Draft preview: Quarterbacks
Pete Prisco By Pete Prisco
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Pete your opinion!
  
 
   

Defense: LB | S | DT | DE | CB
Offense: OT | G | C | WR | TE | QB | RB

Quarterbacks
Rank Player School
1 Carson Palmer Southern California

Although he has the powerful arm and size the NFL wants, some teams are concerned he didn't play like a top pick until this past season.

2 Byron Leftwich Marshall

Aside from the injury concerns, he is the prototypical pocket passer. Has a cannon for an arm.

3 Chris Simms Texas

Most people have Kyle Boller ranked ahead of Simms, but not here. He has all the tools to be a successful NFL quarterback like his father, Phil.

4 Rex Grossman Florida

He is a right-handed Mark Brunell: tough with a strong arm. This kid will be a 10-year NFL starter.

5 Kyle Boller Cal

He is steadily rising up a lot of team's boards, but like Palmer, he didn't do much until last season. He has the arm.

Player on the Rise: Boller -- Teams have fallen in love with him and he could be a top-10 pick to Baltimore.
Player on the decline: Leftwich -- He shouldn't fall past the mid-first round -- if at all -- but he was once the top-ranked quarterback.
Sleeper: Ryan McCann, Middle Tennessee State -- This transfer from UCLA has the size and a decent arm.
Overrated: Boller -- Let's not get caught up in all the postseason stuff. Workouts don't matter as much as doing it on the field.
Underrated: Simms -- They say he didn't do it in the big games, but that could be because of other factors, too. Once he gets with a good quarterbacks coach, he will be a Pro Bowl player.
Positional assessment:: This is one of the deeper quarterback classes. All of the top-five guys can be starters by their second seasons. Louisville's Dave Ragone is another that can go in the first two rounds.

 
Related Links