Thursday, April 23, 2009

I'll never understand

Sometime in the fall, I remember laughing my ass off when seeing that Mel Kiper's top-ranked senior QB prospect was Purdue's Curtis Painter. Good call.

If we're talking about predicting draft status, though, I can't claim to have done a whole lot better. The guy that I (and most other college football fans) recognized as one of the best passers in the country -- Chase Daniel -- appears to be about as much of a draft afterthought as Painter, despite putting up another 4,000-yard, 38-touchdown season. On the flip side, a guy who no educated observer thought had a chance as a QB in the NFL -- Pat White -- has been hyped up to the point that it appears he'll be taken in the second round.

Look, I loved Pat White and the dynamic offense West Virginia was able to put together with White, Steve Slaton and Noel Devine. It's been fun to watch and it's changed the way offenses everywhere are designed.

On top of that, I do believe that White has the athleticism and speed to be an effective player somewhere. I could see him as a slot receiver or a kick returner, and he could be of value to a team that wants to give him a few snaps each game in the overhyped Wildcat formation. Colts GM Bill Poliani compared him to Kordell Stewart and Antwaan Randle El -- both valid comparisons, I believe -- but after playing in a modern version of a triple-option offense, you're telling me that a left-handed version of Tommie Frazier or the 2009 model of Antwaan Randle El is that valuable?

And that this guy ...



... won't be "anything other than a clipboard holder in the NFL?"

Whatever. I'll just file this away as reason No. 4,552,613 why I don't understand the NFL draft.

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