Matthew Stafford, QB

Considered the most NFL-ready quarterback in the 2009 draft, Stafford has been the unquestioned leader of the Bulldogs offense since taking over the starting signal-caller duties as a freshman. In 34 starting assignments, the junior compiled a 27-7 record (.794) at Georgia. He would close out his collegiate career ranking third on the school's all-time record list for yards passing (7,731), pass attempts (987), completed passes (564), touchdown passes (51), touchdowns responsible for (57), and yards in total offense (7,944).

Blessed with top arm strength, Stafford has a compact and quick delivery that allows him to get the ball off on time. He is the classic drop-back passer who gets proper depth and shows good footwork dropping back from center to efficiently scan the field and locate his open target.

Stafford was a standout at Highland Park High School. The Parade, Super Prep and USA Today All-American was rated as the best prep passer in the country by Rivals.com and ranked second nationally by both Scout.com and ESPN. He added Prep Star Top 100 honors and that recruiting service ranked him third in the country at his position.

Stafford was a three-time All-State selection, adding Gatorade Player of the Year, EA Sports National Player of the Year and Dallas Morning News Area Offensive Player of the Year accolades as a senior. He received a five-star prospect rating from both Scout.com and Rivals.com, in addition to being chosen Class AAAA Player of the Year by Dave Campbell's Texas Football and Class AAAA "Mr. Texas Football" recognition from TexasFootball.com.

Stafford threw for 4,018 yards on 209-of-322 passing and 38 touchdowns, as he led his team to the Class AAAA championship, its first title since 1957. He also rushed for 212 yards and eight touchdowns on 42 carries. In the first round of the 2005 state playoffs, he rallied his team from a 17-0 deficit to win 38-31 with 411 yards passing and four touchdowns. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tom Landry Classic, a Student Sports All-American and All-District choice.

During his junior year, Stafford threw for 1,748 yards and 18 touchdowns, and was named to the Rivals.com Junior All-American Team. As a sophomore, he had 2,945 yards and 36 touchdown passes. Upon graduation, he was invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American Game and to the EA Sports Elite 11 Camp for the nation's top quarterbacks.

Stafford graduated from high school early and enrolled at Georgia in time to compete in 2005 spring drills. That extra time with the varsity saw the true freshman earn eight starting assignments, becoming the first Bulldog since Eric Zeier since 1991 to come out of high school and start for Georgia.

The Freshman All-Southeastern Conference choice compiled a 6-2 record in those contests. He was named the Offensive MVP of the Chick-fil-A Bowl, going on to gain 1,749 yards with seven touchdowns and thirteen interceptions, as he completed 135-of-256 passes (52.7%). He also scored three times on the ground, finishing with an average of 149.23 yards per game in total offense.

Stafford produced an 11-2 record in 13 starts during the 2007 season. His 84-yard touchdown vs. Florida was the longest pass completion in the SEC that year. He hit on 194-of-348 tosses (55.75%) for 2,523 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also scored on a pair of option runs.

Stafford was named a finalist for Manning Award and a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, both given to the nation's top passer. The second-team All-Southeastern Conference choice led the Bulldogs to a 10-3 record. He set school season-records for touchdown passes (25), yards gained per offensive play (8.27 yards per play) and yards in total offense (3,499). His 3,459 yards passing rank second on Georgia's annual record books, as his 235-of-383 passes placed him fourth on the school lists.

Positives: A bit shorter than preferred, but has excellent bulk and strength for the position. Durable performer who never missed a collegiate game due to injury, despite a leaky offensive line. Efficient footwork and depth on his drop from center. Quick to scan the field and go through his progressions. Elite arm-strength. Can make any NFL pass, including flicking the ball 50 yards with defenders draped over his lower body. Consistently very good-to-excellent accuracy to all levels of the field. Consistently places the deep out on the far shoulder of his receiver, away from the defender. Consistently places the comeback route low and away. Good deep accuracy and trajectory. Lofts the ball high enough to allow his receiver to run under it. Aggressive, but has developed into a smarter passer over his career and will take what the defense gives him by dropping to his second and third options. Learning to look off defenders. Underrated core strength. Can complete passes with defenders draped over him. Keeps his eyes downfield and will step up in the pocket and is willing to take a hit to complete the pass. Surprisingly nimble in the pocket and can avoid the rush. Underrated straight-line speed and will take what the defense gives. Good intangibles. Has shown considerable improvement over his three seasons as a starter and takes the team's and his own success very seriously. Very competitive. Team captain. Undefeated in bowl games.

Negatives: Can get fundamentally lazy. Though he has an efficient overall release, should be able to speed it up for underneath screens passes to take better advantage of the surprise to the defense. Sloppy footwork at times and will get lazy and throw off his back foot. Willing to throw into tight spots, though more often than not he places the ball where it needs to be. Good, but not great accuracy on crossing routes. Too often leads his receivers too far or forces them to reach back, slowing their momentum and limiting their ability to generate yardage after the catch. Lacks the straight-line speed to be a true scrambling threat. Often stays too high on quarterback sneaks. Needs to get lower and show more leg drive in these situations.

Compares To: JAY CUTLER, Denver -- Stafford displays excellent arm strength. He is nimble moving around for a player his size, but is best throwing from the pocket than on the move. He could have used another year to work on improving his accuracy on underneath and crossing patterns and will never be a threat with his feet. Can be overconfident in his superb arm strength, but he can make all the throws and when he steps up in the pocket, a team that loves the vertical passing game could find the kind of success that Atlanta and Baltimore experienced with rookie quarterbacks in 2008.

GENERAL REPORT

GRADE: 7.2

Body Structure: Stafford is a bit short for a pocket passer, but has a natural build with good arm and leg length, a thick frame with broad and developed shoulders and chest. His frame might be at maximum growth potential, as more bulk could impact his overall quickness.

Athletic Ability: Has one of the strongest arms in the country, but has yet to learn how to throw with touch and finesse. He has good throwing mechanics and a quick release, but needs to do a better job of speeding up his release when executing underneath tosses and on crossing patterns (receivers tend to work for those throws). He can be accurate throwing on the move, but will get lazy and throw off his back foot, and is best when given time to set his feet and step into his throws from the pocket. He has just adequate athletic ability when scrambling and needs to show better balance when throwing across his body. He does show decent quickness in his pass set and is known for his lively arm. He has enough quickness to roll out and elude when flushed out of the pocket, but loses accuracy and touch (forces throws) on the move. He has the body control and balance to move the chains a bit in the short area, but not enough speed to be a threat into the second level. He does move well in the pocket and shows the arm strength to throw deep, but is inconsistent when he fails to step into his throws (from the left hash, he loses some accuracy when rolling out to that side compared to the right hash). With his arm strength, he can make things happen and is a good improviser who just needs a patient coach to tweak his footwork. GRADE: 7.2

Football Sense: Has good football instincts, but is a bit of a gambler who will force the ball into tight areas to make the play rather than throw the ball away, leading to some costly interceptions during his career. He is a student of the game, putting in extra hours in the film room. He shows good poise in the pocket and is calm and collective under pressure, but when he is flushed out he doesn't show consistency going through progressions as he does when protected in the pocket. Sometimes, he looks too programmed and must show better consistency looking for secondary targets. Is a smart athlete who can sense pressure in the pocket. He tries to buy time with his feet, but must do a better job of throwing the ball away -- can be caught in the backfield and takes sacks more often than he should. He does an adequate job of protecting the ball when flushed out but there are times you question his instincts. Doesn't make good adjustments after reading the pre-snap alignment of the defense. He is quick to digest a complicated playbook and has no problem taking plays from the board to the field. He needs to do a better job with his reads and checks. GRADE: 6.8

Character: Stafford is an All-American poster child. He comes from a supportive family and has no known off-field issues. He is liked by the staff and teammates and is a confident and very responsible person off the field, sort of in the Matt Ryan (Falcons) mold. He shows that he has a love for the game and has great confidence in the huddle. He is a vocal leader with good maturity on the field and has no prima donna in his game. GRADE: 7.7

Competitiveness: Tough player who can take a pounding and still comes back for more. Shows willingness to sacrifice his body and absorb hits. Will stand tall in the pocket, but some scouts wish he'd throw the ball away more rather than sacrifice his body. He trusts his receivers and is not the type who will get gun shy under pressure, but accuracy is much better when he's protected than when forced to throw on the move. GRADE: 7.3

Work Habits: Stafford is a self-starter who has taken to his leadership responsibilities. He puts in extra hours studying film and takes well to hard coaching. Teammates believe in his ability to lead and he's a fantastic worker in practice. Is still mentally maturing and will get lazy with his mechanics, but once he learns to not rely on his arm strength so much, he has the chance to develop into a franchise quarterback. GRADE: 7.0

ATHLETIC REPORT

GRADE: 7.42

Setup: Throws off his back foot, especially when forced out of the pocket. He shows good quickness getting to his throwing point, but you would like to see him consistently sprint back (when he is late, he will display sloppy footwork and throw off his back foot, losing accuracy). When he drops back directly from center, he can get the ball off with good timing on his three- and five-step drops, but lacks the same fundamentals when throwing on the move. He doesn't set his feet in time in order to throw the ball on the move, causing some of his passes to wobble. He has very good throwing mechanics with a quick, effortless over-the-top motion, but is best when he steps into throws to generate velocity. He has the foot speed to move and set up, but perhaps due to adequate protection up front, he did not seem confident sitting in the pocket for too long in 2008. Has better follow-through when he steps into his throws. GRADE: 7.2

Reading Defenses: Will try to force throws into tight areas but does a good job of scanning the field. When given time, he is very effective going through progressions, but he can get a bit lazy executing quickness behind his screen passes. He shows good accuracy pushing the ball upfield, but for some reason, he seems to slow down rather than speed up when attempting to go underneath. He eyeballs his primary target too much, but does seem to have confidence in his wideouts. Has good timing on short throws but will make his living with his deep-ball accuracy and timing. When flushed out of the pocket, he will either hesitate to throw and take a big sack or toss the ball up for grabs, resulting in the interception. GRADE: 7.0

Release: Has a nice, compact delivery with classic over-the-top throwing motion. He generates good velocity when throwing long and puts very good zip when threatening the deep secondary. When he holds the ball too long, it will lead to costly sacks. He has a smooth, effortless motion and does reset his feet to generate better accuracy stepping up in the pocket. He carries the ball high and shows good hip rotation to deliver the ball over his shoulder. When he steps into his throws properly, he has the arm action along and torque to put his body into the pass. He used to carry the ball too low, which resulted in a bit of a windmill action on his deep outs. He is prone to throwing off his back foot and opening his hips too much, but he was still able to toss a tight spiral on long throws. He can adjust his release with very good quickness, and with his high release, he flicks it out quicker than he did as a freshman. He looks more comfortable with an over-the-top delivery, which lets him generate the ideal trajectory to prevent the pass deflection or interception (most of those came on underneath screens and crossing routes). GRADE: 7.9

Arm Strength: Can be overly reliant on his arm strength, which leads him to either try to force the ball into tight areas or throw it up and hope for the best. No quarterback in the draft can match his arm strength. He can make all the throws, but you would like to see better quickness on screens and crossing routes. He rarely overthrows when working downfield, doing a nice job of stepping into attempts. He has the ability to hit the receiver in stride, but needs to show better touch on short patterns when trying to fit the ball in tight areas. As a junior, despite playing behind a suspect offensive line, he did a much better job of putting power behind his deep attempts, generating excellent trajectory and zip. Very effective hitting his target coming out of their breaks on long outs and shows enough touch on deep throws to get the ball over the receiver's outside shoulder. He can make all the throws with good precision, but must learn how to drive into his throws and not rotate his hips. When he throws off his front foot, he will not hang the ball throwing deep.

GRADE: 9.0

Accuracy: Stafford does not show great accuracy on underneath passes or crossing routes as he does when airing out the pigskin. When he gets too confident in his arm strength, it ends up with his receivers having to break off their patterns and work back for the ball. He needs to do a better job of leading his target without forcing them to gear down in order to run under his throws. He does throw a tight spiral and can make all the throws, as he is the type that shows the patience to take what the defense gives him. He might no be as effective at hitting his targets in stride when working underneath, but does a great job of getting the ball over the outside shoulder of his target on long tosses. He shows much better accuracy and touch in the deep outs than in the short area. When he goes deep, he will usually put the ball where the receivers like it when working down field. He has more than enough arm strength to play the vertical game, but underneath, he seems to misfire more often here because of marginal footwork (has an adequate 57% pass completion rate). GRADE: 6.7

Touch: Has good touch to lead receivers, but gets into a rhythm where he gets overconfident in his arm strength and attempts to fire the ball into tight areas, which generally will lead to turnovers. He has trust in his receivers and is patient standing tall in the pocket waiting for them to get open. He displays excellent timing and anticipation in the pocket, where he is more comfortable and effective hitting his receivers coming out of their breaks. Developed a great relationship with his receivers, as he showed in 2008 that he can put good touch on the ball, firing with consistent accuracy on deep outs. Was better anticipating receivers coming out of the break as a junior. Doesn't wait until the last second before unloading, which often led to pass deflections or interceptions earlier in his career. He has also shown improvement on his timing patterns later in 2008 than he did in the past, but this is still a work in progress. He has better ability keeping the receiver in the route on long throws than when going short. GRADE: 7.5

Poise: Doesn't panic under pressure and is too cool, at times, taking the sack rather than throwing the ball away. Will spend more time than he should waiting for targets to uncover. Has the nimble feet to avoid pressure and senses when the pocket is going to collapse (just lacks great accuracy and footwork throwing on the move). He has good slide to step away from pressure; is cool and calm waiting for plays to develop. When he is rushed, his passes tend to sail high when he fails to set his feet. He has the speed to avoid pressure, but when he takes too long to decide what to do with the ball, he is more often than not caught behind the line of scrimmage and has to eat the ball. GRADE: 7.8

Leadership: Has good command in the huddle, but despite producing a 27-7 record as a starter, he has failed to produce in big games during his career. He is a competitive player who has been the pulse of the team since stepping into the lineup as a freshman. What scouts like is his ability to take a pounding and not back down from pressure. He has great presence in the huddle and that brings confidence to his teammates, who trust him 110%. He was voted captain by his peers as a junior and was more than up to handling that task. GRADE: 7.8

Pocket Movement: No world-class sprinter, but he does have surprisingly nimble feet for a player of his bulk. Does a nice job of stepping up and finding lanes, and it is rare to see him fall away from throws. He will take a sack rather than throw the ball away, but displays good lateral slide to escape pressure. He is much better as a drop-back passer than one who can roll and throw. Has a good feel for the pass rush and showed in 2008 that he can do the job with his reads and checks at the pre-snap to spot the blitz. He tries to flush out of the pocket due to the constant pressure, but while he has good quickness, he will never be a threat running with the ball. He has learned to step into his throws better and step up in the pocket more often rather than retreating so much to try and make the throws (no longer takes seven-step drops). He shows very good ability to see plays develop and work to adjust. GRADE: 6.8

Scrambling Ability: Has the athletic ability and nimble feet to buy time in the pocket, but struggles maintaining accuracy throwing on the move, especially when rolling to his left. Stands tall and steps into throws, but his footwork will get sloppy and he will throw off his back foot more when on the move. He just needs to set his feet in order to make all his throws, as he knows he won't scare anyone as a runner, but has enough agility to buy time. You won't see great elusiveness or movement, but he has the ability to avoid the rush when pressured. GRADE: 6.5

Compares To: JAY CUTLER, Denver -- Stafford displays excellent arm strength. He is nimble moving around for a player his size, but is best throwing from the pocket than on the move. He could have used another year to work on improving his accuracy on underneath and crossing patterns and will never be a threat with his feet. Can be overconfident in his superb arm strength, but he can make all the throws and when he steps up in the pocket, a team that loves the vertical passing game could find the kind of success that Atlanta and Baltimore experienced with rookie quarterbacks in 2008.

OVERALL GRADE: 7.39

--Report by Dave-Te' Thomas

Stafford compiled a 27-7 record as Georgia's starting quarterback, as he threw for over 200 yards in 22 times, including three games over 300 yards and one with more than 400 yards … Ranks third in school history by completing 564-of-987 passes, topped by Eric Zeier (838-of-1,402; 1991-94) and David Greene (849-1,440; 2001-04) … His 7,731 yards passing also rank third in Georgia annals behind Zeier's 11,153 and Greene's 11,528 … His pass efficiency rating of 134.52 is the fifth-highest career mark in school annals … His 51 touchdown passes again earned him a Georgia all-time ranking of third behind Zeier (67) and Greene (72), and his 1,113 offensive plays also placed him third in school history, topped by Zeier (1,560) and Greene (1,644) … Averaged 7.14 yards per offensive play, tying Mike Bobo (1994-97) for second on the school career-record list, surpassed by Charlie Trippi (7.52-yard average, 1942, 1945-46) … That average also placed him fifth in Southeastern Conference annals … Gained 7,944 yards in total offense, topped by Zeier (10,841) and Greene (11,270) on the Bulldogs' all-time record chart … Was responsible for 57 touchdowns (51 passing, six rushing) during his time at Georgia, ranking behind Greene (77), Zeier (71) and Frank Sinkwich (60, 1940-42) … His 33 interceptions placed fourth in school history behind Zeier (37), Larry Rakestraw (42, 1961-63) and the SEC record of 68 by Zeke Zeke Bratkowski (1951-53) … His 383 pass attempts and 235 pass completions in 2008 both rank fourth on the school single-season record charts … Gained a career-high 3,459 yards passing in 2008, joining Zeier (3,525 in 1993; 3,396 in 1994) and Greene (3,307 in 2003) as the only players in school annals to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season … Completed 61.36% of his passes in 2008, joining Mike Bobo (65.03% in 1997), Eric Zeier (63.29% in 1993), Hines Ward (61.61% in 1995) and Fran Tarkenton (60.78% in 1959) as the only Bull-dogs to complete more than 60% of their passes in a season … His passing efficiency rating of 153.54 in 2008 is topped only by Mike Bobo (155.80 in 1997) on Georgia's annual record list … Averaged 9.03 yards per pass attempt in 2008, surpassed by Matt Robinson (10.88-yard average in 1974) and Johnny Rauch (9.27 avg in 1948) on the school chart … Stafford's 25 touchdown passes in 2008 broke the old Bulldog record of 24, first set by Zeier in 1993 and again in 1994, and by D.J. Shockley in 2005 … His average gain of 8.27 yards per offensive play set another school annual record, topping the previous mark of 7.94-yard average by Charles Trippi in 1942 … Gained 3,499 yards in total offense in 2008, breaking the old Georgia annual record of 3,482 yards by Eric Zeier in 1993 (Zeier also gained 3,457 yards in 1994), as that duo joined David Greene (3,127 in 2003) as the only players in school history to gain over 3,000 yards in total offense in a campaign … Was responsible for 26 touchdowns in 2008, the third-best season total in Bulldog annals behind D.J. Shockley (28 in 2005) and Frank Sinkwich (27 in 1942) … His career-high 407 yards passing in the 2008 season finale vs. Georgia Tech tied Larry Rakestraw (vs. Miami in 1963) for ninth on the school game-record list … Stafford's five touchdown passes vs. Georgia Tech in 2008 tied the school game-record that was first set by David Greene vs. Louisiana State in 2004 and matched by D.J. Shockley vs. Boise State in 2005.

Earned All-Southeastern Conference second-team honors from the league's coaches and Associated Press … Named one of 10 finalists for the Manning Award and one of 13 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien Award … Earned the team's Vince Dooley Most Valuable Player of the Year Award and received SEC Academic Honor Roll distinction for the fall semester … Started all 13 games, as the Capital One Bowl MVP completed 235-of-383 passes (both fourth on the school season-record list) for 3,459 yards (second-best season total by a Bulldog passer, compiling a .6136 pass completion percentage … Set the Bulldog season-record with 25 touchdown tosses, as he also had 10 interceptions … Averaged 9.03 yards per pass attempt, the third-best season total in Georgia history … His passing efficiency rating of 153.54 is the second-best annual mark in school annals … Ran for 40 yards and a score on 55 carries (0.7-yard average) … On 423 plays, he amassed a school season-record 3,499 yards in total offense (269.15 yards per game), along with being responsible for 26 touchdowns (third on the Georgia season-record list).

Georgia Southern … Stafford opened the 2008 season completing 13 of 21 passes for a career-high 275 yards and two touchdowns … His 36-yard completion to freshman wide receiver A.J. Green set up the Bulldogs' first touchdown of the afternoon, a 2-yard rush by running back Knowshon Moren with 12:20 remaining in the first quarter … Stafford's roommate, receiver Kris Durham, was on the receiving end of the quarterback's first touchdown toss of the game, a 61-yard strike with 12:38 remaining in the second quarter … Stafford completed a 37-yard pass to Moreno and converted a 3rd-&-6 play in the red zone, a 16-yard completion to receiver Michael Moore, to set up Georgia's third touch-down of the game, a 3-yard run by Moreno … To open the second half, Stafford connected with wideout Mohamed Massaquoi for 47 yards, setting up a 24-yard sprint to the end zone on the next play by Moreno … The Georgia signal-caller's second scoring toss occurred in the third quarter, when he hooked up with receiver Demiko Goodman from the 5-yard line.

Central Michigan … Stafford hooked up with receiver Mohamed Massaquoi on a pair of touchdowns in Georgia's lopsided 56-17 victory over Central Michigan, finishing the afternoon with 213 yards on 18 of 28 passes … The game marked Stafford's 21st start in a row, leading all Georgia players … After converting two third-down plays and recovering his own fumble earlier in the drive, he threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Massaquoi at the 9:13 mark in the first quarter … In the opening minutes of the second quarter, the Georgia quarterback converted on 3rd-&-5 in the red zone to set up tailback Caleb King's 1-yard touchdown run … Later in the second quarter, Stafford completed three passes of 10+ yards to set up running back Knowshon Moreno's 1-yard touchdown run … Stafford hit Massaquoi for a 54-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter, capping a two-play, 57-yard drive … The signal-caller converted a crucial 3rd-&-9 play at Georgia's 2-yard line, scrambling for 22 yards, to keep alive a drive that eventually led to a 21-yard touchdown run by Moreno in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.

South Carolina … The Gamecocks sacked Stafford four times, but the quarterback was able to pull out a 14-7 victory for the Bulldogs, thanks in large part to his scrambling ability … He finished the game just 15-of-25 for 146 yards … During a 15-play, 74-yard drive in the second quarter, Stafford picked up 17 yards on the ground, had his fumble recovered by teammate Chris Davis, and, on 3rd-&-21, completed a 39-yard pass to freshman receiver A.J. Green, all of which resulted in a 23-yard field goal by kicker Blair Walsh … Midway through the third quarter, Stafford orchestrated a seven-play, 80-yard drive that included a 21-yard strike to wide receiver Demiko Goodman and a 30-yard scramble that set up running back Knowshon Moreno's 4-yard touchdown run … Stafford followed Moreno's touchdown with a completion to receiver Kris Durham on the two-point conversion.

Arizona State … Stafford threw for a then career-high 285 yards and one touchdown on 16-of-28 passes, and has still not thrown an interception in four games this season … The 27-10 victory over the Sun Devils elevated Stafford's career record as a starter to 21-4 … At the end of the first quarter, Stafford orchestrated a 10-play, 91-yard drive that culminated in a 9-yard touchdown run by running back Knowshon Moreno … On the drive, the Georgia QB completed four passes of over 10 yards, including a 30-yard completion to receiver A.J. Green on 3rd-&-10 inside the Georgia 10-yard line … Moreno rushed for a 3-yard touchdown at the 7:51 mark in the second quarter, a play that was set up by Stafford's 29-yard completion to receiver Mohamed Massaquoi on 3rd-&-1 … Less than a minute before half time, Stafford found A.J. Green open in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown completion on third down, which was preceded by 23- and 31-yard completions to the freshman receiver … Fullback Shaun Capas recovered a Stafford fumble midway through the third quarter, which allowed the quarterback to toss 12- and 10-yard passes to Massaquoi to set up Blair Walsh's 29-yard field goal … Walsh kicked his second field goal of the game, a 22-yarder, with 5:49 remaining in the game, set up by Stafford's 41-yard completion to wide-out Tavarres King … "I was able to get the ball into the hands of our playmakers and guys made big plays behind me. The line gave me plenty of time to throw the ball, which helped a lot," Stafford said after the game.

Alabama … Though Stafford completed a career-high 24 passes, the Bulldogs fell to SEC rivals Alabama, 41-30 … He finished the game 24-of-42 for 274 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing his first interception of the season … Just before halftime, Stafford was intercepted by Alabama's Justin Woodall at the Crimson Tide's 5-yard line, thwarting Georgia's attempted to put their first points on the board … At the start of the second half, wide receiver Kris Durham was at the receiving end of two 22-yard tosses by Stafford, which set up kicker Blair Walsh's 43-yard field goal … While trying to mount the Bulldogs' comeback, the signal-caller used his right arm to covert third- and fourth-down plays and connect with wide receiver A.J. Green for 26 yards, before tailback Knowshon Moreno capped the 10-play, 58-yard drive with a 2-yard scamper into the end zone … With four minutes remaining in the game, Stafford connected with receiver Kenneth Harris to convert a 4th-&-5 play, leading to a 24-yard touchdown toss to wideout Michael Moore … Stafford's pass attempt on the two-point conversion fell incomplete … The Georgia QB used his legs to pick up a couple of first downs and completed a 17-yard pass to Harris on 3rd-&-11 to set up a 21-yard scoring strike to Green with 1:35 left in the game.

Tennessee … The junior quarterback set another passing mark, finishing with a career-high 310 yards and one touchdown on 25-of-36 passes, as Georgia beat Tennessee, 26-14 … It was Stafford's first-ever 300-yard passing game, and the 25 completions also were a career-best … The QB tallied 211 yards passing in the first half alone, but also finished with his first multi-interception game of the season, throwing two picks vs. the Vols … With 7:16 left in the first quarter, fullback Brannan Southerland put the Bulldogs on top, 7-0, on a 1-yard run that was set up by Stafford's 3-yard run on 4th-&-1 and his 37-yard completion to fullback Shaun Chapas that placed the ball on the Vols' 1-yard line … Later in the quarter, Stafford connected with receiver Mohamed Massaquoi on a 20-yard completion that set up kicker Blair Walsh's 34-yard field goal … Minutes later, the signal-caller completed a 28-yard pass to Massaquoi to set up a 20-yard field goal, Walsh's second of the game … His first interception came early in the second quarter, when Robert Ayers picked of the QB at the Vols' 15-yard line … The interception led to Tennessee's first touchdown of the game … With 2:17 left in the first half, Stafford completed passes of 14, 14, 18, and 7 yards on a drive that set up his 9-yard scoring toss to Massaquoi on third down … After completing a 32-yard pass to Massaquoi early in the third quarter, Stafford threw an ill-advised pass that was intercepted in the end zone by Vols safety Eric Berry, who returned it 54 yards … His second interception of the game set up Tennessee's second touchdown of the game … Later in the quarter, Stafford found fullback Shaun Chapas open for a 25-yard gain, which set up Walsh's 41-yard field goal … The signal-caller made the field goal possible by converting two third-down passes during the drive … "I know it wasn't too pretty. We had a chance to really open that game up, and we didn't do it. We had to kick four field goals and I threw two picks in the red zone, which killed the momentum," Stafford said after the game.

Vanderbilt … Stafford threw two touchdown passes and finished the game having hit on 13-of-23 passes for 194 yards, but he was also guilty of throwing two interceptions, his second straight multi-interception game … At the end of the first quarter, Stafford needed only four plays to cover 70 yards, connecting with wide receiver A.J. Green on a 49-yard pass that set up the duo's 17-yard touchdown moments later … At the start of the second quarter, Vandy cornerback D.J. Moore intercepted a deep pass by Stafford at the Commodores' goal line … Later in the quarter, the Georgia signal-caller completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to receiver Mohamed Massaquoi to put the Bulldogs on top, 14-0 … After halftime, Stafford and Green connected on a 33-yard pass that set up tailback Knowshon Moreno's 11-yard touchdown run … Stafford's second interception of the game occurred early in the third quarter, when Vandy's Myron Lewis picked of the Georgia quarterback to set up the Commodores' first touchdown of the afternoon.

Louisiana State … Stafford used his arm and his feet to help the Bulldogs beat the Tigers, finishing the game 17-of-26 for 249 yards and two touchdowns and adding a 7-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter … "Matthew is really maturing. He is standing in there when everything's flying around him and focusing downfield and throwing strikes. He's really doing that as fine as I've ever seen him do it and as well as anyone I've ever coached," said Georgia head coach Mark Richt … Added Stafford: "They didn't heat us up too much. When they did blitz, they played a lot of man coverage and we did a good job of winning on the outside. Overall, we just did a good job of executing" … In the opening minutes of the game, Stafford converted two third-down passes, including a 22-yarder to receiver Michael Moore, setting up fullback Fred Muzenmaier's 1-yard plunge into the endzone to put Georgia on top, 14-7 … The touchdown capped a 14-play drive that covered 78 yards and took 6:24 off the clock … Stafford's first touchdown toss of the game occurred at the beginning of the second quarter, when he found wideout Kenneth Davis open for a 5-yard scoring strike … Early in the second half, he delivered a beautiful 49-yard touchdown to receiver A.J. Green in the face of heavy pressure by the Tigers' defense on 3rd-and-10, a play that was made possible by an earlier conversion of a third-down pass to receiver Mohamed Massaquoi … Although the drive failed to produce points, Stafford completed a 48-yard pass to tight end Aron White at the end of the third quarter … Georgia took a 45-24 lead with 10:49 left in the game when Stafford rushed into the end zone from the 7-yard line on third down … The score was set up by the signal-caller's 33-yard completion to Green.

Florida … Stafford had a rough outing vs. the Gators, throwing three interceptions and completing just 18-of-33 passes for 265 yards … Florida's defense was also credit with two sacks of the Georgia quarterback … After completing a 32-yard pass to receiver Mohamed Massaquoi midway through the first quarter, the drive stalled when Stafford was sacked on second down and was tackled for a 5-yard loss on third down at the Florida 20-yard line, resulting in a missed 38-yard field goal by kicker Blair Walsh … Later in the quarter, he converted two third-down passes, a 17-yarder to tight end Bruce Figgins and a 26-yarder to Massaquoi, that led to Georgia's first points of the game, a 35-yard field goal by kicker Blair Walsh … In the second quarter, Stafford completed a 24-yard pass to Massaquoi on 3rd-&-19, but the Georgia offense failed once again to put points on the board, as Walsh's 27-yard field goal hit the left upright … Early in the third quarter, Florida's Joe Haden intercepted a Stafford pass intended for wide receiver A.J. Green and rumbled down the sideline 88 yards to the Georgia 1-yard line, setting up a touchdown and extending the Gators' lead to 21-3 … Stafford's second interception of the game occurred later in the third quarter, when, on 3rd-&-6, linebacker Dustin Doe picked off the junior quarterback at the Florida 41-yard line … In the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, Stafford found Green open for a 54-yard completion on 3rd-&-12, but, on the next play, the signal-caller was intercepted for the third time in the game, when safety Ahmad Black picked off the junior quarterback inside the red zone … The turnover led to a 25-yard touchdown toss from quarterback Tim Tebow to receiver Percy Harvin.

Kentucky … Stafford led his team to a come-from-behind victory over the Wildcats, completing 17-of-27 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns … Stafford wasted no time getting things started, connecting with Mohamed Massaquoi on a 29-yard touchdown to put the Bulldogs ahead, 7-0, just 1:49 into the ballgame … Georgia's second touchdown of the game, a 6-yard touchdown run by tailback Knowshon Moreno midway through the first quarter, was made possible by Stafford's 34-yard completion to Moreno on 3rd-&-4 and a 21-yard completion to Massaquoi earlier in the drive … Receiver Michael Moore hauled in a 46-yard pass from Stafford in the second quarter, leading to an 11-yard touchdown run by fullback Shaun Chapas … After falling behind the Wildcats, Stafford converted a third-down pass to Massaquoi and completed a 22-yard pass to wide receiver Michael Moore to set up Moreno's 20-yard touchdown run with 3:21 remaining in the third quarter … Early in the fourth quarter, Stafford needed just two plays to once again recapture the lead from the Wildcats, connecting with freshman receiver A.J. Green for 42 yards to set up Moreno's 18-yard touchdown run … In dramatic fashion, Stafford completed a 78-yard pass to Massaquoi, who broke a tackle and raced down the sideline to set up an 11-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to Green on 3rd-&-goal with 1:54 remaining in the game, sealing the 42-38 victory for the 14th-ranked Bulldogs … On the play, Stafford was able to avoid the Wildcat rush and roll to his right, tossing the ball to Green in the back of the end zone for the win.

Auburn … For the second week in a row, Stafford led the Georgia offense to a decisive fourth-quarter touchdown, this time connecting with freshman wide receiver A.J. Green on a 17-yard game-clinching touchdown … "It was a play we have been working on. Earlier in the season, we ran the exact same play and he was wide open in the end zone but the ball was dropped. I'm glad [Green] got a chance to run it again. He made a great catch. I didn't make such a great throw, but he did a good job of going up and getting it," Stafford said of the touchdown … For the game, Stafford completed 15-of-24 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns and raised his record as a starter to 26-6 … With 3:08 remaining in the first half, the Georgia signal-caller completed a screen pass to tailback Knowshon Moreno, who took the short toss 35 yards for a touchdown that put the Bulldogs in front, 7-6 … Early in the third quarter, with the ball at the Auburn 29-yard line, Stafford failed to connect with Green along the sideline on a 4th-&-9 play, giving the ball back to the Tigers on downs … Later in the third quarter, Stafford used his legs to set up kicker Blair Walsh's 27-yard field goal, including converting a 4th-&-1 … The Georgia quarterback also connected with wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi for 25 yards on the drive … At the 11:05 mark in the fourth quarter, Stafford engineered the Bulldogs' game-clinching drive, a series that include a 7-yard completion to Moreno on 3rd-&-4 and Green's 17-yard touchdown reception.

Georgia Tech … Stafford completed three touchdown passes to senior wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, finishing the game 24-of-39 for a career-high 407 yards and a school-record five touchdowns … His only blemish on the day was a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown by Tech's Morgan Burnett in the first quarter … On the Bulldogs' first offensive series of the afternoon, Stafford completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tripp Chandler on third down, a play that was set up by a 28-yard completion to freshman wide receiver A.J. Green … Later in the first quarter, Stafford and the Georgia offense were unable to capitalize on a 31-yard completion to wide receiver Kenneth Harris, as the QB was sacked by Tech's defense on 4th-&-7 from Georgia Tech's 33-yard line … In the opening minutes of the second quarter, Stafford found Massaquoi open for a 10-yard touchdown pass, capping an 8-play, 75-yard drive that included a conversion of a 3rd-&-2 play and a 20-yard completion to receiver Michael Moore … Two big plays highlighted the Bulldogs' next scoring drive, both of which included a pass from Stafford to Massaquoi, including a 23-yarder that placed the ball at midfield and a 49-yard touchdown pass on 3rd-&-6 … With 4:54 remaining in the first half, he connected with Green for 49 yards, but the play was called back on a holding call … Just before halftime, Stafford increased Georgia's lead to 28-12 with a 3-yard touchdown toss to Massaquoi, a play that was set up by a 26-yard reception by fullback Shaun Chapas and the conversion of a 3rd-&-10 play in Georgia territory earlier in the drive … Stafford's final touchdown toss of the game came at the 4:04 mark in the fourth quarter, when the quarterback complete a 12-yard touchdown toss to Green on third down … On the drive, he completed passes of 22 and 24 yards to Moreno and converted a 3rd-&-20 play with a 23-yard completion to Massaquoi … Record Watch-Stafford's five touchdown passes tied the Georgia school record (D.J. Shockley vs. Boise State, 2005; David Greene vs. LSU, 2004), which was also a career high … Georgia and Miami lead the nation with players who have scored at least one touchdown this season, with 18 each.

Michigan State (Capital One Bowl) … Despite an ugly first half, Stafford made sure that his last game as a Georgia Bulldog was a memorable one, defeating the Spartans, 24-12, with three touchdown passes in the game's final 18 minutes … "The biggest thing was eliminating mistakes. The whole first half, first drive of the second half, we were making foolish mistakes -- me not hitting guys, us not picking up blitzes, not finishing off drives," said Stafford, who finished 20-of-31 for 250 yards and three touchdowns, with only one interception, and received the game's MVP Award … Early in the first quarter, Stafford's 20-yard completion to wide receiver Michael Moore and 11-yard scramble set up kicker Blair Walsh's 32-yard field goal … Later in the quarter, Michigan State was able to capitalize on a Stafford miscue, an interception by Spartan cornerback Kendell Davis-Clark, who returned the ball 24 yards to the Georgia 12-yard line and set up a Michigan State field goal … .After trailing 6-3 at halftime, Stafford started the Georgia comeback by directing a 10-play, 96-yard drive early in the second half, during which he completed 6-of-6 passes for 92 yards, including converting two third-down plays and tossing a 35-yard touchdown to Moore … Stafford needed only one play on his next possession, hitting tight end Aron White for a 21-yard touchdown with 0:09 remaining in the third quarter … Stafford's third touchdown of the second half occurred at the 3:43 mark in the fourth quarter, when he completed a 21-yard touchdown toss to tailback Knowshon Moreno on third down … Record Watch-Stafford's 25 touchdown passes this season set a new Georgia single-season record … His three touchdowns in the Capital One Bowl tied Georgia's bowl-game record … Stafford's 3,459 passing yards this year is the second-best tally in school history, trailing only Eric Zeier's 3,525 yards (1993).

The recipient of the Dr. and Mrs. Howard Williams, II, Football Scholarship, Stafford started every game, compiling an 11-2 record … Completed 194-of-348 passes (55.75%) for 2,523 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions … Carried 39 times for losses totaling 18 yards, but also scored twice on the ground … Averaged 192.69 yards per game on 387 total plays for 2,505 yards … The team ranked 74th in the nation with an average of 375.62 yards per game, but Stafford proved to be an opportunist, as the Bulldogs placed 34th in scoring (32.62 points per game) … The quarterback boasted a 7-1 record in the eight games that he threw for at least 200 yards.

Oklahoma State … Stafford opened the season with 234 yards on 18-of-24 passes, including second half touchdowns of 11 yards to Bruce Figgins and 9 yards to Michael Moore … The Bulldogs amassed 376 yards for the day.

South Carolina … The Georgia passer generated 213 yards, but completed just 43.2% of his attempts (19-of-44), as he was intercepted once and sacked three times in a 16-12 loss.

Western Carolina … The Bulldogs bounced back with a 45-16 victory, as Stafford tallied 14-of-20 passes for 174 yards and two scores … He flipped a 15-yarder to Sean Bailey midway through the second quarter, adding a 10-yard touchdown toss to tailback Thomas Brown in the first half.

Alabama … Stafford guided the Bulldogs to a 26-23 overtime decision … The QB hit on 19-of-35 attempts for 224 yards and even though he was picked off twice, his two scoring strikes were crucial … Thomas Brown took a swing pass from Stafford for a 10-yard first quarter score … His game-winning 25-yard touchdown toss was hauled in by receiver Mikey Henderson to end the game.

Mississippi … Stafford guided an offense that produced 27 first downs, as he connected on 13-of-21 tries for 144 yards … He was sacked twice, but brought the Bulldogs into the locker room at halftime with a 17-10 lead, finding receiver Mohamed Massaquoi with a 5-yard touchdown pass to break a 10-10 deadlock.

Vanderbilt … The Bulldogs squeaked out a 20-17 victory, thanks to Stafford's 32-yard scoring strike to Sean Bailey … The quarterback gained 201 yards on 16-of-31 tries during the contest.

Florida … Stafford matched throw-for-throw with Heisman Trophy QB Tim Tebow, as the Bulldog generated 217 yards on 11-of-18 attempts, including three touchdowns in a 42-30 triumph … He upended linebacker Brandon Spikes on a 1-yard scoring run by tailback Knowshon Moreno, followed by an 84-yard touchdown bomb to Mohamed Massaquoi to end the first quarter … His 84-yarder was the longest pass completion in the SEC during the 2007 season … Stafford later lobbed a 1-yard score to fullback Brannan Southerland and sealed the victory with a fourth quarter 43-yard touchdown pass to Mikey Henderson.

Troy … The quarterback connected on 17-of-29 attempts for 217 yards in a 44-34 win … He found tight end Tripp Chandler with a 22-yard scoring strike with 0:45 left in the first half … The Bulldogs recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and Stafford flipped a 20-yard touchdown to Sean Bailey with 0:08 remaining before halftime.

Auburn … Stafford averaged 12.47 yards per pass attempt, hitting on 11-of-19 throws for a season-high 237 yards … He was intercepted once, but also threw touchdowns of 58 yards to Mohamed Massaquoi late in the first quarter, followed by a 13-yarder to Sean Bailey four minutes into the second stanza.

Kentucky … For the first time as a starter, Stafford failed to crack the century mark, managing just 99 yards on 12-of-22 passes, as two were intercepted … He was also sacked twice in a 24-13 win, as he scored on a 10-yard run in the third quarter.

Georgia Tech … A 31-17 regular season victory for the Bulldogs came after Stafford threw for 214 yards and a touchdown on 14-of-29 chances … He broke free for a 31-yard scoring scamper midway through the second quarter and closed out the first half with a 9-yard touchdown toss to Mohamed Massaquoi with 1:02 remaining in the second stanza.

Hawaii (Sugar Bowl) … Stafford produced a 41-10 victory, as he completed 60.9% of his attempts (14-of-23) for 175 yards, a touchdown and an interception … He cleared a rush lane used by tailback Knowshon Moreno for an 11-yard scoring burst late in the first quarter … In the second frame, he found Sean Bailey with an 11-yard touchdown toss.

Selected to the Freshman All-Southeastern Conference team by the league's coaches, twice earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors … Recipient of the Dr. and Mrs. Howard Williams, III, Football Scholarship … Named the team's Offensive Newcomer of the Year … Graduated from high school early and enrolled at UGA in January … Appeared in thirteen games, compiling a 6-2 record after taking over as the team's starter in the final eight contests … Became the first quarterback to start for Georgia right out of high school since Eric Zeier in 1991 … Completed 135-of-256 passes (52.73%) for 1,749 yards, as he had seven touchdowns, but was intercepted 13 times … Scored three times and gained 191 yards on 47 carries (4.1-yard average) … Participated in 303 plays, compiling 1,940 yards in total offense (149.23 yards per game).

Made his college debut with 40 yards on 3-of-5 passes vs. Western Kentucky that included his first career touchdown, a 13-yarder to Coleman Watson with one minute left in the game … Followed with 171 yards on 8-of-19 tosses, but was intercepted three times vs. South Carolina … In his first career start, the freshman threw for 107 yards on 10-of-17 passes, as he also ran for a 4-yard score in a 34-0 shutout of Alabama-Birmingham … His season-high 267 yards came on 20-of-32 attempts vs. Mississippi State that included two touchdowns, but he was also intercepted three times … In a tough 24-20 loss, Stafford was picked off three times, as he connected on 16-of-28 chances for 230 yards and a score … He produced the third 200-yard game of his freshman season, tallying 219 yards on 14-of-20 throws, including 14-yard touchdown to fullback Kregg Lumpkin … Was named MVP of the Chick-fil-A Bowl, as he completed 9-of-21 passes for 129 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown to tight end Martrez Milner, as he was also successful on a two-point conversion after a 3-yard scoring run by Kregg Lumpkin to rally the team for 28 second-half points in a 31-24 triumph.

No major injuries reported.

Campus: 4.87 in the 40-yard dash … 1.67 10-yard dash … 2.78 20-yard dash … 4.56 20-yard shuttle … 7.20 three-cone drill … 27 1/2-inch vertical jump … 8'11" broad jump … 32 1/8-inch arm length … 9 5/8-inch hands.

Combine: 4.84 in the 40-yard dash … 1.65 10-yard dash … 2.75 20-yard dash … 4.47 20-yard shuttle … 7.06 three-cone drill … Did not participate in 225-pound bench press … 30 1/2-inch vertical jump … 8'11" broad jump … 33 1/4-inch arm length … 10-inch hands.

Attended Highland Park (Dallas, Tex.) High School, playing football for head coach Randy Allen … Parade, Super Prep and USA Today All-American selection … Rated as the best prep passer in the country by Rivals.com and ranked second nationally by both Scout.com and ESPN … Added Prep Star Top 100 honors, as that recruiting service ranked him third in the country at his position … Three-time All-State selection, adding Gatorade Player of the Year, EA Sports National Player of the Year and Dallas Morning News Area Offensive Player of the Year accolades as a senior … Received a five-star prospect rating from both Scout.com and Rivals.com … Chosen Class AAAA Player of the Year by Dave Campbell's Texas Football … Named Class AAAA "Mr. Texas Football" from TexasFootball.com … As a senior, Stafford threw for 4,018 yards on 209 of 322 passing and 38 touchdowns, as he led his team to the Class AAAA championship, its first title since 1957 … Also rushed for 212 yards and eight touchdowns on 42 carries … In the first round of the 2005 state playoffs, he rallied his team from a 17-0 deficit to win 38-31 with 411 yards passing and four touchdowns … Named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tom Landry Classic … Student Sports All-American and All-District choice after his final season … Upon graduation, he was invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American Game and to the EA Sports Elite 11 Camp for the nation's top quarterbacks … During his junior year, Stafford threw for 1,748 yards and 18 touchdowns, as he was named to the Rivals.com Junior All-American Team … As a sophomore, he had 2,945 yards and 36 touchdown passes.

Speech Communications major … Sister, Page, is a student at the University of Georgia … Born John Matthew Stafford on 2/07/88 … Resides in Dallas, Texas.