 
It is not a strength for either Manning or Leaf. Former San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh
thinks today's quarterback should
be "more of a
6'2", 208-pound point guard, a Steve Young or a Jake
Plummer. Scouts say if you're
6'6" and 245, you'll be able to take a pounding. But
remember, a 245-pound passer will get hit twice as much as
a mobile passer."
Last year, the mean NFL quarterback
rating was 77.2. Of the six quarterbacks
6'5" or taller drafted in the first round since 1970,
only Jim Everett (78.6) had or has a career rating that
high
(chart, below).
Game tapes show both Manning and Leaf to be nimble enough
when forced out of the pocket, and Leaf's release is
especially
quick.
Tall Order
If Leaf and Manning make it big in the NFL, they'll
reverse a trend. Of the six quarterbacks standing at least 6'5"
who have been drafted in the first round since the 1970 merger,
only the Patriots' Drew Bledsoe has led his team to a Super
Bowl, and none has a career quarterback rating of 80 or better.
|
Player
|
Draft
Team
|
Draft
Year
|
Choice
|
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Starts
|
TDs
|
Ints.
|
QB Rating
|
|
Marc Wilson
|
Raiders
|
1980
|
15
|
6'6"
|
205
|
60
|
86
|
102
|
67.7
|
|
Jim Everett
|
Oilers
|
1986
|
3
|
6'5"
|
212
|
153
|
203
|
175
|
78.6
|
|
Vinny Testaverde
|
Buccaneers
|
1987
|
1
|
6'5"
|
227
|
132
|
175
|
183
|
72.8
|
|
Dan McGwire
|
Seahawks
|
1991
|
16
|
6'8"
|
243
|
5
|
2
|
6
|
52.3
|
|
Drew Bledsoe
|
Patriots
|
1993
|
1
|
6'5"
|
233
|
75
|
108
|
88
|
74.9
|
|
Kerry Collins
|
Panthers
|
1995
|
5
|
6'5"
|
240
|
38
|
39
|
49
|
65.3
|
Leaf's Case
Both Leaf and Manning put up impressive numbers last
year, but based on the NFL formula for computing quarterback
ratings, Leaf had the better season.
|
Player
|
Att.
|
Comp.
|
Comp. %
|
Yards
|
TDs
|
Ints.
|
Rating
|
|
Leaf
|
375
|
210
|
.560
|
3,637
|
33
|
10
|
107.4
|
|
Manning
|
477
|
287
|
.602
|
3,819
|
36
|
11
|
101.1
|
Photographs by V.J. Lovero (left), John Biever
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