Draft preview: Quarterbacks, punters, kickers
After all the debate, hyperbole and various rants have been considered, the quarterback class for this year's NFL Draft is really the same annual crapshoot. Maybe it's a little better than some years, maybe a little worse. There seems to be no crystal ball accurate enough to predict how college quarterbacks will do at the next level.
If that were the case, then Tom Brady certainly would have been selected before the sixth round, Joe Montana before the third round and we would be seeing better performances out of two quarterbacks recently selected at the very top of the draft -- JaMarcus Russell of Oakland and Alex Smith of San Francisco.
And unless more colleges begin playing offense like the NFL -- or vice versa -- the ability to project quarterbacks as NFL players will continue to be a major challenge.
Of the top six quarterbacks according to ratings by NFLDraftScout.com, only one had significant training in what is considered a pro-style offense. That traditionally means he has experience taking the snap from under center rather than mostly in a shotgun.
Still, Oklahoma junior Sam Bradford is expected to be the first quarterback -- if not the first player -- selected in this draft, based mainly on his tremendous play as a freshman and sophomore and despite missing most of his last year with an injury and having little experience in a pro-type offense.
That would put him ahead of Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen, who was well-schooled in an NFL-type attack, Florida's amazing Tim Tebow and Texas' Colt McCoy.
If these quarterbacks have trouble moving their teams down the field or into the end zone, then this draft also offers a couple of interesting players to help on fourth-and-what-the-heck.
The top punter is Michigan's Zoltan Mesko, who booms the ball high and long with his left foot. The best kicker seems to be Alabama's Leigh Tiffen, although he has yet to be tested in many clutch situations.
Here is a closer look at the best quarterbacks, punters and kickers in this year's draft:
QUARTERBACKS
1. *Sam Bradford, Oklahoma, 6-4, 236, 1
He took quite a rollercoaster ride in the past year, but Bradford is back where he started -- at the top of the draft list. After sensational seasons as a freshman All-American and sophomore Heisman Trophy winner, Bradford was expected to sail through his junior year with more honors and then perhaps become the top pick in the 2010 draft. Instead, he injured his right (passing) shoulder in the first game of the season against BYU, reinjured it against Texas, underwent surgery and then focused on healing to get ready for the draft. After all that drama, and an impressive pro day workout in March when he completed 62 of 63 passes in a scripted workout, Bradford is once again expected to be the first pick of the 2010 draft. He has all the measurables and seems to have the immeasurables, such as being a strong team leader. He has excellent mobility, pinpoint accuracy and his arm strength is very good but not awe-inspiring. His release point is something less than over-the-top, which sometimes nullifies what should be a height advantage. Bradford's career totals include completing 67.6 percent of his passes with 88 touchdowns -- 50 as a sophomore -- and only 16 interceptions.
2. *Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame, 6-3, 222, 1
At his April 9 pro day workout, Clausen put an exclamation point on the part of his abilities that are pretty well known. He looked good throwing the ball. He threw 59 passes to several fellow Notre Damers, including wide receiver Golden Tate, who is also expected to be a first-round pick. The longest was a 55-yarder to Tate. This helped that he has recovered from the January surgery to repair two torn ligaments in his toe. But it didn't eradicate the question mark that hovers over Clausen like an unwanted dark cloud -- is he really a strong leader or just a cocky kid with good skills? The question stayed in play before his pro day when the Washington Redskins opted to trade for QB Donovan McNabb, meaning they probably don't want to draft Clausen at No. 4. On balance, perhaps too much has been expected of Clausen since he arrived at Notre Dame as the third brother from the quarterbacking Clausen clan that included Rick and Casey of Tennessee. Jimmy chose Notre Dame so he could be tutored by Charlie Weis in the nuances of a pro-style offense. So it is no accident that Clausen may be the most NFL-ready quarterback among the top prospects in that he can identify coverages quickly, has excellent footwork and an accurate, but not overly strong, arm. He was brutalized as a starting freshman and threw 17 interceptions as a sophomore. But despite playing hurt, he improved last year with 28 touchdowns, only four interceptions and a completion percentage of 68.
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3. Tim Tebow, Florida, 6-3, 236, 1-2
Tebow is one of the most debated prime prospects in the history of the NFL Draft. His trophy case includes a Heisman (as a sophomore), two national championships and an endless list of awards. His prolific numbers, charisma, leadership and toughness are more than anybody has a right to expect. But he showcased these abilities as a shotgun quarterback in coach Urban Meyer's spread offense, which accentuated Tebow's positives and minimized his negatives. Tebow's career productivity is off the charts -- passing for 9,285 yards (88 touchdowns) and only 16 interceptions; rushing for 3,390 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and another 57 touchdowns. But concerns over too many wobbly passes, an elongated passing motion and lack of experience under center were validated by poor performances at the Senior Bowl workouts. He has undergone intense tutoring since and has shown remarkable improvement, but that doesn't mean he won't revert to his instinctive way of doing things when under fire in the NFL. So, considering his amazing success doing things his way, maybe some team needs to adapt the offense to the athlete, rather than the other way around. From a business standpoint, he is the most marketable player in the draft and overlooking him will be extremely difficult for that struggling franchise in Jacksonville. Oh yes, Tebow was a high school star in Jacksonville, too. Some think the Jaguars have two choices -- Tebow or Los Angeles. So, go figure.
4. Colt McCoy, Texas, 6-1, 216, 1-2
He may not have the size and strength of Bradford, the pro-style experience of Clausen or the incredible versatility of Tebow, but several scouts believe in a few years he will be the one who turns out to be the real, ah, deal. McCoy's combination of abilities might be especially impressive in a West Coast-type offense. His tremendous career ended with a fluke nerve injury during the first series of the BCS Championship Game, but he showed during an April 1 pro day workout that he is healed and ready to go. Opinions have always been widely split on his potential as a pro. His career totals are certainly impressive as he completed 1,157 of 1,645 passes (70.3 percent) for 13,253 yards, 112 touchdowns and 45 interceptions. But he fired mostly from a shotgun, has a low release point and may lack the zip to fit the ball into those small spaces they allow in the NFL. But his ability to lead an offense goes beyond those narrowly defined physical abilities. McCoy manages plays and games with instincts and control that are difficult to quantify. He has the mental and physical toughness that commands teammates to rally around him. He can lead without saying a word, but if necessary can light a fire with a verbal volley.
5. Tony Pike, Cincinnati, 6-6, 223, 2-3
Tall, tough and talented, Pike has emerged as one of the most intriguing quarterbacks that few people talk about in this draft. Last year he guided Cincinnati to its first perfect regular season (12-0) before losing to Florida in the Sugar Bowl. The offense finished 11th in the nation in total offense (447.5 yards per game), eighth in passing yardage (308.8 yards per game) and fourth in scoring (38.6 points per game). Like most of this year's top prospects, Pike was a shotgun quarterback and will have to adapt to the pro game under center. But he has shown enough athleticism that this shouldn't be a major hurdle. Pike has excellent presence in the huddle and is alert, poised and cool under pressure. He seldom forces the ball and appears very resilient, often following up a bad play with a sensational one. He seems especially cool under pressure when he shows the ability to find the correct target and throw accurately on the run. His arm strength is commensurate with his size yet he shows excellent touch on end-zone tosses to an area only his receiver can reach. Teammates marveled at his ability to come back from multiple injuries and surgeries to his left arm and play with pain. For his career, Pike started 19 games and completed 421 of 682 passes for 5,018 yards, 49 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
6. Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan, 6-3, 230, 3-4
To get an idea of his various abilities, consider nicknaming him LeTebow. LeFevour showed much of the same run-and-pass ability as Tebow, but he did it in the Mid-American Conference and he did it with something Tebow doesn't have -- a good throwing motion with a quick release. However, he also worked out of a spread formation and will need to learn how to play from under center. Although he is extremely accurate, LeFevour has only adequate arm strength and defenses won't be overly concerned with his ability to throw a deep pass. He led Central Michigan to four bowl appearances while tying the NCAA major college record for most starts by a quarterback (51) and setting an FBS record by being responsible for 149 touchdowns. His gaudy career stats include 1,171 completions in 1,763 passes for 102 touchdowns and 35 interceptions. He ran 671 times for 2,948 yards and another 47 touchdowns as he amassed 15,853 yards in total offense.
7. Jonathan Crompton, Tennessee, 6-3, 222, 3-4
In 2009, coach Lane Kiffin's staff helped revive Compton's sagging confidence and performance and he completed 224 of 384 passes for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and only 13 interceptions. But that didn't even earn him an invitation to the NFL scouting combine, so he went to the Texas vs. Nation all-star game and demanded some attention with excellent workouts and a decent game in sloppy weather. He throws with good accuracy and touch, but does not have impressive arm strength. He also has decent ability as a runner, although he didn't demonstrate it that much in college. Crompton's career was a bit of a roller-coaster ride as he was inconsistent and seemed less than motivated until Kiffin showed up. His career included 348 completions out of 629 passes for 4,187 yards, 36 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.
8. John Skelton, Fordham, 6-6, 243, 4
This is a big boy with a big arm who was very little known when he arrived in college as a lightly regarded, skinny, 6-5, 200-pound freshman. But midway through that freshman year, Skelton earned the starting quarterback job and never gave it up until he finished his career with 802 completions (in 1,363 passes) for 9,923 yards, 69 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. He is another prospect who played mostly in a shotgun offense and must learn to play from under center. But he does have exceptional agility for his size and pro scouts definitely love his arm strength, comparing it to that of Baltimore's Joe Flacco. Skelton used that strong arm to throw for more than 400 yards in four games last year. Teammates rave about his leadership ability overall and command in the huddle. The coaches obviously agreed because he was allowed to call more audibles than most college quarterbacks. His uncle, E. Javier Loya, dreamed of becoming a Dallas Cowboys player but settled for being a CEO in a large energy company and part owner of the Houston Texans.
9. Jarrett Brown, West Virginia, 6-3, 224, 4-5
Last season Brown became the Mountaineers' first pro-style quarterback since Marc Bulger (1996-99). He made them wonder why they had been running that spread-option, run-oriented offense for so long. Oh, that's right, they had multitalented Pat White, behind whom Brown toiled until last year when he threw for 2,144 yards, the first time a Mountaineers quarterback threw for more than 2,000 yards since Bulger did it in 1998. Most of Brown's experience is still from the spread, but he has very good arm strength and has the ability to make accurate passes on the run. Teammates talk about Brown as a tough guy who is an asset as a bullish runner on goal-line plays. For his career he passed for 2,943 yards, 16 touchdowns and carried 234 times for 1,138 yards and 13 touchdowns.
PUNTERS
1. Zoltan Mesko, Michigan, 6-5, 240, 6
Mesko isn't your average little soccer player who opted to sneak onto a football field just because he could kick. Well, he didn't sneak, anyway. He's too big. Mesko uses that size to advantage as he averaged 44.5 yards per punt last year and scouts clocked his hang time at 4.2 to 4.4 seconds on punts between 45 and 50 yards. But what may excite some teams even more is that he is left footed, so his punts rotate and descend in the opposite direction that returners are accustomed to seeing. At the very least that gives returners something else to think about while coverage men are closing in on them. Mesko is a native of Romania, but did play four years of high school football in Ohio, where he also took part in baseball and track. He was named the Most Valuable Performer at the Ray Guy kicking academy in 2004.
2. Brent Bowden, Virginia Tech, 6-3, 202, 7
Bowden is a two-and-a-half step, right-footed punter with a very strong leg. He averaged 43.9 yards last year, and over the past three years Bowden's gross average was more than 43 yards. He placed 72 punts inside the 20 as opposed to 28 bouncing in for touchbacks. He handles pressure well and seems to do his best in critical situations. He can handle poor snaps as a punter and is a reliable holder for PATs and field goals.
KICKERS
1. Leigh Tiffin, 6-1, 210, Alabama, 6
Tiffin has everything it takes to play in the NFL -- size, leg strength and consistent accuracy. A three-year starter, Tiffin broke the school career records set by his father, Van, who was an All-American under coach Ray Perkins in 1983-86. Tiffin had his best year as a senior, hitting 30 of 34 field-goal attempts and 42 of 46 extra points. He made 8 of 13 field-goal attempts in a backup role as a freshman in 2006; 25 of 34 in 2007 and 20 of 29, including a career long of 54 yards in 2008. He also does a good job on kickoffs. The only downside is that because he played on such a good team he was rarely asked to make a significant kick under pressure.
Frank Cooney is the Publisher of NFLDraftScout.com, published by The Sports Xchange.
