Why Does the Southeast Produce So Few Elite Quarterbacks
By Ty Duffy
College scouts scout for college, thus a high-rating does not directly equate with NFL potential at quarterback, but it’s worth noting the Southeast produces significantly more four or five-star quarterbacks than any other region. Here are the totals from Rivals for 2002 to 2012.
Southeast: 77 (24 Florida)
West: 55 (40 California)
Middle America: 48 (36 Texas)
Great Lakes: 38
Bos-Wash: 5
Broken down by state.
Florida (24)
Virginia (11)
Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina (6)
Arkansas, Louisiana (5)
Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina (4)
Mississippi (2)
Seventy-seven of the 223 four or five-star quarterbacks are from the region, just under 35 percent. That’s roughly commensurate with the 40 percent of Top 100 recruits the SEC provides. Mandel raises points about how NFL-optimal that talent might be: Texas and California emphasize the passing game, more affluent kids train year-round and have quarterback coaches, Southern coaches might just let Tim Tebow-type kids dominate without instilling proper mechanics. Still, the region is sending out talent, that isn’t being developed for the next level. It’s worth a look at what happens in college.
Playing for an SEC program may not improve your chance for NFL stardom. LSU epitomizes the “SEC quarterbacks stink” argument. That wasn’t the result of the talent input. Miles signed six four or five-star quarterback recruits in the five years preceding the title game. Zach Lee left for MLB. Russell Shepard became a wide receiver. That left four highly recruited quarterbacks on the roster, three of them upperclassmen. You can also add Ryan Perrilloux and JaMarcus Russell (in the NFL) to that track record. Clearly, NFL grooming was not the central focus of Les Miles’ pitch that initially landed Gunner Kiel.
The Tigers had no quality quarterback. They also won the SEC title, and without a quality quarterback. Unstoppable, athletic quarterbacks – Newton, Tebow, Young – have achieved greatness, but the last dominant, prototypical passer destined for NFL success to win the BCS title was Matt Leinart in 2004, and his NFL career didn’t go as planned.
Elite quarterbacks are vital in the NFL, where play-making is essential on a comparatively level playing field. In college, Alabama and LSU win by making the playing field as slanted as possible by being bigger and faster on both fronts. They need elite linemen. They produce quantity and quality. A dreamboat quarterback is not essential (and not that valuable if the offensive line can’t keep the opposing defense out of his grill). Big SEC programs need functional quarterbacks. Not surprisingly, that’s what they most often produce.
[Photo via Getty]