NFL.com
Best Quarterbacks
Special to NFL.com
There aren't an abundance of top quarterback prospects in this year's draft, but the two big names on everyone's list are Fresno State's David Carr and Oregon's Joey Harrington. Below those two, a few other viable candidates are in the mix.
DAVID CARR, FRESNO STATE
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| ANALYSIS | ||
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| Carr is rated by most as the No. 1 QB prospect in the draft after an impressive season, followed by a stellar showing at the Senior Bowl. Led Fresno State to an 11-2 record while throwing for 4,299 yards and 42 touchdowns. Is an excellent passer with a strong arm; he throws the deep ball well. Named the 2001 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner. Has been compared to former Cowboys QB Troy Aikman. Was thought to be an early Heisman contender after he led the Bulldogs to wins over Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin, but losses against Boise State and Hawaii hurt his chances. Makes good, quick decisions and proved durable and consistent during his career at Fresno State. | ||
| WHAT THEY'RE SAYING | ||
| "Everything about
Carr indicates he's a franchise quarterback ... He possesses excellent
touch, timing and precision. He also has the presence and leadership qualities
you look for in a QB. Carr was the most consistent quarterback in college
football in 2001, and he took that consistency to Mobile, Ala., for the
Senior Bowl."
— Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN "David Carr has all the things you're looking for in a franchise quarterback -- the arm, mobility, head, toughness and leadership ability." — Vinny Cerrato, Redskins director of player personnel |
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| MOMENTUM | ||
| There has been some concern about his release point, but overall, he's a fundamentally solid prospect who looks to have all the tools an NFL quarterback needs to succeed. Strong showing at the Senior Bowl made quite an impression after a spectacular season at Fresno State. | ||
ROHAN DAVEY, LSU
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| ANALYSIS | ||
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| Davey has excellent arm strength and can take big hits. In 2001, he led LSU to an 10-3 record and its first SEC title since 1986. Completed 217 of 367 passes for 3,347 yards and 18 touchdowns, all school records. Build is similar to that of Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper. He can throw deep, but is not very consistent with accuracy, and forces throws at times. There are some questions about his durability, but some experts think could he turn out to be a steal. | ||
| WHAT THEY'RE SAYING | ||
| "Rohan Davey is
a big quarterback that needs to drop some weight and reshape his body structure.
He has an outstanding arm, is a leader and a winner."
— Vinny Cerrato, Redskins director of player personnel "The big question about Davey is poor footwork. He is all arm when he throws the football and doesn't use his body. When Davey has hard-charging defensive linemen draped all over him, he throws strikes because he is used to throwing the ball off balance." — Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN |
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| MOMENTUM | ||
| Davey showed up 11 pounds above his playing weight at the Senior Bowl. But he's got the tools, and by dropping some weight, gaining experience and with some good coaching, could become a solid NFL quarterback. | ||
JOEY HARRINGTON, OREGON
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| ANALYSIS | ||
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| Harrington had a penchant for turning it on when his team needed it most, directing several come-from-behind victories during his two-plus seasons as Oregon's starter. Has been compared to Denver QB Brian Griese. Some experts have him on par with David Carr, but others have him projected as a late first-round pick. Is a very intelligent dropback passer with good size, adequate arm strength and excellent leadership skills. Finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Passed for 2,415 yards and 23 touchdowns at Oregon last season. Has good footwork and surprising speed for someone of his size. | ||
| WHAT THEY'RE SAYING | ||
| "Most people have
him going in the top five in the draft and he could, but I am not entirely
sold. However, at this juncture he would be a solid selection."
— Joel Buchsbaum, Pro Football Weekly "Possesses all the intangibles; demonstrates leadership qualities and an ability to rally the troops. He's a clutch fourth-quarter quarterback who deals well with pressure. He has a presence and an aura about him in the huddle. He commands respect from his teammates. He is mobile and has above-average arm strength. And he's proven he can play in adverse weather conditions." — Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN |
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| MOMENTUM | ||
| Improved his mechanics during his senior season. Did not play in the Senior Bowl due to a knee injury suffered in the East-West Shrine Game. Could go in the top 10, but likely not before Carr. | ||
KURT KITTNER, ILLINOIS
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| ANALYSIS | ||
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| Skill-wise, Kittner has been compared to Chargers backup quarterback Drew Brees. Possesses decent arm strength, smooth release and excellent footwork. He's a pocket passer, but throws well on the run. Great leadership skills and work ethic. Does not have great speed, but buys extra chances with his athleticism. Started all four years at Illinois and ranks third on the school's all-time passing list, as well as third in career pass completions, second in pass attempts and second in total offense. Was a Davey O'Brien and Johnny Unitas semifinalist. | ||
| WHAT THEY'RE SAYING | ||
| "Kittner was a
smart, confident leader who ran a sophisticated offense at Illinois, but
he needs to show more consistency. He often ran hot and cold over four
quarters. Although he would start off poorly and then put up big numbers,
he had a short memory. In other words, he would bounce back from interceptions,
play extremely well and lead the Illini to victory."
— Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN "Kittner is a good-looking QB prospect and would probably be ranked higher if not for the promise and pedigree of some of the others on this list. He has a good arm, nice release, and does a good job getting in a position to throw. He actually seems to find a comfort zone when moving. Kittner is not a great runner, but can hurt teams if they fail to contain. He has all the tools. His only areas of improvement are in his accuracy and consistency." — Football Corner |
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| MOMENTUM | ||
| The big knock on Kittner is his lack of consistency, but this is something that can change if he's placed in the right system. Having played in a pro-style offense under head coach Ron Turner -- brother of Dolphins offensive coordinator Norv Turner -- at Illinois should have him more prepared for the NFL than most. | ||
JOSH McCOWN, SAM HOUSTON STATE
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| ANALYSIS | ||
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| McCown played at Division I-AA Sam Houston State after transferring from SMU. Has good size and had an excellent performance at the Senior Bowl, where he showed off an excellent delivery and arm strength. Was a Walter Payton Award finalist in 2001. Only the fifth Sam Houston State quarterback to pass for more than 2,000 yards in one season … led conference passers with 2,884 yards and 29 touchdown passes in 11 regular season games. | ||
| WHAT THEY'RE SAYING | ||
| "Coming from a
small school, McCown needs to attend the combine and do everything he's
asked to do. He built momentum at the Senior Bowl practices and needs to
continue it at the combine. I see him going between rounds three and five.
I wouldn't be shocked if he went ahead of Kittner; it's too close to call
between the two."
— Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN |
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| MOMENTUM | ||
| A strong performance at the Senior Bowl got people's attention. McCown will likely be drafted, but it remains to be seen if he has the tools to be an NFL starter. | ||
PATRICK RAMSEY, TULANE
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| ANALYSIS | ||
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| Ramsey is an excellent pure pocket passer with nice touch and good accuracy. Has a very strong arm and is a smart athlete who makes good decisions. One of 16 players nationwide named a National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete. Broke Shaun King's single season passing yardage record (3,410) in his first season as a starter at Tulane. Threw for 2,758 yards during his senior season, though he was in a pass-happy system. Reads defenses well and has good intangibles; he is very dedicated. Not incredibly mobile or quick; he tended to stay in the pocket too long. Struggled with injuries at various points. | ||
| WHAT THEY'RE SAYING | ||
| "Questions remain
about Ramsey's mobility. He still needs to prove that he's not just a statue
in the pocket. He must show enough maneuverability to avoid an initial
pass rush, stay away from the sack and create some opportunities when things
break down."
— Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN "Impressed with his athleticism and strong arm and proved to be a quick study at the Senior Bowl. Will need to add some strength, but (is) a solid third-round developmental quarterback." — Rob "Boomer" Rang |
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| MOMENTUM | ||
| From projections, looks like a second- or early third-round pick. Solid performance at the Senior Bowl helped his status, moving him up to the third QB prospect on many lists behind Carr and Harrington. | ||
| OTHER QUARTERBACKS | |||
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| NAME | COLLEGE | HEIGHT | WEIGHT |
| Jeff Aaron | UAB | 6-3 | 205 |
| Major Applewhite | Texas | 6-1 | 205 |
| Steve Bellisari | Ohio State | 6-2 | 215 |
| Dusty Bonner | Valdosta State | 6-0 | 217 |
| Marcus Brady | California-Northridge | 5-11 | 190 |
| Seth Burford | Cal-Poly | 6-3 | 240 |
| Rocky Butler | Hofstra | 5-11 | 190 |
| Ataveus Cash | Hampton | 6-1 | 197 |
| Ed Collins | Montclair State | 6-1 | 220 |
| Ronald Curry | North Carolina | 6-0 | 200 |
| Kahlil Hill | Iowa | 6-3 | 185 |
| Brandon Doman | Brigham Young | 6-2 | 200 |
| Randy Fasani | Stanford | 6-3 | 235 |
| David Garrard | East Carolina | 6-1 | 250 |
| George Godsey | Georgia Tech | 6-1 | 210 |
| Shaun Hill | Maryland | 6-3 | 225 |
| Gavin Hoffman | Pennsylvania | 6-6 | 230 |
| Steve Kelly | Tarleton State | 6-2 | 220 |
| Zak Kustok | Northwestern | 6-0 | 210 |
| Wayne Madkin | Mississippi State | 6-3 | 210 |
| Scott Mitchell | Western Washington | 6-2 | 210 |
| Craig Nall | Northwestern State | 6-2 | 220 |
| David Neill | Nevada-Reno | 6-3 | 215 |
| J.T. O'Sullivan | California-Davis | 6-2 | 220 |
| John Wes Pate | Stephen F. Austin | 6-2 | 225 |
| Phil Petty | South Carolina | 6-2 | 206 |
| David Priestly | Pittsburgh | 6-3 | 210 |
| Nick Rolovich | Hawaii | 6-1 | 195 |
| Greg Zolman | Vanderbilt | 6-1 | 208 |
