2009 NFl Draft- Quarterback Rankings

Easily the most important position on the field. This year marks the smallest crop of quality QB’s in a long time. After Stafford and Dirty Sanchez, the value of the rest of the prospects drops way off. There’s always going to be a few Flacco’s in there, the trick is finding which one of the kids could be him and which one is the next Vince Young (all the talent in the world, can’t keep his head in the game). Keep in mind that these rankings are based solely on field performance alone. I don’t have these kids Wonderlic scores, and I don’t care about how well they throw the fifteen yard out indoors to a kid getting ten dollars an hour to work the combine. I just care about whether or not they will be able to lead a team down the field on Sunday afternoon.



I’ll post the players under my rankings #1-#10. I’ll also add Todd McShay’s rank, Mike Mayock’s rank and Scott Wright’s rank.

#1)- Mathew Stafford, 6’3” 228 Georgia- There’s going to be some debate about whether or not Sanchez or Stafford should be the first QB taken. This is partly based on Sanchez’s performance against Penn State in the Rose Bowl. Before that, no one had him in the same category as Stafford. Well the simple fact was, Penn State’s secondary didn’t show up in that game, they ever left the bus in the parking lot. Anyone could have had a big day against them. Stafford is the franchise pick at QB in this draft. Great arm, mobile, makes great decisions (this year) and throws well on the run. There’s one caveat attached to Stafford, if he’s picked by Detroit he’s going to have a three year career. And I don’t want to hear about how he was a washout after his third concussion, you play QB for the Lions, he should be getting combat pay. (Nudge Grade 85)
McShay:#2
Wright:#1
Mayock: #1

#2)- Dirty Sanchez, 6’3” 225 USC- Comes from a great line of QB’s coming out of Pete Carroll’s offense (the jury is still out on J.D. Booty). Here’s the thing about Dirty Sanchez, I don’t think he’s better than J.D. Booty. Why does JD go in the fourth round and Sanchez is being talked about as a possible #1 pick.? Arm strength-no, decision making-no, mobility-no. He’s not better than JD was at all those things. Look, The Nudge still thinks that JD might have a very productive career ahead of him, I just can’t understand the glowing words of praise about Sanchez. I watched him all year, yes I know they say he didn’t have the receivers that JD had, but come, on he’s at USC for Christmas sake. (Nudge Grade 80)
McShay:#1
Wright: #2
Mayock: #2

#3)-Josh Freeman, 6’6” 250- This kid was a big time recruit for Kansas State HC Ron Prince. He basically attached his wagon to the performance of this kid, and he was fired and replaced by an 85 year old man with dementia. That about says it all about Freeman. In his Freshman year, I saw big things from this kid. Then he went and played two more years of football and has basically dropped off the map. If this was a strong QB prospect class, we’d be talking about him possibly being a sixth or seventh round draft prospect. Look, he’s going to walk into the combine and strut his stuff all over the place. Scouts are going to look at his size and his arm strength and move him up into the first round I’m sure. But when he gets on the field, he looks lost, almost like he can’t grasp the offense or understand the defensive scheme he’s facing (and he plays in the Big Twelve). The caliber of defense that he’s face in three years has been very, very poor. He’s going to be lost by the speed of NFL Defenses. (Nudge Grade 73)
McShay: #5
Wright: #3
Mayock: #3

#4) Rhett Bomar, 6’2” 215, Sam Houston State- except for a shaky deal getting a part time job from a booster in Norman Oklahoma, this kid might be mentioned in the same breath as Stafford. I wasn’t particularly impressed with his performance in the Senior Bowl, but I don’t put too much weight into those games, especially for a QB (Pat White looked awesome, come on GM take a chance, roll the dice on Pattie White). Small school D-1AA, big arm. Major prep prospect. Could have went anywhere but decided to walk in the footsteps of Josh Heuppel and Jason White. If he stayed at Norman, Bradford is still warming the bench there, so that say’s a lot. Someone is going to take a chance on this kid and have it blow up in his face. Will never be a full time starter in the NFL. Might have a job as a quality back up for three or four years. (Nudge Grade 68)
McShay:#8
Wright: #4
Mayock : #5

#5) David Johnson, 6’2” 220, Tulsa- No one and I mean no one is even giving this kid a look, what does he have Ebola? Going into the Conference USA Championship game he was about to set the record for pass efficiency in a single season, now he has no chance of being an NFL prospect! (Nudge Grade 68)
Not even ranked!

#6) Graham Harrell, 6’3”, Texass tech- Look, it’s the system, the system the system the system the system the system. That I think was and has been the case in all of Leach’s other guys. But give the kid some credit. He has a great gun, he reads defenses well at the line of scrimmage and he has a nice quick delivery. I think everyone is going to be changing their tune about this kid after the combine. Don’t compare him to Sonny Cumbie or Kliff Klingsbury. He could make an NFL team as a third stringer, but never anything more than that. The Nudge has always talked bad about QB’s coming out of the Tedford/Belloti System and the Leach/Stoops system. They don’t translate well into the NFL (Aaron Rodgers I guess is the exception).(Nudge Grade 67)
McShay:#7
Wright: #7
Mayock: No ranking yet

#7) Tom Brandstater, 6’4” 215, Fresno State- Has dropped real fast off of everyone’s radar this year. Had a lot of problems with getting rid of the ball fast. But played against some pretty good defenses and really was the heart and soul of a gritty little offense. Last year, a lot of people were talking about him. Will never produce in the NFL (Nudge Grade 65)
McShay: No rating
Wright: #11
Mayock: No rating

#8) Nate Davis, 6’1” 217, Ball State- This guy has moved up on my own draft boards because I was thinking about the level of football that his team had been playing before he got there. He transformed the psychology of the entire program. He’s the little engine that could. I’m going to be pulling for this kid in the NFL. But that doesn’t change the fact that I think he will never again touch the field. He’ll probably be drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round or something. I think that the combines are really going to hurt his draft stock. His type of heart doesn’t translate well to stop watches and radar guns. (Nudge Grade 65)
McShay: #4
Wright: #5
Mayock: #4

Others receiving mention:
#9) Hunter Cantwell, Louisville- Disappeared this year, I don’t buy into him
McShay:
Wright: #8
Mayock
#10) Chase Daniel, Missouri- Great College career. Will not make an NFL roster if drafted
McShay: #13
Wright: #12
Mayock
#11) Curtis Painter, Purdue- Never impressed with his play. But he does have all the tools. Might actually have a pro career. Could surprise some people, but not likely.
McShay: #15
Wright: #13
Mayock
#12) Stephen McGee, Texas A&M- Too inconsistent, no arm strength.
McShay:
Wright: #14
Mayock
#13) Cullen Harper, Clemson- See above. He might have played poorly this year because of all of the shakeups in coaching staff, but he still kept the same offensive coach. Someone is going to take a chance on him in the sixth round.
McShay: #14
Wright: #6
Mayock
#14) Rudy Carpernter, Arizona State- Big arm, bad decisions. I don’t think he likes playing college ball, but did you see the pics of his girlfriend on MySpace Yoweee!
McShay:
Wright: #16
Mayock
#15) Drew Willy, Buffalo- Got lucky a lot. Might be a good third stringer on an NFL roster.
McShay: #10
Wright: #17
Mayock