Rix could vault to the head of the class, ala Carson Palmer two years ago. Great quarterbacks have it, that certain nebulous quality that drives them to victory and makes everyone around them better. Rix has one final opportunity to prove he?s a complete quarterback, and not just a great set of measurables.
2003 Numbers ? 216-of-382 for 3,170 yards, 23 TDs and 13 INTs
Shades of?Brett Favre
David Carr and Joey Harrington did it three years ago. Carson Palmer and Kyle Boller pulled it off in 2002. And Ben Roethlisberger and J.P. Losman made it happen last fall. All six were nice pro prospects, but hardly first-round certainties before their final seasons on campus. Palmer and Carr were the poster boys for how one timely breakout year could eradicate the past and be parlayed into a hefty signing bonus; who might be so lucky this year? Like countless others before them, each used that last opportunity to capture the attention of scouts and general managers and climb draft boards quicker than a run-stuffing tackle.
With the upcoming season fast approaching, there?s an obvious dearth of top-flight pro prospects at the quarterback position. Again, lots of kids with potential, but nary a soul at this juncture who?s a lock to be plucked out of the opening round. In fact, a recent report from the NFL?s National Scouting Combine failed to project a senior-to-be signal caller as a Top 32 talent for next spring?s draft. In a few months, someone will make that analysis look silly. Some opportunistic junior or senior always does. Ten up-and-comers, in particular, are poised to carpe annum, or seize the year.
1. Dan Orlovsky, 6-5, 236 Connecticut ? Unheralded and relatively unknown in most circles, Orlovsky is just now beginning to get the recognition befitting one of the nation?s top quarterback prospects rated as the top quarterback by several services. And if a recent favorable report from the NFL?s National Scouting Combine is any indication, his brush with anonymity is about to end. Orlovsky is unlike any other 6-5 export to come out of perennial basketball power UConn. He?s a poised and polished veteran, and on the brink of becoming the highest drafted Husky in school history. He?s got above average arm strength to go along with intangibles, like intelligence and leadership that cannot be coached. UConn?s maiden voyage into the Big East means a step up in competition and a much larger audience for Orlovsky to display those skills in 2004.
2003 Numbers ? 279-of-475 for 3,485 yards, 33 TDs and 14 INTs
Shades of?Peyton Manning
2. Charlie Frye, 6-4, 224 Akron ? You?ve probably never seen Frye play, but then again, you?re probably not an NFL scout. Buried in an Akron program that has never played in a bowl game, he?s got the ability to climb draft boards this fall, and give the MAC a first-round quarterback for the third straight year. Frye?s a terrific all-around athlete and a confident, vocal leader in the huddle. He?s a tremendously accurate passer, and can locate his targets outside the tackles as well as any quarterback in the country. He needs receivers to throw to, but he'll be helped by spendibg the last half-year digesting J.D. Brookhart?s offense, a passer-friendly system, which should make the senior even more lethal in the upcoming season. He?ll be one of the stars at next February?s NFL Combine.
2003 Numbers ? 273-of-421 for 3,549 yards, 22 TDs and 9 INTs
Shades of?Ben Roethlisberger
3. *Matt Leinart, 6-5, 220 USC ? Just 12 short months ago, the Trojans? situation at quarterback was murky and unsettled. Today, the program is welcoming back a rising star, who seamlessly picked up where Heisman winner Carson Palmer left off in 2002. Leinart?s debut was nothing short of miraculous. He tossed 38 touchdowns to just nine picks, and helped lead USC to a share of the national championship. He?s got great size and throws a very catchable ball, but it?s his vision and field awareness, which make scouts giddy. Leinart?s developed nicely with his progressive reads, and another year sponging from Norm Chow will make him even more of a student of the game. If there?s a concern about Leinart, it?s whether he?d flourish away from Chow, his system and all that Trojan speed. It?s an issue that won?t be addressed for two years, maybe one. If Leinart wins the Heisman, another title or both, what?s left to prove?
2003 Numbers ? 255-of-402 for 3,556 yards, 38 TDs and 9 INTs
Shades of?Carson Palmer
4. Andrew Walter, 6-5, 235 Arizona State ? Last year was supposed to catapult Walter into the mainstream lexicon, but nagging injuries kept it from happening. After taking a step back from his breakout 2002 season, he wisely chose to stay in school for one more year. Walter?s a pure drop-back passer, whose powerful right arm makes him very appealing to NFL scouts. At 6-5 and somewhere in the neighborhood of 225 pounds, he has quite a pocket presence, but a lack of mobility also makes him a bigger target for defenders. Unlike many of his peers, the senior will benefit from playing three seasons in a sophisticated pro-style offense tailored by head coach Dirk Koetter. Another year passing in that system and bonding with receiver Derek Hagan should get him closer to his 2002 production and a fat paycheck next April.
2003 Numbers ? 221-of-421 for 3,044 yards, 24 TDs and 10 INTs
Shades of?Drew Bledsoe
5. *Aaron Rodgers, 6-2, 200 California ? Already coach Jeff Tedford?s newest star pupil, Rodgers is on the verge of becoming the next big thing in college quarterbacks. The Butte College transfer began last season on the bench, but flourished once he broke the lineup, and gave the nation a taste of what?s to come with a brilliant 424-yard, four-touchdown effort to beat Virginia Tech in the Insight Bowl. Under Tedford, Rodgers is being groomed to be an NFL quarterback and he?s progressing swimmingly. He?s strong, accurate with his passes and deft at finding passing lanes with his feet. The mere presence of Tedford ensures that scouts will be watching the junior closely. The numbers he and receiver Geoff McArthur are about to post will make them fawn. Right now, 2004 doesn?t look like it?ll be teeming with elite senior quarterbacks, increasing the likelihood Rodgers could leave school early and deepen the pool.
2003 Numbers ? 215-of-349 for 2,903 yards, 19 TDs and 5 INTs
Shades of?David Carr
6. *Charlie Whitehurst, 6-4, 220 Clemson ? Few returners east of the Pac-10 made bigger strides last year than Whitehurst, the son of former NFL quarterback, David. He gave a glimpse of the future in 2002, and then rapidly developed into a complete player toward the end of last season. He?s repeatedly suggested otherwise, but with similar growth this fall, he may be compelled to forego his final year of eligibility and test the NFL waters. Whitehurst is very nimble for a 6-4 quarterback, accurate with his throws and mature beyond his years. You could just see him develop into the inspirational leader of the program when the Tigers closed 2003 with an emotional four-game winning streak. He has the look, demeanor and potential of a future All-Pro.
2003 Numbers ? 288-of-465 for 3,561 yards, 21 TDs and 13 INTs
Shades of?Chad Pennington
7. Kyle Orton, 6-4, 220 Purdue ? Since distancing himself from backup Brandon Kirsch two years ago, Orton has continued to polish his game and solidify himself as the Boilers? offensive catalyst. He?s got a terrific arm and has really improved his game management and ball security; witness the 2.43 interception percentage, lowest in school history. Orton?s numbers?just 32 touchdowns in three years?don?t conjured up visions of Drew Brees, but that could change in 2004. He?s in his fourth season in Joe Tiller?s system, leading a veteran unit that?ll be asked to compensate for a young defense that?s breaking in eight new starters. Improving his draft stock was high on Orton?s list of reasons for returning to West Lafayette. He?s well-positioned to make a quantum leap this fall and mount a challenge to be the first quarterback taken next spring.
2003 Numbers ? 251-of-414 for 2,885 yards, 15 TDs and 7 INTs
Shades of?Matt Hasselbeck
8. David Greene, 6-3, 230 Georgia ? The fourth-year starter doesn?t do any one thing great, but he?s off the charts when it comes to intangibles. Greene is the consummate leader, a proven winner and a steadying influence in the huddle. He?s unflappable under pressure and, in many ways, an extension of coach Mark Richt when he?s under center. Greene is to the Georgia program what Ken Dorsey and John Navarre were to Miami and Michigan, respectively, the past few years. He spent much of 2003 on his back and without big-play receiver Fred Gibson, which goes a long way in explaining his off year. If nothing more, the SEC-most 47 sacks allowed by the Dawg line is a testament to his durability?and limited mobility. A trimmer Greene is determined to rebound from last year. He?ll need to in a big way to get into the first round because he won?t floor scouts in next year?s workouts.
2003 Numbers ? 264-of-438 for 3,307 yards, 13 TDs and 11 INTs
Shades of?Tom Brady
9. Chris Rix, Florida State, 6-4, 210 ? Rix, often a magnet for critics, also happens to possess the best raw talent of any quarterback in Seminole history. Better than Charlie Ward and better than Chris Weinke, the program?s two Heisman winners. Yet, for all his physical gifts and considerable upside, Rix is the same player, who can exasperate a coaching staff with poor reads and reckless attempts to make something out of nothing. If, however, the light suddenly goes on, and he parlays all that talent into one breakthrough year, Rix could vault to the head of the class, ala Carson Palmer two years ago. Great quarterbacks have it, that certain nebulous quality that drives them to victory and makes everyone around them better. Rix has one final opportunity to prove he?s a complete quarterback, and not just a great set of measurables.
2003 Numbers ? 216-of-382 for 3,170 yards, 23 TDs and 13 INTs
Shades of?Brett Favre
