It is not going to end well for Johnny Manziel

Just going down the list of Super Bowl starters ... Brad Johnson was barely a starter at Florida State and had a pretty solid NFL career. Kurt Warner didn't start until his last year at Northern Iowa. Mark Rypien had a pretty undistinguished career at Washington State, was a sixth-round draft pick, and for three or four years was one of the top five QBs in the NFL.

And even though he was a high first-rounder, Phil Simms had mediocre stats his senior year at Morehead State (1,229 yards, 6 TDs, 11 interceptions). They ran a ball control offense and moved up to Division I-AA his senior year and finished 2-6-1. There were still a few teams that were high on him, though. One of them was the 49ers, who planned to take Simms in the second or third round. After the Giants took him at No. 7 overall, the 49ers moved on to Plan B -- some third-rounder from Notre Dame whose name has long since been forgotten.

 

There is a reason that Steve Spurrier Citrus Bowl joke is so funny.

What was the knock on Montana coming out, suspect arm and size?

 

Cocaine.

 

Here's one I found:
Joe Montana, QB, Notre Dame
“He can thread the needle, but usually goes with his primary receiver and forces the ball to him even when he’s in a crowd. He’s a gutty, gambling, cocky type. Doesn’t have great tools, but could eventually start.” – Anonymous scout, 1979
And a story.
San Francisco 49ers: Did Bill Walsh Really Target Joe Montana in 1979?

I know it is different today, I just find it hard to believe that Montana was some unknown quantity having led his team to a national title. He played in the Hula Bowl.

 

Also for years there were not many college teams who ran an NFL offense. Look at Troy Aikman. Was he bad at Oklahoma? He played games 12 as a sophomore and threw 47 passes. Then he went to UCLA where he threw more, but was surrounded by less talent.

 

We're seeing even fewer with the growth of the spread, not only in college, but high school as well.

 

He played at Notre Dame. There is no way he was an unknown quantity. Maybe that could be said about Phil Simms , but there's no way a guy at a top 10 school was unknown. He definitely wasn't the most physically impressive but everyone knew him.

 

Fewer than when many top college teams ran the wishbone and option?

 

The story I linked mention Wyche was down in LA working out James Owens and he asked Owens if he had someone who could throw to him. (The Niners liked to throw to their RBs) Owens called up Montana - who was visiting a girlfriend in town. Wyche came back saying the Niners should take Owens in the second round (no. 29) and Montana in the third. (The didn't have a first thanks to OJ). Owens was gone after two years after injuries took a toll.

 

OK. But you said it was hard to believe he was some unknown quantity. He wasn't. He just wasn't the most physically impressive
QB in that draft. Phil Simms was someone who could be called an unknown quantity,
or a couple years later, someone like Neil Lomax.

 

Ok, I still don't think he would last beyond the first round today (with the salary guidelines and all).

Weird draft though Jack Thompson (The Throwin' Samoan) at 3, Simms at 7, Fuller at 23 then Montana at 82.
Every QB drafted through the ninth round that year (except for Rick Leach who went to MLB) threw at least 7 TDs in their time in the league. The shortest career being 5 years.

 

Would be interesting. He was physically unimpressive. They didn't have the combine when he came out. He probably would have worse
combine numbers than a few guys he's better than.