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Felser: Separating fact from propaganda on QB draft prospects
Updated: July 9, 2010, 5:04 AM
annual Indianapolis meat market and now it's time to decide how much is unvarnished truth or
propaganda.
In a quarterback class which is supposedly very thin, there seems to be all manner of
opinions about the top four — Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, Jimmy Clausen of Notre Dame,
Colt McCoy of Texas and Tim Tebow of Florida.
Bradford, who might have been a top-five pick had he not suffered an injury to his passing
shoulder which destroyed his season, will undergo extended inspections up to draft time in
late April. Tebow, who some teams already have categorized as a tight end, will be working on
his altered passing style in an effort to convince more prospective employers that he can
function successfully as a pro quarterback. He will make himself available for inspection
close to draft day.
Clausen, who played through a painful injury to his toes last season, has a different
problem. A large number of teams think his extreme cockiness is a serious flaw. Funny, but Jim
Kelly had a similar reputation when he came out of the University of Miami but it didn't keep
him from steering the Bills into four Super Bowls and led him to a place in the Pro Football
Hall of Fame.
The knock on McCoy is something which he is unable to correct. He stands 6-foot-1
in a league where the desired height is between 6-3 and 6-6. As he says, "I'd like to be 6-4
but that's what God gave me."
The Longhorns' McCoy quarterbacked his team to more victories than any other quarterback in
the 2010 draft and when he was injured early in the first quarter of the national championship
game against Alabama his team's chances flowed quickly into the sewer. He also has a role
model to whom the drafters might refer: Drew Brees, who quarterbacked the New Orleans Saints
to victory in last month's Super Bowl. Brees is no taller than McCoy.
Will all of these four last until the ninth pick of the first round when Buffalo
makes its selection? And if they do last, would the Bills have a positive conviction about any
of them?
Clausen has been awarded to Buffalo in several mock drafts, but even more offensive
tackles, another Bills' need, have been their fantasy destination. A first-round designation
isn't necessary for a quarterback to reach major success in the pros. Brees was a second-round
pick and so was Brett Favre. Joe Montana, Dan Fouts and Fran Tarkenton were drafted in the
third round but they made it to the Hall of Fame.
Mock drafts are just that, mock. Most pro scouts will tell you that it's difficult to tell
how most young prospects will turn out until their third season. That's why the Bills' recent
designation of wide receiver James Hardy as their representative for the Ed Block Courage
Award was such a surprise. Hardy hasn't done much in the two seasons since Buffalo made him a
second-round draft choice but the Block award is serious business in the NFL. It sounds like
the new deep thinkers in the football department consider Hardy salvageable.
On the other hand, The Sporting News publishes a draft magazine which should be on the
stands in early April. Their selectors rank the best players at each position. Three years ago
their top quarterback prospect was Brian Brohm of Louisville. Brohm is now No. 3 on the Bills'
quarterback depth chart.
Larry Felser, former News columnist, appears in Sunday's editions.
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