"Small school" Quarterbacks in the NFL

[LondonBrown]

This seems to me to be the main knock on Wentz. I have heard some scouts will let it put them off but then you listen to someone like Greg Cosell that says it's irrelevant, that Wentz mastered his offense more so than Goff.

My college knowledge is limited, what would be classed as a small school isn't clear to this Englishman so I wondered if you looked back over last 15 years or so, have QB's from small schools struggled or not? Especially any taken in the first round.

[AU165]

Joe Flacco comes to mind being from University of Delaware. I'd also consider Blake Bortles from a "Small" school being from UCF. along with Big Ben coming from Miami Ohio.

[The Gipper]

@londonbrown said:

This seems to me to be the main knock on Wentz. I have heard some scouts will let it put them off but then you listen to someone like Greg Cosell that says it's irrelevant, that Wentz mastered his offense more so than Goff.

My college knowledge is limited, what would be classed as a small school isn't clear to this Englishman so I wondered if you looked back over last 15 years or so, have QB's from small schools struggled or not? Especially any taken in the first round.

There are several classifications of College football schools in this country, broken down sort of like this:

1. Power5 Conferences: ACC, Big Ten, Big Twelve, SEC, Pac 12

2. "Mid Majors".....this is more of a basketball term, but it applies to the likes of the MAC, MWC, Conf. USA schools etc. They are still FBS (or Division 1 on old terminology.

3. FCS....or Division 1AA in old terminology

4. Division II

5. Division III

Probably 90+ percent of NFL players will come from the schools in the first two designations....but other players from the "smaller" schools can certainly do quite well on occasion.

Now, to your question:

Here are some QBs from the past 15 years say that have come from these lower level schools:

1. Ben Roethlisberger, Miami Oh. Which falls in the mid major category

2. Joe Flacco. Delaware And FCS school....though he transferred in there from Pitt which is a P5 school

3. Ryan Fitzpatrick. Harvard....which plays at the FCS level

4. David Garrard. East Carolina....Mid major

5. Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich...Marshall, also mid major

6. David Carr/Derek Carr....Fresno St......mid major

7. Colin Kaepernick...Nevada...mid major

8. Josh McCown...Sam Houston St. FCS level

9 Tavaris Jackson...Alabama St. FCS

10. Tyler Thigpen...Coastal Carolina. FCS level.

11. Tony Romo....Eastern Illinois...FCS level

Some other QBs from "smaller schools", retired guys:

Brett Favre...Southern Mississippi Mid major

Kurt Warner.....Northern Iowa FCS

A couple of guys you may know did go to truly small colleges....Division III level:

Dave Kreig.....Milton College.....and I don't think this school actually exists anymore

Ken Anderson....who may make HOF someday. Augustana College which is D-III

Steve McNair...Alcorn A&M....FCS level

Ron Jaworski....Youngstown St. FCS level now.

Brian Sipe....San Diego St. mid major level.

Neil Lomax...Portland St. Big Sky conf. FCS

Now, Wentz goes to North Dakota St. Which is in the Missouri Valley conference. Jaworski's Youngstown St. Warner's Northern Iowa, perhaps Romo's Eastern Illinois (or they may be Ohio Valley Conf......same level as Missouri Valley.) are in that same conference.

So, the point is, that level has and can produce quality QBs. Warner will likely make HOF....so it can be done.

But, sure...more often than not, the P5 schools will produce more NFL top QBs.

[The Gipper]

Or, perhaps I didn't answer your question.

Since 2000 42 QBs have been drafted in the first round. I count just 9 of them as not being from one of the P5 schools:

Bortles UCF...mid major

Flacco....Delaware...he is actually the ONLY one drafted from FCS or below (but remember, he transferred from a P5 school)

Ben R. Miami Oh.

JP Losman and Patrick Ramsey....Tulane Mid major

Leftwich and Pennington...Marshall....Mid major

Carr/Carr...Fresno St. mid major.

Three Super Bowl wins plus another loss out of this group.

[hoorta]

Gip, you get your Gold Star for the day pulling up all that research.

The question regarding Wentz, other than he played at North Dakota State is- he didn't play very much. Only started 2 seasons, and got knocked out for 1\2 of one of them with a broken wrist.

Certainly has ideal size and the arm.

[The Gipper]

@hoorta said:

Gip, you get your Gold Star for the day pulling up all that research.

The question regarding Wentz, other than he played at North Dakota State is- he didn't play very much. Only started 2 seasons, and got knocked out for 1\2 of one of them with a broken wrist.

Certainly has ideal size and the arm.

Of course, that is all another story. It doesn't matter where he came from......a guy can come from a log cabin, or an apartment in Honolulu. And he can look like a mangy bulldog. The question is: Can he lead this nation to victory?

[LondonBrown]

Superb Gip thanks for that

[Westside Steve]

Somebody mention the pride of the University of Akron Charlie Frye?

WSS

[StinkHole]

Louisiana Tech a school you don't hear much about.

[The Gipper]

@westside-steve said:

Somebody mention the pride of the University of Akron Charlie Frye?

WSS

I think he was asking about 1st rounders and QBs that have had some success. Sorry Charlie, your name is not called in either event.

[The Gipper]

@stinkhole said:

Louisiana Tech a school you don't hear much about.

Yes, Terry Bradshaw. That was going back a bit further than I was relating....though I guess I did mention Anderson (because he was from D-III)

Others if you want to go back that far:

Frank Ryan....Rice mid major now.

Fritz Pollard...Brown (going back to original 1920 season)

Sid Luckman...Columbia

[Mike H]

If Wentz had had his growth spurt before his senior year and played QB before that final H.S. season, I bet he would have been recruited by DI and probably P5 schools.

[The Gipper]

@mike-h said:

If Wentz had had his growth spurt before his senior year and played QB before that final H.S. season, I bet he would have been recruited by DI and probably P5 schools.

Quite possible.

I mean, look at a few things: How did Khalil Mack get overlooked by P5 recruiters? And others.

[The Gipper]

VesnaKociper said:

I was insistant on DeAngelo WIlliams at the time.

Paxton Lynch. That's the pick.

Memphis may be considered one of those "Mid majors" when it comes to football. It is in the American Athletic conference. Really the one just outside the P5: with Cincinnati, Houston, Tulsa, Tulane, Temple, South Florida, Central Florida, East Carolina, etc.

It is really not much of a step down from the P5.

[Flugel]

@hoorta said:

Gip, you get your Gold Star for the day pulling up all that research.

The question regarding Wentz, other than he played at North Dakota State is- he didn't play very much. Only started 2 seasons, and got knocked out for 1\2 of one of them with a broken wrist.

Certainly has ideal size and the arm.

North Dakota State won 2 consecutive National Championships the 2 years Wentz started at QB, which doesn't suck either. That said, I think they've won something like 5 in a row and they now have a total of 13 National Championships.

[One Post]

@stinkhole said:

Louisiana Tech a school you don't hear much about.

Oh ya! That's right Goddamn! Why didn't anyone else think of the Duck Dynasty guy?!