NFL Draft 2007: The Top 10 QB Prospects

This year's QB prospects have been built to the specifications of every GM's wildest dreams. Here's a look at the best of this year's crop.

JaMarcus Russell, LSU – Clearly the top talent at QB. Russell is 6’ 6” and 260lbs (roughly the size of Hummer H3) with a rocket for an arm. Russell’s accuracy has shown improvement and will certainly be scrutinized closely during the combine and workouts. Russell is mobile and doesn’t make many mistakes with the football. The only junior on this list, his upside earns him higher marks as well. The biggest question surrounding Russell is whether or not he will be able to handle the pressure of being “the man,” especially in a city like Oakland where there is not much talent around to support him.

Brady Quinn, Notre Dame – Quinn was long believed to be a sure-fire Top 3 pick this April, but he may be falling his way out of the Top 10. I predict we’ll see Brady climb back up after the combine. There’s no question he has the physical attributes to be an outstanding quarterback. At the combine, Quinn will put some pressure on Russell by showing teams his knowledge of the quarterback position. Franchises like Detroit, Cleveland, and Minnesota will all take long looks at making Quinn their cornerstone QB.

Drew Stanton, Michigan State – At last year’s draft, Mel Kiper Jr put this youngster in his top 10 prospects for the 2007 draft. Stanton has all the tools, and I expect that he will start to move up team's draft boards as the draft approaches, similar to the way Jay Cutler did last season (though maybe not as high). He’s 6’3” 230lbs and is pretty mobile for his size. The biggest question about Stanton will continue to be his inconsistent play and decision making. Teams will have to figure out if the inconsistency was due to the up and down play of the entire Spartans team, or an actual consistency issue in Stanton.

Troy Smith, Ohio State – No player has seen their draft status fluctuate more than Smith over the past few months. Smith came into the season as a mid-round prospect, but played lights out this season. He showed teams that he was not only a college scrambler, but a legitimate drop back passer. Smith had become a top 10 prospect until the National Championship game when he looked more like Akili Smith in his rookie season with the Bengals. Troy’s size and poor game versus Florida probably made him a second round pick. He’s a superior athlete, and he’ll help himself with a strong combine.

Kevin Kolb, Houston – Kolb will be an interesting guy to watch. Houston quarterbacks typically have not had successful pro careers (see: Andre Ware, David Klinger), but Kolb could break that trend. Kolb impressed scouts during the week long practice for the Senior Bowl. He’s got good size, decent mobility, and a very strong, accurate arm. He could go anywhere from the second to fifth round as teams try to figure out if he can handle the step up in competition.

Jeff Rowe, Nevada – This year’s quarterback draft class is filled with many Manning-sized prospects. Rowe (6’5” 225lbs) is another member of this year’s crop who can throw rockets around the field. Rowe is a guy who could go either way. He could be this year’s version of Ben Roethlisberger (small-school steal) or he could be a lifetime backup. Scouts rave about his abilities, but the level of competition leads to many questions. He should fall to a Baltimore/Seattle/St Louis type team in the third or fourth round.

Chris Leak, Florida – Leak is a poor man’s Troy Smith. Leak has questions about his size and doesn’t quite have the physical tools of Smith. This former Gator has plenty of experience, solid leadership skills, and clearly outperformed Troy Smith in the championship game. He doesn’t have great arm strength, but is fairly accurate. Leak will be a solid backup in the NFL and should find a home in the fourth round.

Trent Edwards, Stanford – Stanford bumbled their way through a horrible 1-11 season and Edwards was injured for half of the season. Scouts believe he has the tools to be a good quarterback and also has outstanding size. Edwards isn’t extremely mobile, and has had issues because he holds the ball too long. He’ll find a home on the second day of the draft and could develop into a reliable backup.

Zac Taylor, Nebraska – Taylor is floating under the radar right now. He doesn’t have the bulk of some of the other quarterbacks on the list, but still has good size (6’2” 210lbs). Taylor is an accurate QB who doesn’t turn the ball over. He is a little slow-footed, but is a serviceable option as a backup. Expect him to find a home in the sixth round.

Jared Zabransky, Boise State – Zabransky is my favorite player on this list. He’s a little thin (6’2” 200), but he makes up for it with heart and swagger. An extremely accurate passer (66% this season) with decent arm-strength, “Z” was one of the fastest players on the Boise State roster. Reportedly clocked in the 4.5-4.55 range, Jared could possibly even make a switch to WR in the NFL. I still like him as a quarterback and envision him going anywhere from the fourth to the seventh round.

A sentimental inclusion:

Sam Hollenbach, Maryland – A graduate from the same high school as my dad, I’m pulling for Sam to make it to the NFL. Hollenbach has phenomenal size (6’5” 220) and impressive arm strength. Maryland offense was very run-oriented which didn’t exactly showcase him. He could pop onto someone’s radar in the later rounds. His decision making needs to improve, but he could be a top-notch backup if someone is willing to give him a shot. Hopefully it’ll be the Eagles.


Next Week: Who’s going to protect these quarterbacks? The 15 best offensive lineman prospects.