[Remember to check the '2010 NFL Draft' section for all stories relating to the draft.]
The New York Giants have seemingly been on a mission the past couple of seasons to find and develop their own backup quarterback for Eli Manning.
In 2008, Kentucky's Andre Woodson was plucked in the sixth round. Last season, the Giants grabbed Rhett Bomar from Sam Houston State in the fifth round.
Woodson flopped and is gone. Bomar is clearly third on the depth chart with Jim Sorgi, the professional Manning caddy, who was signed away from Indianapolis to back Eli.
Would General Manager Jerry Reese use a late-round pick on a quarterback for third straight season? Highly unlikely with the other needs the Giants have, but you never know.
With that in mind I figured I would use the next post in our Daily NFL Draft Prospect Profile series on a quarterback, the first one I have done in this series. There probably is no better candidate for that than Jevan Snead, the quarterback from Mississippi -- the same school Eli hails from.
Snead is a guy who actually had a horrendous 2009 season and watched his draft stock plummet from first round to somewhere in the middle. Then, surprisingly, declared for the draft a year early anyway.
He fits the Woodson-Bomar profile -- guys who flashed collegiate talent, but for whatever reason had somewhat disappointing finishes to their college careers.
So, let's take a closer look.
Jevan Snead Scouting Reports
From SB Nation's Mocking The Draft.
Snead entered the 2009 season as one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation but he consistently struggled and turned in a season that left most under the assumption that he would go back for his senior year. However in a quarterback class that is gray in terms of who is at the top, Snead will hope that scouts and coaches will fall in love with his arm strength and high ceiling. The ability and physical traits are there, but the mental side of the game is far from developed despite playing two years in a pro style offense. Throughout his 20 interception season this past fall, Snead made too many poor decisions and did not keep his mechanics under control. He hasn’t even sniffed the 60% completion percentage tier and he will need at least a full year under NFL coaching before he can be thrown in to the wolves. He is a player that entered college as one of the top signal callers in the nation and has been recognized for his hard work on and off the field. A change of scenery and less pressure may be what the doctor ordered to get the potential out of him.
From Walter Football.
Why Jevan Snead made the decision to go pro makes me dislike him as a prospect even more than I want to because it was such a questionable decision. He had a terrible season (54%, 20 TD, 20 INT) and there was no reason for him to go pro when he could have used another year to improve his passing skills and draft stock. Snead is a developmental project whom some team is likely to gamble on between Rounds 3 and 5.
Player Comparison: Kyle Boller. I think Snead, like Boller, is going to be a career backup. Boller has great physical tools, but poor mental ones as a passer.
From DraftAce.
Strong arm; can make all the throws on the field. Has the complete package of physical tools you look for in a franchise quarterback. ... A very poor decision maker at this point in his career. Reckless with the football. Accuracy is below average.
Snead is talented, there's no denying that, but he needs a lot of work. He needed to stay in school for another year because the only way to for a player with his decision-making issues to develop is to simply learn by making mistakes. He could certainly develop into a quality starter in this league, but he's far from a sure thing. He would be a safe 3rd-round pick for a team willing to develop him over a year or two.
Why Snead fits with the Giants
Because the physical tools, and the big-time major college pedigree, are undeniable. The 6-foot-3, 214-pound Snead has all the physical attributes, and can reportedly make all the throws. Reese has proven stubborn in his desire to have the Giants draft and develop a backup for Eli. If the Giants don't think Bomar can become that guy is another late-round flier on a quarterback possible?
Why the Giants should pass
Because Snead appears to be one of those guys with a million-dollar arm and a $.10 head. He had a miserable junior season, largely of his own doing, and then made the highly questionable decision to enter the draft despite having seen his stock free-fall into near-oblivion. It takes more than physical skills to play quarterback in the NFL, and this guy does not seem to have the decision-making ability or judgment to succeed at a high level. Especially in a pressure-packed place like New York.
(E-mail Ed at bigblueview@gmail.com. Follow Big Blue View on Twitter.)