The QB Competition

The 2010 NFL Draft will feature a star-studded cast of QBs: Florida's Tim Tebow, Texas' Colt McCoy, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, and Ole Miss' Jevan Snead. At this point in time, this quartet of signal-callers is widely heralded as the cream of the crop.

But who is No. 1? This debate plagued the draft world this past April, when the question of Mark Sanchez or Matt Stafford was raised every day. That question was never truly answered until draft day, when the Lions took Stafford ahead of the Jets' trade to get Sanchez.

So in an attempt to provide more clarity and lend insight to the situation, GTMD will be tracking the competition from week-to-week. Before I rank the four QBs as they currently stand in my book, let me lay out some relevant statistical information (players listed in alphabetical order, so as not to give anything away).

Sam Bradford- 08: 4720 yards, 50 TD-8 INT, 67.9 comp %; 07: 3121 yards, 36 TD-8 INT, 69.5 comp %
Colt McCoy - 08: 3859 yards, 34 TD-8 INT, 76.7 comp % (561 yards rushing, 11 TD); 07: 3303 yards, 22 TD-18 INT, 65.1 comp % (510 yards rushing, 4 TD)
Jevan Snead - 08: 2762 yards, 26 TD-13 INT, 56.3 comp %
Tim Tebow - 08: 2746 yards, 30 TD-4 INT, 64.4 comp % (673 yards rushing, 12 TD); 07: 3286 yards, 32 TD-6 INT, 66.9 comp % (895 yards rushing, 23 TD)

And now, the rankings:
1) Sam Bradford: Here is the true question: Is Bradford a product of his system, or is he for real? He is a very accurate passer with a good arm and good instincts. He put up gaudy numbers last year with over 4700 yards and 50 scores. He is the most complete out of any of the QBs, and opens up as the pre-season No. 1 on this list. However, he has to keep up a similar pace to stay here. It's a bit unfair to expect the same numbers, but he has to keep his mechanics in place and remain consistent throughout the year.
2) Colt McCoy: He has exhibited a tremendous understanding for the game, making smart passes last year (for the most part). He improved his completion percentage and TD-INT ratio from 2007 to 2008, a clear sign that his game is improving from year to year. It'll be hard to take another leap in those categories this year, but consistency is the key for him as well. McCoy has also exhibited good mobility, as evidenced by his rushing stats, and if he stays healthy, he'll challenge Bradford for the top spot.
3) Jevan Snead: His numbers were not spectacular last season by any stretch, and he is far behind the other three in important categories that showcase decision-making skills (TD-INT ratio and comp %). But he has tremendous arm strength and is a year older in the Ole Miss system, something that cannot be underestimated. Snead has a chance to showcase his talent in a very good conference, and could benefit from having some of his toughest tests at home (the Rebels host No. 5 Alabama and No. 11 LSU). If Snead steps up his game, we could be looking at a clustered 1-2-3.
4) Tim Tebow: There's no denying that Tebow is one of the greatest college football players of our generation, and perhaps of all time, but he doesn't strike me as an NFL-type quarterback. He is very mobile, has displayed decent arm strength, can run through people unlike any quarterback in recent memory, and has displayed the grit and determination of champion. But does he fit the mold of an NFL QB? Not really. He'll make a fine fullback, a great special teamer, and a very good gadget player at the next level. But at the moment, Tebow doesn't strike me as someone who can play QB at the next level based on his style of play.

Pac-10's Top 10

While at USC football practice Thursday to watch Day 1 of the Matt Barkley era, I spoke at length with a former Daily Trojan colleague of mine, Dan Greenspan, who currently writes for CollegeFootballNews.com. Dan has contributed to this blog before, and this is not the last time his name will show up within its confines.

Dan and I discussed the 2010 draft for a little bit, and he laid out his pre-season Top 10 Draft-Eligible Prospects in the Pac-10 Conference. This is his list.

1. Taylor Mays, S, USC
2. Walter Thurmond, CB, Oregon
3. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona
4. Brian Price, DT, UCLA
5. Charles Brown, OT, USC
6. Syd'Quan Thompson, DB, Cal
7. Damian Williams, WR, USC
8. LeGarrette Blount, RB, Oregon
9. Jahvid Best, RB, Cal
10. Lawrence Guy, DL, ASU

My Take:
Mays is an all-world defensive talent who would have certainly been a first round pick in this past year's draft. With another solid year as the anchor of the USC defense, Mays very well could solidify a top 10 pick in 2010, and likely sneak into the top 5.

Gronkowski is a physical specimen at 6-6, 265, and continues to improve his game each year. He could end up being the first or second TE off the board overall when it's all said and done.

Blount and Best are a pair of talented running backs with tremendous skillsets. I think Best has the potential to rise up this list as the season progresses, and if he reaches his full potential. could be a top-20 pick overall in the 2010 first round.

College Football 2009

The 2009 college football season is just a few days away, and with it comes the beginning of more NFL Draft Talk. Yes, late April is still far off in the distance, but it's never too early to start prognosticating and predicting.

In addition, I will have a very unique perspective on college football this year. I'll be covering most of USC's games, including traveling to a majority of the road contests. And given that perspective, I'm going to use it to my advantage.

Any time I see someone play on television, or, more importantly, in person, who is draft eligible, I'm likely to throw up a post on GTMD and talk about that player/players. Stay tuned throughout the regular season for these posts.

Also, be sure to follow Grant Tunkel Mock Draft on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GTMockDraft.