Matthew Stafford Scouting Report

NFL scouts have been drooling over Stafford for years, and they will finally have a chance to snatch him up at the next level later this month. As a freshman playing part-time in 2006, Stafford struggled, throwing seven touchdowns and 13 interceptions. But he raised his game in 2007, tossing 19 touchdowns and cutting his interceptions down to 10. The pre-season No. 1 Georgia Bulldog did not live up to expectations in 2009, but Stafford still had a solid--if unspectacular--junior campaign, throwing for 3459 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 picks. He is so blessed with talent, however, that scouts are probably not too concerned with numbers. Stafford is a standout athlete with arm strength that is rarely seen in the ranks of college football. He can throw deep balls on a dime that most other quarterbacks would be embarrassed to even attempt. Perhaps the one knock of Stafford is his scrambling ability, but that should improve considering he possesses deceptive open-field speed. His pedestrian 40-yard-dash time does not jump off the page, yet he is unafraid--and quite capable--of tucking the ball away and running effectively with it. His decision-making has been called into question, but it's a result of his confidence that he can make any throw in the business. Stafford also enters the NFL with no off-the-field issues of any kind. He will be the first QB taken and there's a good chance he will go No. 1 overall to the Lions if they don't trade for Jay Cutler.