| Randolph Charlotin. 25th November, 2009 - 11:40 am
 Much like the process of arranging a mock draft, the science of scouting isn’t perfect. Every measurement of weight, length or time doesn’t accurately forecast production on the field.
There isn’t a tool that measures effort. Desire isn’t quantifiable. Leadership isn’t secreted from a gland in the body. A player could score high on the Wonderlic test, but sports agencies prepare athletes with practice exams, throwing those results into question. Besides, being the smartest person doesn’t guarantee he will be a great football player.
And of course there’s the classic “it.” We don’t know what “it” is, but we know “it” when we see “it,” right?
As I prepared my 2009 mock draft, I was reluctant to put quarterback Matthew Stafford as the first pick overall to Detroit. The long list of needs, particular a porous offensive line, didn’t make the Lions look like the ideal place to bring along a rookie at the most important position.
But after viewing mock draft after mock draft, as well as the rumors saying Stafford’s selection by Detroit was a lock, I gave in and pushed Stafford to the top.
It took a lot of convincing. Some scouts didn’t rank Stafford as the best player in the draft. Some rumors claimed USC quarterback Mark Sanchez was preferred by certain teams. Other scouts said if certain underclassmen quarterbacks declared for the draft, they would had been rated higher than Stafford.
As a pro, the former University of Georgia Bulldog has gone through typical growing pains with the Lions in his rookie season. Stafford even suffered through physical pain after twisting his right knee against Chicago.
But Sunday against Cleveland, Stafford showed me something. On the penultimate play, He escaped the pass rush just long enough for a final heave to the end zone. On the play, defensive tackle C.J. Mosley got a clean hit on Matthew and he landed on his left shoulder.
Cleveland was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, but Stafford was hurt. Stafford held his left arm close to his body as he signaled to the sideline to get his replacement, Daunte Culpepper, into the game. With no time left and the game on the line, Stafford was out.
Fortunately Stafford got the chance he was hoping for. Before the snap, the Browns called timeout to settle on a defensive play. With the extra time to get over the initial pain, Stafford sucked it up and went back into the huddle. And with one healthy arm, Stafford completed a pass to tight end Brandon Pettigrew for the game-tying score. Jason Hanson kicked the game-winning extra point.
The bad news for Stafford is he has a separated shoulder and could miss the next game on Thanksgiving. But his 422-yard five touchdown performance earned respect and confidence from his teammates. Coming back into the game to play the final offensive snap showed toughness I didn’t know he had. And having the composure to make the play through the pain and under a lot of pressure displayed that Stafford has what it takes to become a winner in this league.
It’s no guarantee that his talent and intangibles will help Stafford develop into a top passer in the league. An almost unlimited number of factors could affect Stafford’s growth. But that performance could be the sign of a breakthrough for the young quarterback. If the Lions organization builds the right offense around Stafford, it looks like he has what it takes to use his tools right and be successful.
Don’t ask me exactly what Stafford has. Maybe Matthew has that indescribable “it.” Maybe it’s something entirely different. Whatever Stafford has, Detroit should be very happy to have Stafford as their quarterback.
Read more by Randolph Charlotin at his New England Patriots blog at RandolphC.com. He can be reached at talktome@randolphc.com. |
