More Information than you need about the 2012 NFL Draft: Quarterbacks’ Edition

Numbers marked with an (*) are non-NFL Combine numbers. Statistics released by NFL.com have been given precedence in all matters, although there seem to be significant discrepancies still. This is an attempt to sort out a few of the numbers.

Quarterbacks

NAME, School/University: Height & Weight – Arm, Hand Measure;

(Significant Notes).

Forty yard dash [Ten yard split], Three cone drill, Twenty yard shuttle, Sixty yard shuttle; Vertical jump, Broad jump; Bench press at 225 lbs.

Upper Tier

ANDREW LUCK, Stanford (Architectural Design): 6’4 234 – 32.6″, 10″;

• (three year starter, Maxwell and Walter Camp Award winner, All American, PAC-10/PAC-12 Offensive Player of the Year in both 2010 & 2011; PAC-10/PAC-12 All Academic 2009-2011, Academic All American, Valedictorian of Stanford’s graduating class; Father, Oliver Luck, played for the Oilers as a backup to Warren Moon and is now WVU’s Athletic Director)
• 4.67, 6.80, 4.28..; 36″, 124″; 45/48 passes completed at Pro-Day

With the exception of Jake Locker, I strongly disliked last year’s quarterback class. Cam Newton went on to have an exceptional year (for any quarterback, not for a rookie) while Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, and Christian Ponder had mixed results.  I didn’t anticipate Newton’s talents translating into wins like they did.  I’d be very uncomfortable handing the reigns over to any of the latter three.  The point: this is a special year (more like the year Eli Manning, Rivers, and Roethlisberger all entered the league than any in my short-lived memory).

This year has an absurd wealth with two players (Luck and RG3) who should be picked first in nearly any draft.  Both are extremely intelligent and unusually athletic, but most importantly, they can each be the face of a franchise.

In particular, Andrew is the son of a former NFL quarterback, was mentored by Jim Harbaugh, and played in a pro-style system with consistently impressive results.

ROBERT GRIFFIN [III], Baylor (Political Science): 6’2.4″ 223 – 32.3″, 9.5″;

• (three year starter, Heismann, All American, Davey O’Brien award winner, Manning Award, Johnny Unitas Award, All Big 12, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Academic All Big 12 2010-11; world class hurdler, was born in Japan)
• 4.41…; 39″, 120″; 76/82 passes completed at Pro-Day

You don’t need me to tell you that Griffin is a special player.  He seems to be a lot of things that Mike Vick wasn’t at this time in his career (a more disciplined in the pocket passer, perhaps slightly less elusive although still possessing turf scorching speed, better mechanics (sometimes too compact), and eloquent [please don’t read that as a stab at Vick, but know that teams are selling an image of the player and at this point, RG-III shows no signs of future negative publicity for Dan Snyder’s team].)  Bottom line: he’s a quarterback who happens to be a fantastic athlete, not the reverse.

While Griffin is raw taking snaps from under center, in Shanahan’s offense he will be asked to bootleg and play action enough that he will find himself working in space more often than not.  Scott Wright also draws the comparisons with Michael Vick – more polished as a passer but less explosive.  For my money, RG III can learn to work through his progressions and has enough athleticism to smooth some of the bumps out until that maturity comes.

RYAN TANNEHILL, Texas A&M (Biology): 6’4 [6’3.9*] 221 – 32.6″, 9″;

• (four year starter, played 30 games at wide receiver [team’s leading receiver in 2008 & 2009] before winning the starting job [despite being recruited as a quarterback], 65% completions set Aggie record, 3 time Academic All Big 12, attending medical school)
• 4.62*…;..; 65/68 passes completed at Pro-Day

I agree with Scott Wright; Tannehill is intriguing but isn’t ready to carry a team just yet.  He’s best suited to sitting behind a veteran for a year or two.  In all likelihood, he’ll go in the middle of the first round.

BROCK OSWEILER, Arizona State (Sociology and Political Science):6’7 (6’6.9″*) 242 – 33.9″, 9.9″;

• (originally committed to Gonzaga on a basketball scholarship)
• 4.97*…;..; 65/72 passes completed at Pro-Day

In all likelihood, we will see four quarterbacks come off the board in the first round, with Tannehill and Osweiler completing excellent workouts.  Teams like the Dolphins, Browns, and Seahawks may jockey to get in position to take these two, so their draft positions may rise even more.

Osweiler is not an unathletic big quarterback, as his basketball abilities show, and he is very accurate.  For my money, if I had to pick from both last year’s and this year’s crop, I’d take Luck, Griffin, and Newton (with not much space separating them) followed by Tannehill, Locker, Osweiler, and Gabbert [Ponder isn’t a first rounder to me] in order.

Middle Tier

BRANDON WEEDEN, Oklahoma State (Business Management): 6’4 (6’3.*) 221 – 31.8″, 9.6″;

• (All Big 12 in 2010 [no luck edging out Griffin this year]; former minor league baseball player (second round pick of the Yankees) – born in 1983)
• 4.95*, 7.40*, 4.49*..; 32″*, 102″*;

NICK FOLES, Arizona (Communication): 6’5 243 – 34.3″, 10.6″;

• (honorable mention Academic All Pac 10 2009-10, transfer from Michigan State)
• 5.14 (5.04*), 7.27*, 4.60*..; 30.5″ (33.5″*), 112″ (108″*);

Foles struggled at his Pro Day, but he may yet catch on if a team takes a late round flier on him.

RYAN LINDLEY, San Diego State (Sociel ScienceTeaching):6’4 (6’3*) 229 – 32.6″, 10″;

• 4.90, 7.52, 4.45..; 29.5″, 108″; 67/73 passes completed at Pro-Day

RUSSELL WILSON, Wisconsin (Communication): 5’10.6″ 204 – 31″, 10.3″;

• (won Griese-Breese Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, All Big Ten, transfer from NC State after entering Badger’s graduate program, Academic All ACC 2009, All ACC 2008, ACC Academic Honor Roll 2007-08; 72% completions for Badgers with 33 touchdowns; won state title as junior; shortstop in baseball; father, Harrison Wilson III, played football and baseball at Dartmouth, brother, Harrison IV, played for Richmond)
• 4.55, 6.97, 4.09..; 34″, 118″;

In the middle tier I like Wilson and Cousins the best, partly because I feel Big Ten quarterbacks can translate their success to the NFL more easily, with a nod at Nick Foles.  Weeden’s age does get in his way and Lindley is (to me) an unknown product.

BRYON COLEMAN [ELWYN Jr.] (B.J.), Tennessee-Chattanooga(Communication), 6’3 233 – 31.6″, 10.4″;

• (SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll at Tennessee, Dean’s List 2009 at UT-Chattanooga, Academic All Southern Conference 2010, transferred from Tennessee after butting heads with Lane Kiffin [surprising])
• .., 7.07, 4.38..;..109″;

KIRK COUSINS, Michigan State (Kinesiology): 6’3 (6’2.5*) 214 – 31.6″, 9.9″;

• (MSU’s career record holder in passing touchdowns, yards, efficiency, total offense and 200 yard games, three time captain, winningest quarterback, threw a touchdown in 16 consecutive games, 54% completions at bowl games, NFF National Scholar Athlete, 3.68 GPA, three time Academic All Big Ten)
• 4.93, 7.05, 4.50..; 28.5″, 109″;

Lower Tier

CHANDLER HARNISH, Northern Illinois (Business Management): 6’2 219 – 32.4″, 9.3″;

• (three time Academic All MAC, holds 30 NIU passing, rushing, and total offense records, MAC Offensive Player of the Year, 3.65 GPA, pursuing Masters in business)
• 4.76, 6.78, 4.15..; 32.5″, 112″;

DARRON THOMAS, Oregon (Pre Business Administration):6’3 220 – 32.9″, 9.5″;

• (third player in Pac-12 history with two seasons of 30+ touchdown passes)
• 4.80, 7.17, 4.28..; 36″, 121″;

Seriously came out a year too early.

AARON CORP, Richmond: 6’4 (6’3.4*) 215 – 32″, 9.4″;

• (Parade All American, lost backup spot to Mitch Mustain and Matt Barkley subsequently took over when Corp’s knee was injured)
• 4.72, 7.03, 4.30..; 31.5″, 106″;

CASEY (CASE) KEENUM, Houston (Kinesiology-Sports Administration with a minor in Business Administration): 6’1 208 – 30.9″, 9.1″;

• (2008-09 C-USA Most Valuable Player & All C-USA, Five time C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll, 2008 C-USA All Academic, active FCA, pursuing Masters in Physical Education)
• 4.82…; 32.5″, 103″;

PATRICK WITT, Yale (History): 6’4 225 – 31.4″, 9″;

• (transferred from Nebraska, owns most of Yale’s passing records, Rhodes Scholar Finalist but candidacy was intentionally misreported, sexual misconduct allegation, Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Texas High School Student-Athlete of the Year finalist with a 4.72 GPA; brother, Jeff, also played quarterback at Harvard)
• .., 7.14, 4.37..; 31.5″; 101″;

JACORY HARRIS, Miami: 6’3 203 – 32.1″, 9.4″;

• (led Northwestern to a 30-0 record, state championship, and national championship, Parade All American, EA Sports National Player of the Year; never managed to really hold the reigns at Miami and tended to match a positive play with a negative one)
• 4.72, 7.10, 4.40..; 37″, 113″;

KELLEN MOORE, Boise State (Communication): 6’0 197 – 30.3″, 9.5″;

• (holds all time record for wins as a starting quarterback in FBS with a 50-3 record, working on a Masters in Kinesiology with the independent study project: ‘what highly successful people do to become successful’)
• 4.94, 7.41, 4.56..; 27″, 99″;

Moore looks like the quintessential ‘good in college but ill suited to the pros’ athlete.  I suppose I’m one more doubter he has to prove wrong; best of luck, Kellen, and better luck with such an unspecific thesis (remember, unspecific means inapplicable).

AUSTIN DAVIS, Southern Mississippi (Business Administration): 6’2 219 – 31.8″, 10.4″;

• (C-USA All Academic team 2008-10, C-USA Academic Medal winner in 2007, all state in baseball, cousin, Jason Smith, plays baseball for Diamondbacks while brother, Bo, played on College World Series team)
• 4.76, 6.73, 4.11..; 31″, 109″;

JORDAN JEFFERSON, LSU (Sports Administration): 6’4 (6’4.4*) 223 – 33″, 10.3″;

• 4.65, 6.81, 4.06..; 36.5″, 116″; 14 reps

STEPHEN GARCIA, South Carolina (Sociology):

• (dismissed multiple times, in and out of the lineup under Spurrier [although that’s somewhat normative], honor roll in high school, completed degree in Sociology, brothers both played at Harvard)

JOHN BRANTLEY, Florida: 6’2.8″* 218*

• (Gatorade National Player of the Year, broke the state record for touchdown passes in a high school career [in Florida])
• 4.84* [4.82*]..4.70*..; 28″*, 96″*;

DOMINIQUE DAVIS, East Carolina (Communications):

• (C-USA Newcomer of the Year, began career at Boston College; brother, Desmond Clark, plays for the Bears, competed in a JuCo matchup against Cam Newton which was decided by a punt return)

CHESTER STEWART, Temple (Criminal Justice):