DraftAce Top 25: Week 6

Not too many changes this week, but the one big mover was Miami. After last week's loss to Virginia Tech I thought Miami was a fluke. Their win over Florida State no longer looks impressive and the Georgia Tech victory doesn't mean all that much. Defeated Oklahoma was impressive however. Clearly this isn't the same Sooners team that we were expecting to see in the preseason, but they still have a dominant defense and a balanced offense and are still a legitimate top 20 team. With an easy remaining schedule, the Hurricanes could potentially run the table (but realistically they'll probably lose to Virginia and derail all the talk that The U is back).

Oregon also climbs back into the top 10 this week. At this point in the season you have to start forgiving early season losses, especially road losses. A road loss to a ranked opponent on opening weekend doesn't mean that much at this point and Oregon is cruising along right now.

I've also finally moved LSU into the top 25. I'm still not sold on the Tigers as a national title contender, but their defense was dominant against Georgia. We'll find out next week against Florida just how good the Tigers really are.

I couldn't believe last week that Auburn wasn't ranked in the polls. No, they aren't a threat to win the SEC, but their offense is much improved and their defense is at least adequate. Oh, and they're undefeated. How can you rank similar teams such as Ole Miss ahead of Auburn despite bad losses?

Sneaking into the top 25 this week is Wisconsin. Now, I don't really like the Badgers, but you have to give credit where credit is due. They haven't beaten anyone of note, but they are undefeated and John Clay has emerged as one of the most powerful running backs in the nation. If they pull off an upset over Ohio State next weekend they'll shoot up the rankings.

Early Quarterback Rankings

1. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
Despite the shoulder injury, this is a no-brainer. Bradford was simply unstoppable in 2008, having arguably the greatest statistical season for a quarterback in college football history. Stats don't mean everything, but Bradford is the real deal. He has prototypical size and a great arm but more importantly, he has the accuracy. Size and arm strength is all you need to be a 1st-round pick (see: Russell, JaMarcus) but when you combine that will elite accuracy you get a future star. There's still plenty of time for things to change, but Bradford could be the most highly touted quarterback prospect since the two can't-miss prospects of '98 (Manning and Leaf).
NFL Comparison: Tom Brady

2. Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
No player has increased his stock more this season than Clausen. He's easily having the best season of any quarterback in the country and has made major strides since his sophomore campaign. Last year Clausen showed he had an arm, but he looked like a guy who was just chucking it down field and letting his receivers make plays. This year he's more disciplined. He's competing 65 percent of his passes (up from 60 pct in '08) and has thrown just one interception (17 in '08). If both he and Bradford leave school early there will definitely be a split opinion as to who should be the first quarterback off the board.
NFL Comparison: Phillip Rivers

3. Colt McCoy, Texas
There is a huge dropoff from Clausen and Bradford to McCoy. He's a solid prospect, but I do not view him as a 1st-round lock. He doesn't have great size, he doesn't have a great arm and he doesn't have the football smarts to make up for it. Despite being a 4th-year starter, McCoy has really struggled to be patient at times this year. He's made far too many bad mistakes and he simply hasn't shown the improved that you'd expect from a 4th-year starter with as much experience as McCoy. So far, his stock is falling but there are certainly enough big games left on the schedule for McCoy to make up for some early season mistakes and close his career on a high note.
NFL Comparison: Trent Edwards

4. Jevan Snead, Ole Miss
Entering this year some expected Snead to challenge Bradford for the top spot but he's done the exact opposite. Snead looked great last year behind a dominant offensive line anchored by Michael Oher. This year, behind a shaky line, he's struggled to regain that form. He's looked like a deer in headlights at times and has suffered from happy feet in the pocket. Its early though, and I'm going to give him time to get comfortable behind his new line before dropping him too far in the rankings.
NFL Comparison: Jake Delhomme (not the 2009 version)

5. Tony Pike, Cincinnati
Pike, a virtual unknown entering the 2008 season, has become a popular late-1st-round pick projection. He has the prototypical size to play in the NFL, and decent athleticism to go with it. I'd actually like to see Pike use his athleticism less and stay in the pocket more. He can make plays out of the pocket at the college level, but that won't be the case in the NFL. He needs to work on his patience and his ability to stand in there as the pocket collapses around him.
NFL Comparison: Derek Anderson

Best of the rest:
6. Tim Tebow, Florida - a work in progress, but has the size and athleticism to develop into a starter
7. Tim Hiller, W. Michigan - Great size, but prone to making bad decisions
8. Dan LeFevour, C. Michigan - A great athlete, but too careless with the football
9. Jarrett Brown, West Virginia - Having a breakout senior year
10. Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State - Has some skill, but doesn't play in an pro-style offense