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Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The NFL Draft has been a place for the Broncos to find many players at a multitude of positions. But disproporationately few have come at quarterback.
While current backup Bradlee Van Pelt is a product of the Broncos' draft, arriving as a seventh-round pick two years ago, the team's history has seen a majority of its defining quarterbacks arrive via other means. From Frank Tripucka's arrival with the expansion team after a standout career in the Canadian Football League to Jake Plummer's decision to sign with the Broncos as an unrestricted free agent, the Broncos have far more often than not found their passers outside of the draft.
To wit:
Charley Johnson, 1972-76: Acquired in a trade with the Houston Oilers.
Craig Morton, 1977-82: Acquired in a trade with the New York Giants.
John Elway, 1983-98: Acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Colts.
Jake Plummer, 2003-present: Acquired via free agency.
Brian Griese, a draft choice in 1998, started 51 games between 1999 and 2002.
But the Broncos' history at quarterback doesn't dull the draft's potential importance to building a passing stockpile -- and, really, to call Elway a non-draftee simply owes to the technicality of his arrival via trade. In addition, longtime backup Gary Kubiak was a 1983 draft choice.
With all that said, here's a look at some of the quarterbacks in this year's draft class.
AT THE TOP
For USC's Matt Leinart, the task when he became the starter for the Trojans was monumental: adequately replace the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NFL Draft (Cincinnati's Carson Palmer) while completing the one task left uncompleted by the Trojans under Palmer, to win the national championship.
He did that in his first season as the starter, did it again in 2004 while winning the Heisman Trophy and then took the Trojans to one more national-championship game this past January, returning to USC for his senior season in spite of rampant speculation that he would be the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.
"The mental part, the first day of fall(practice) install I learned more practically that day than I did the whole year before, with (USC offensive coordinator) Steve Sarkisian, who was with the Raiders two years ago and now he's back at SC," Leinart said. "I just grew overall -- mentally and physically. A lot of people say I'm 1,000 throws more experienced. Now I;m kind of getting kicked out of college and I'm ready to go."
Staying in school allowed Leinart to obliterate USC's record book, as he set 13 school records. His career touchdown-to-interception ratio was 99/23, his interception percentage of 1.85 percent was an NCAA record, and he completed 64.8 percent of his passes. But perhaps the most telling statistic was his record as a starter: 37-2, the best for any NCAA quarterback in over three decades.
Unlike Leinart, Vince Young didn't win the Heisman Trophy in his stellar career with the Longhorns, but he did snatch the 2005 national championship away from '04 and '05 Heisman winners Leinart and Bush in a memorable Rose Bowl game that saw Young turn in one of the signature performances in college football history. He passed for 267 yards, ran for 200 more and scored three touchdowns, including the game-winner on a 9-yard run with 19 seconds remaining to give UT the national championship.
Young was always a proficient runner; in fact, his 7.4-yards-per-carry average as a freshman would remain the best of his three years in Austin. But it was as a passer where his growth was most pronounced; his completion percentage went from 58.7 as a freshman to 65.2 as a junior, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio steadily improved, from 6/7 in 2003 to 12/11 in 2004 on to 26/10 last season. And like the afore-mentioned Leinart, Young was above all a winner, going 30-2 as the Longhorns' starter since ascending to the first team as a redshirt freshman in 2003.
Some have spoken of Young's unconventional throwing motion, but he doesn't consider it an issue.
"Sitting down with some of the coaches (at the Combine) and hearing the different things they've been saying about my throwing motion, is (to hear) that there's nothing really wrong with it," Young said in Indianapolis. "The media iss who keeps talking about the throwing motion. There's nothing wrong with the throwing motion."
All Jay Cutler did was bring his school achingly close to its first bowl bid in decades.
The going seems to be perpetually rough at Vanderbilt. Mired below .500 for a generation, the Commodores have still managed to produce their share of NFL players, but since 1982, they have failed to make a bowl game.
"I got it done without a lot of guys around me," Cutler said. "Nothing against those guys -- I love them to death -- but I didn't have All-Americans scattered across the field and I had to adjust, I had to deal with pressure. I had to deal with getting the ball into tight places, so I think it is going to help me going to the next level, dealing with adversity and being able to succeed through it."
The SEC's Offensive Player of the Year last year owns virtually every Vandy passing record of note, and finished the season with an impressive showing throughout Senior Bowl week in January. Cutler also showed a flair for the dramatic in leading two last-minute comeback drives in 2005. Three more last-quarter comebacks ultimately fell short when either the defense gave up the game-winning points or, in one case, a game-deciding field-goal try was blocked.
OTHER QUARTERBACKS OF NOTE:
Matt Baker, North Carolina
Brett Basanez, Northwestern
Corey Bramlet, Wyoming
Kellen Clemens, Oregon
Brodie Croyle, Alabama
Bruce Eugene, Grambling State
Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo
Justin Holland, Colorado State
Omar Jacobs, Bowling Green
Brandon Kirsch, Purdue
Joel Klatt, Colorado
Travis Lulay, Montana State
Ingle Martin, Furman
Reggie McNeal, Texas A&M
Erik Meyer, Eastern Washington
Barrick Nealy, Texas State
Drew Olson, UCLA
Paul Pinegar, Fresno State
D.J. Shockley, Georgia
Marcus Vick, Virginia Tech
Charlie Whitehurst, Clemson
I am in an IDP (Individual Defensive Players) keeper league, and I saw an interesting waiver transaction yesterday: One owner dropped LB Adalius Thomas (Ravens) and picked up RB Mike Bell (Broncos).
I discussed Bell yesterday from a general fantasy football perspective, but this was a unique fantasy football situation in my keeper league.
Bell was an undrafted rookie whom the Broncos have only named as their starter for now. Shanahan likes to do things like this to motivate his veteran players. While Bell could end up the starter at the beginning of the season, it is far from a sure thing. But you have to love the potential.
But what of Thomas? He is a solid LB who had the best season of his six year career last year, with 9 sacks, 2 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, and 84 tackles. He is no Ray Lewis, but he is certainly worth keeping, especially considering his last five games last year: 5 sacks (one every game), 1 interception (returned for a TD), 2 forced fumbles, and 31 tackles. Thomas is clearly a player on the upswing of his career.
Dropping Bell for Thomas? Bad move, unless Thomas is the worst LB you have AND you have to get rid of a LB due to roster limitations. Otherwise, find someone else to drop.
By the way, I picked up Thomas afterwards. Even though I already have a solid LB corps, with Zach Thomas, Derrick Brooks, Derrick Johnson, Bart Scott, and David Pollack. I could not resist Thomas when I saw his numbers from last year.
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