Author's Note: Last year, before I became a Front Page Author, I posted a few pieces on the top college prospects at the very beginning of the college football season for '09-'10. This year, I wanted to do something similar but start it a bit earlier. There are roughly 22 positions (11 on each side of the ball) to focus on. Each week, leading up to the very first NCAA Football Game for the '10-'11 Season, I will take a look at one of the positions. Once I have finished reviewing every position, I will then start creating official college football discussion threads as a FanPost for those that care to talk about college football... or learn more for that matter; I know there were several people that benefited and learned quite a bit more about who was going to be entering the league this year. Each position will vary in the amount of players I cover. Number of players per position will range anywhere from 10-20 of the top prospects. I will be ranking them as to where I think they will be slotted in next years draft should they all enter. Mind you, these are just my opinions, but I feel that the rankings are going to be pretty close to the opinions of the rest of the Nation. I haven't seen any preseason player rankings yet, so it should be interesting to compare to once they come out.
This week, I will be kicking off this new segment with the Quarterback position... undoubtedly the most important position on the field. There are several young prospects at this position in the upcoming season that could pull in front of the other as it progresses. One thing is for sure, this years potential crop of quarterbacks seems on the surface to be a lot deeper than the one that just came out. In fact, the entire draft next year (depending on how many juniors declare) could be even deeper than the one we just had. This is certainly an exciting time to be a football fan.
This past draft was definitely interesting to say the least. Players like Tim Tebow who were slotted to go in the 2nd or 3rd Round got selected 25th overall by the Denver Broncos, and on the other side of the spectrum, a guy like Colt McCoy got selected in the 3rd Round when he was slotted to go toward the end of the 1st Round or Early 2nd Round. Point is, you just never know for sure where a player may or may not go in the draft.
Well, I feel that is enough introduction... after the jump, we'll take a look at the top NCAA Football Quarterbacks in order from 1-15.
1. JAKE LOCKER | 6'3", 226 LBS. | UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON - If Jake Locker would have declared for this past draft, it is hard to say whether or not the Rams would have gone with Sam Bradford. The pick could have gone the other way had Locker been in the picture. And the Jimmy Clausen's and Colt McCoy's could have slipped even further down the draft boards subsequently. Locker is coming off a career best season last year. He has the benefit of playing in a pro-style offense which will make him very appealing once entering in to the draft next year. (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2007 | 155 | 328 | 2062 | 47.3 | 6.29 | 98 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 105.01 |
| 2008 | 50 | 93 | 512 | 53.8 | 5.51 | 48 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 103.55 |
| 2009 | 230 | 395 | 2800 | 58.2 | 7.09 | 51 | 21 | 11 | 28 | 129.75 |
2. ANDREW LUCK | 6'4", 235 LBS. | STANFORD UNIVERSTY - Luck has a really good opportunity this year to pass Jake Locker to be considered the number one quarterback in the nation. All eyes will be on these two finely tuned missile-throwing machines. With the departure of Toby Gerhart (the nations leading rusher), Luck will have more responsibility and more opportunities to fly high above the rest of the competition. Team wins will play in to the equation as well as how good he can take on adversity. Andrew Luck will definitely be a quarterback to keep your eye on if you are unfamiliar with him. (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2009 | 162 | 288 | 2575 | 56.3 | 8.94 | 63 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 143.47 |
3. RYAN MALLETT | 6'7", 238 LBS. | UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS - I believe it was a very wise move for Ryan Mallett to stay for one more year. Some guys just need that. Not saying that Mallett wouldn't have still been a very high draft pick this year, but for developmental purposes, and maturity reason's, I think it was a great decision for him to remain a Razorback for another year. Mallett has a rocket of an arm, but he wasn't very consistent and was not the best in the accuracy department. If he can trudge through the season and stay relatively consistent, Mallett may surpass one of the top 2. The Razorback Quarterback was also originally a back up at University of Michigan before he transferred to Arkansas. (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2007 | 61 | 141 | 892 | 43.3 | 6.33 | 97 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 105.69 |
| 2009 | 225 | 403 | 3627 | 55.8 | 9.00 | 83 | 30 | 7 | 24 | 152.52 |
4. JACORY HARRIS | 6'4", 190 LBS. | UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI - A little on the skinny side, but don't let that fool you. This kid has all the tangibles and intangibles a head coach could possibly want. He shows great pocket awareness and is a true quarterback first and foremost. His athletic abilities are there as a secondary weapon for the offense. He's extremely mobile but hangs in the pocket until the very last second going through his reads and progressions before he scrambles. By the end of the year, he could be very refined and polished ready to potentially start in the NFL. (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2008 | 118 | 194 | 1195 | 60.8 | 6.16 | 41 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 125.77 |
| 2009 | 242 | 406 | 3352 | 59.6 | 8.26 | 69 | 24 | 17 | 34 | 140.09 |
5. ADAM WEBER | 6'3", 217 LBS. | UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA - Weber has started all three years up to this point for the Golden Gophers. He helped Eric Decker become one of the better rated receivers entering this past draft. He still has a few weapons at his disposal and I am sure will take full advantage this year. He shows excellent composure and great leadership during the game. He is a bit inconsistent as far as accuracy goes, but when he gets in to a rhythm, all bets are off. Weber could end up being a steal if he does in fact land as the 5th rated quarterback this year. He will need to have his best season to be slotted here but I have faith that he can get it done. (((Click Here For Higlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2007 | 258 | 449 | 2895 | 57.5 | 6.45 | 71 | 24 | 19 | 13 | 120.80 |
| 2008 | 255 | 410 | 2761 | 62.2 | 6.73 | 71 | 15 | 8 | 31 | 126.93 |
| 2009 | 191 | 367 | 2582 | 52.0 | 7.04 | 62 | 13 | 15 | 38 | 114.65 |
6. DAYNE CRIST | 6'4", 235 LBS. | NOTRE DAME - New Head Coach Brian Kelly recently said that an open competition would be held between Nate Montana (Joe Montana's oldest son) and front runner for the starting job Dayne Crist. While Kelly has said this, I think it is more of a formality than anything. Montana doesn't have the college experience to take the job from Crist who was there and filled in for an injured Jimmy Clausen a few times and looked extremely good doing so. However, Crist is coming off of a torn ACL and certainly has his work cut out for him. He very well could end up slotted higher or lower than this depending on how he does this year but I feel this is a good spot for him right now. (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2009 | 10 | 20 | 130 | 50.0 | 6.50 | 64 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 111.10 |
7. JOHN BRANTLEY | 6'3", 217 LBS. | UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA - Initial reports and speculation are that Brantley is actually set up to be a better quarterback at Florida than Tim Tebow was. If that's the case, he has the potential to put himself in contention for a top pick as a quarterback. If you are speaking in terms of talent, Brantley is hands down better than Tebow. He has a much quicker natural release, better accuracy, and more composure in the pocket. He is all around the board a better quarterback. The Gators should be much more feared this year than they were last year despite alot of their key losses moving on to the NFL on both sides of the ball. (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2008 | 18 | 28 | 235 | 64.3 | 8.39 | 38 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 163.00 |
| 2009 | 36 | 48 | 410 | 75.0 | 8.54 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 194.88 |
8. CHRISTIAN PONDER | 6'2", 219 LBS. | FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY - Ponder is a very intriguing prospect. He was banged up toward the end of the year but should bounce back this year and have an even better year than he was on track for last season. It wouldn't blow me away if Ponder threw for more than 3000 yards this year and threw for over 20 touchdowns. He has some very lethal weapons on offense to work with. Definitely a player worth taking note of. (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2007 | 8 | 18 | 105 | 44.4 | 5.83 | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 89.55 |
| 2008 | 177 | 318 | 2006 | 55.7 | 6.31 | 54 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 115.00 |
| 2009 | 227 | 330 | 2717 | 68.8 | 8.23 | 98 | 14 | 7 | 15 | 147.70 |
9. CASE KEENUM | 6'2", 210 LBS. | UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON - Houston runs a pass heavy offense and Case Keenum has racked up enough stats to build a skyscraper with. In his last two seasons, the Cougar Quarterback has thrown for 5000+ yards. He delivers the ball on time and with great touch. Keenum is definitely worth considering in the top 10 just due to his ability to lead his team. The Cougars only lost 3 games last year and in large part to this very gifted quarterback. Keenum, much like Ryan Mallett decided to return for one more year before entering the NFL Draft. (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2007 | 187 | 273 | 2259 | 68.5 | 8.28 | 86 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 147.61 |
| 2008 | 397 | 589 | 5020 | 67.4 | 8.52 | 84 | 44 | 11 | 25 | 159.91 |
| 2009 | 492 | 700 | 5671 | 70.3 | 8.10 | 58 | 44 | 15 | 16 | 154.79 |
10. STEPHEN GARCIA | 6'2", 219 LBS. | UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA - There wasn't much buzz around the Gamecocks Quarterback last year, but I found myself asking "why?"... "why is this kid not getting more recognition?". Anyhow, maybe he will get more attention this year. He certainly deserves it. He plays the game with extreme passion similar to that of a Phillip Rivers or Brett Favre type of guy. He leaves everything on the field and plays the game with as much heart as I have seen from anyone. He is a bit rough around the edges but if he can introduce his intangibles to the necessary tangibles this season, he's due for a stand out season. (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2008 | 65 | 122 | 832 | 53.3 | 6.82 | 41 | 6 | 8 | 15 | 113.68 |
| 2009 | 239 | 432 | 2862 | 55.3 | 6.63 | 80 | 17 | 10 | 37 | 119.33 |
11. RICKY STANZI | 6'4", 218 LBS. | UNIVERSITY OF IOWA - (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2007 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -50.00 |
| 2008 | 150 | 254 | 1956 | 59.1 | 7.70 | 59 | 14 | 9 | 22 | 134.85 |
| 2009 | 171 | 304 | 2417 | 56.3 | 7.95 | 92 | 17 | 15 | 23 | 131.62 |
12. TYROD TAYLOR | 6'1", 216 LBS. | VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY - (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2007 | 72 | 134 | 927 | 53.7 | 6.92 | 59 | 5 | 3 | 23 | 119.68 |
| 2008 | 99 | 173 | 1036 | 57.2 | 5.99 | 40 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 103.25 |
| 2009 | 136 | 243 | 2311 | 56.0 | 9.51 | 81 | 13 | 5 | 28 | 149.39 |
13. ANDY DALTON | 6'3", 215 LBS. | TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY - (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2007 | 222 | 371 | 2459 | 59.8 | 6.63 | 70 | 10 | 11 | 16 | 118.48 |
| 2008 | 182 | 307 | 2242 | 59.3 | 7.30 | 65 | 11 | 5 | 14 | 129.19 |
| 2009 | 199 | 323 | 2756 | 61.6 | 8.53 | 75 | 23 | 8 | 12 | 151.83 |
14. JERROD JOHNSON | 6'5", 243 LBS. | TEXAS A&M - (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2007 | 2 | 7 | 50 | 28.6 | 7.14 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 182.86 |
| 2008 | 194 | 326 | 2435 | 59.5 | 7.47 | 62 | 21 | 10 | 30 | 137.37 |
| 2009 | 296 | 497 | 3579 | 59.6 | 7.20 | 70 | 30 | 8 | 27 | 136.74 |
15. KELLEN MOORE | 6'0", 190 LBS. | BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY - (((Click Here For Highlights)))
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2008 | 281 | 405 | 3486 | 69.4 | 8.61 | 80 | 25 | 10 | 13 | 157.11 |
| 2009 | 277 | 431 | 3536 | 64.3 | 8.20 | 67 | 39 | 3 | 5 | 161.65 |
So there you have it... the top 15 quarterbacks through my perspective. Feel free to voice your opinions and certainly add other quarterbacks that missed my list but you feel are worthy. Thanks for reading.