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http://www.theno rthernlight.o rg/2013/04/09/13-nfl-draft-in-need-o f-a-qb-well-sucks-to -be-yo u/

13 NFL Draft: In need of a QB? Well sucks to be you

Tho mas McIntyre

Quarterback has been the most vital position in sports since the f irst f orward pass was thrown. And as we transition into a league dominated by the air attack, the value of the guy under center is exploding. In the NFL, quarterbacks are as important as steroids and alcohol were in Breaking Bonaduce. T hey spawn greatness. A team without a stud quarterback is never complete. It takes more to mask and overcome bad quarterback play than it does poor pitching or erratic goaltending. We havent seen a Super Bowl champion who didnt have an above average passer in ten years. T he Tampa Bay Buccaneers won it in 02 with Brad Johnson (he was better than you think) and made up f or Johnsons f laws by f ielding one of the greatest def enses ever. Two years bef ore the Bucs, the Baltimore Ravens employed the same strategy to compensate f or the f ace of mediocrity, Trent Dilf er. If your quarterbacks a bum, you better have a historically powerf ul def ense. Good luck. Every April the NFL draf t comes around and we see desperate teams reach on overhyped quarterbacks in hopes that theyll pan out. Death, taxes, and Christian Ponders coming of f the board way too early; those are lif es certainties. I dont want to jinx it, but the 2013 NFL Draf t might strap the reach-happy trend to a rocket and send it into orbit. T he ratio of teams that need quarterbacks to f aulty quarterbacks available in the draf t is promising. Were in f or a good one. Having blasted this years crop of throwers, I must say this: the class isnt that awf ul. Much like every other position in the draf t, there simply isnt a bona f ide tier one set of quarterbacks. T here is no Robert Grif f in III or Andrew Luck, but there are a lot of intriguing options. Intriguing: get used to hearing the word intriguing. Please dont make a drinking game out of it, though, or else youll end up like my man Danny Bonaduce. I now present to you the top f ive quarterbacks of the 2013 class, in a very particular order (really intriguing to slightly a little intriguing). Geno Smith, West Virginia: Smith has separated himself f rom the pack. His college production was somewhat inf lated, but his tape backs up the numbers. He can throw the whole route tree and has a gun f or an arm. T he red marks on Smith come f rom him not being a natural passer. Hes gotten by with sloppy f ootwork and mechanics. Both areas can be coached. Its also hard to predict how hell adapt to a pro-style of f ense, especially when it comes to making pre-snap reads. Smith will be taken within the f irst ten picks. His imperf ections are outweighed by his potential.

E.J. Manuel, Florida State: Manuel is so intriguing. His size/ arm/athleticism combo is what reels you in. And hes the only quarterback whos suited to play in the Pistol and read-option of f enses. Manuel and Smith are hanging in the same boat (no 2005 Minnesota Vikings). T heyre the two most interesting prospects, but raise concern because of their technique. Manuel is f arther away f rom becoming a f inely tuned passer. Invest enough time in this project and he could turn into a dynamic starter. Some quarterbacks transcend scheme f it, most dont. Manuel f alls in with the latter. I think the Philadelphia Eagles will hold on tight to their rabbit f eet and hope hes there in the early second round. Chip Kellys system is begging f or Manuel. Ryan Nassib, Syracuse: Nassib is a less polished and less intelligent Matt Barkley but with a bigger arm and better mobility. T he upside is there f or him to evolve into a reliable starter. Nassib made plays in college using his legs that probably wont work out f or him in the league. However, he doesnt seem to mind trading a completed pass f or a spear f rom a linebacker, and you have to admire/value that. Matt Barkley, Southern Cal: T his has been a long time coming f or Barkley, whos been groomed to play quarterback all his lif e. T he Barkley story will show us how f ar a kid can go without having any real physical advantages. Barkley is a hair undersized, lacks athleticism, and doesnt get much heat on the ball. Hes countered these issues with stellar mechanics and a high f ootball IQ. Best case f or Barkley: he winds up in a modif ied West Coast of f ense that calls f or him to make a bunch of quick timing throws out of three-step drops. Unless he expands his arm range/power, hell spend most of his career in second place on the depth chart. Mike Glennon, N.C. State: As a prospect, Glennon reminds me of Ryan Mallet without the tude, which isnt necessarily a good thing. Both guys are giants who stay f irmly planted in the pocket and sling bullets. Glennon has to get his ball placement under control especially when throwing with def enders at his f eet. He could also use some work in the decision-making category. Glennon is being compared to Joe Flacco enough to trick a team into doing something crazy. Its very realistic to think the Arizona Cardinals could be that team. T he Cards acquired Carson Palmer last week. I think they need a quarterback. Palmer will act as a bridge to the f uture. Itll take a little time and elbow grease to turn Glennon into a real quarterback. Id project Glennon as, at best, a poor mans actually, more like homeless mans Joe Flacco. Were most likely looking at the next Derek Anderson. Tyler Bray, Tennessee: Bray is the wild card. He doesnt do many things well, but he has a cannon attached to his right shoulder. If only teams were able to draf t Brays arm and connect it to a dif f erent body and mind. T hat arm would be a top f ive pick.