Draft’s pass on Willy is puzzling
Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. was as surprised as anyone that Drew Willy didn’t get drafted over the weekend. Ten quarterbacks were selected during the two-day NFL draft but the former University at Buffalo record-setter was not one of them.
Willy, who holds nearly every passing record in school history, signed a free agent deal with the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday evening. Willy passed for 3,304 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior and led the Bulls to the International Bowl, the school’s first bowl berth in 50 years.
Kiper, the ESPN draft analyst, had Willy as a second-day selection.
“He’s got a good enough arm and he’s got escapability,” Kiper said during a conference call Monday. “He ran a 4.9 [40-yard dash]. Tom Brady ran a 5.22. It’s how you maneuver in the pocket and he does that very effectively. He’s got more game experience than any quarterback in this draft. To answer your question, I don’t know why he lasted until the end of the draft and went undrafted.”
Second-year quarterback Joe Flacco is entrenched as the starter for the Ravens and he’s backed up by former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, meaning Willy will likely have to beat out 36-year-old Todd Bouman for a roster spot. Bouman was signed to a one-year deal earlier this month.
“He could be a nice asset to the team that brings him into the fold and I truly believe that,” Kiper said. “He’s a good athlete, was a basketball player in high school.
“He was a four-year guy at Buffalo, led that team to a bowl game, did a great job with that team along with [coach] Turner Gill. He’s a nice pickup.”
Kiper can’t figure out why Willy went undrafted other than the fact that other high-quality quarterbacks suffered a similar fate. Missouri’s Chase Daniel, Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell and Michigan State’s Brian Hoyer were also undrafted.
“Quarterbacks this year slid,” Kiper said. “A lot of people thought Brian Hoyer was going to be a third-round pick; he didn’t get drafted.”
But Kiper noted that many undrafted free agents go on to enjoy lengthy careers in the NFL.
“A lot of these free agents will beat out the fifth, sixth or seventh round pick,” Kiper said. “There’s a fine line between being a free agent and a fifth-round pick. These fifth-or sixth-round picks don’t come to minicamp saying, ‘I went in the fifth round, you have to keep me.’ You don’t come in saying, ‘I stink, I’m an undrafted free agent.’ . . . This notion that these undrafted free agents have no chance is ridiculous.”
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Kiper also said Derek Kinder and Dan Gronkowski landed in places that can use some help.
Kinder, who played wide receiver at Albion and Pittsburgh, was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round, while Gronkowski, who played quarterback at Williamsville North before converting to tight end at Maryland, was picked by the Detroit Lions.
“I don’t think [Gronkowski] will make a big impact, but I think he’ll make a roster,” Kiper said. “When Kinder was healthy, he showed that he had a lot of ability. That could be a real nice pick for the Bears.”
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People talk about parity in college football but this past weekend’s draft indicates the BCS conferences have the most talent.
The programs from the six BCS conferences had a total of 175 players selected, led by the Southeastern Conference with 37. The other leagues, including programs outside Division I-A, totaled 81 draftees.
USC had the most players selected with 11, which tied for the second-most from one school since the NFL went to a seven-round draft. Ohio State, in 2004, had 14 players picked. The Trojans also had 11 in 2006. that
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