2009 NFL Draft = Quarterback Class

Those who read my TSN blog this time last year may recall how I broke down the players that would get drafted in 2008. This years summary won't be as deep as last, but it will cover many players you may see playing in the NFL.



Graham Harrell, QB, 6'2" 223, Texas Tech = Very smart player with great leadership qualities. Reads coverages well, and gets rid of the ball fast. Has good touch on medium to short balls, but does not have a howitzer that gives the same touch on the deep out. Works well in a moving pocket and makes good decisions. May get drafted on the first day. I think he will make teams that pass on him regret their decision.


Jason Boltus, QB, 6'3" 225, Hartwick = Very good athlete who has an above average arm. Has a long delivery and can lock onto one receiver too long. Needs to improve his footwork and accuracy. Will get a look in someones camp, but probably as a free agent.


Curtis Painter, QB, 6'3" 225, Purdue = Has a big arm, and all the tools to be an NFL QB. Not particularly fast nor nimble. Lacks awareness when pressure is applied, and tends to lock onto primary receivers. Did not progress much in college, but will get a look in a camp somewhere because of his obvious tools.


Rhett Bomar, QB, 6'2" 225, Sam Houston State = Decent arm and athleticism. Has a quick release, but tends to take too long to get rid of the ball. Can force passes, and has a lot of self confidence. Might get a flier in the late rounds by a team in need.


Chase Holbrook, QB, 6'4" 242, New Mexico State = Big and tough. Able to play hurt. Has a good arm, but needs to work on his release point and footwork. Needs to prove he can take snaps from under center. Does not throw a great deep ball. May not get drafted.


Tom Brandstater, QB, 6'5" 220, Fresno State = Possible sleeper. Has good size, mobility, arm strength, and touch. Not a scrambler, and doesn't throw a great deep ball. Has good play action fakes, but tends to try to rely too much on finesse. Might be worth having as a project to see how he develops. Late rounds type.


Drew Willy, QB, 6'3" 215, Buffalo = Four year starter in college. Confident and does not rattle easily. A good scrambler with above average speed. Tends to drop his arm when passing, and does not posses a gun. Has a long delivery that will need tinkering. Has the ability to be an backup NFL QB. Might not get drafted.


Nathan Brown, QB, 6'1" 219, Central Arkansas = Smart player with good accuracy. Reads well, and rarely makes mistakes. Leader type who excelled at the Senior Bowl. Decent mobility and arm strength, but his release point is low for a guy his height. A project a team may be willing to groom.


Josh Freeman, QB, 6'6" 248, Kansas = Has the size and arm strength. An intriguing project who needs to improve his footwork. Sometimes hesitates to pull the trigger, leading to missed opportunities. Must improve his ball handling, and to stop forcing throws. Doesn't have great pocket presence. Some teams love his size and upside. Could be a first day draft choice.


Matthew Stafford, QB, 6'2" 225, Georgia = Has a very strong arm. Good, though inconsistent, footwork. A team leader who plays with a chip on his shoulder, which has him tending to force throws at times. Has better than average speed and decent awareness in the pocket. A tough guy who will need a little refinement on his throwing motion. A first day draft pick.


Brian Hoyer, QB, 6'2" 215, Michigan State = Has good footwork and sets up well to throw the ball. Reads defenses well, but tends to stare down his receiver. Can be very good and very bad in the same series. May not get drafted.


Nate Davis, QB, 6'1" 226, Ball State = Has all the tools. Mobile with a good arm. Can make all the passes, though he holds the football differently by not touching the laces. He has the same knock Joe Flacco had last year : that he comes from a spread offense that inflates stats and only worked out of the shotgun. He will be amongst the first QB's drafted, so he will have to prove the critics wrong like Flacco did.


Hunter Cantwell, QB, 6'4" 235, Louisville = A project with limited starts in college. Has the size and arm, and is a willing hard worker. May be the kind a team can stash at #3 or the practice squad to see how he develops. May not get drafted.


Pat White, QB, 6' 197, West Virginia = Will either have to play WR in the NFL or try the CFL. Not big, so there is a question on how much punishment he can take. Has great speed and might even have to try to return kicks to find a roster spot. May get drafted late because of his excellent athleticism.


Mark Sanchez, QB, 6'2" 227, USC = Raw prospect with little experience. Good athlete with an acceptable arm. Reads and reacts quickly. Good vision and goes through his progressions nicely. Can be wildly erratic and inconsistent. May have been masked by his very athletic team mates. A hit or miss prospect who will be drafted on the first day.


John Parker Wilson, QB, 6'2" 219, Alabama = Proven winner in college who has a nice touch on his passes. A good scrambler, but lacks the size and gun. Tends to lock onto receivers and force passes. Can lollipop the ball when under pressure. Will have to get a tryout after the draft.


Chase Daniel, QB, 6' 218, Missouri = Tough and a leader. Has above average accuracy and exhibits a good touch. Fairly mobile and fast. Might not have an NFL arm, and could be too short for the next level. He probably will not get drafted and have to prove himself in training camp.


Stephen McGee, QB, 6'3" 225, Texas A & M = Could be a sleeper. Only played 3 games last year after running an option offense the previous two seasons. Very good athlete who is tough and has a good arm. Has been catching scouts attention since the East West Shrine Game. Really raw, but a team may be willing to stash him at #3 or on a practice squad to see how he develops.


Rudy Carpenter, QB, 6'2" 218, Arizona State = Tough, cocky, and ultra competitive. Has good touch on his passes and doesn't get rattled when the pocket collapses. Student of the game, but does not posses a big arm. Has the ability to be a backup in the NFL. May get drafted late.


Cullen Harper, QB, 6'3" 225, Clemson = Decent, but not very strong, arm. Has nice touch. Long delivery and a tendency to stare at his primary receiver. Had a bad senior year that had his draft stock fall. Tough player who is savvy. May not get drafted.


Mike Reilly, QB, 6'3" 214, Eastern Washington = Good athlete who has decent touch on short passes. Has good scrambling ability. Very smart player whose arm strength came into question after a sub par East West Shrine Game showing. May not get drafted.