So Ohio State Buckeye quarterback Terrelle Pryor has decided to forgo his senior year in college in order to enter the NFL. He hopes. And we think.
There is still the prickly question of whether the NFL will hold a supplemental draft or not. The league believes that the last CBA gave it permission to do so this year, while the players don't. And if the players don't then they could potentially throw that into their anti-trust lawsuit. Assuming that a deal hasn't been done by then.
Because (I know) there are various reports that suggest a new CBA could be a done deal as early as this weekend, while others claim it could be a month away but is very near completion. And all that needs to be fixed is the money. You know, that tiny bit of the agreement that has caused 99% of the problems so far.
My perspective is that I'll believe it when I see it and I'll wait for it to be announced as a official before I give any credence to any reports, i.e. I'm not really listening to anything in the various media because most of it is just pure guesswork that seems to be based as much on hard facts as the tooth fairy and Father Christmas.
Forgetting all that then, what about Pryor? Who is he and where might he end up?
Pryor the person is an odd one. Coming out of high school he was probably the most hotly recruited player since time began and expected to be a star in college. Having been highly successful at both basketball and football during his high school days, along with his 6 feet 6 inch frame and 4.4 second forty yard dash time it was believed that Pryor would be an outstanding athlete at the next level.
His career at Ohio State was good, but perhaps a little less magic than some might have thought. It's come in fits and spurts, including a Rose Bowl win and the MVP honor. But that's basically been the sole highlight. He certainly didn't achieve Tebow-esque levels of success.
And then in December the wheels fell off the cart.
Pryor, along with four other team mates, was informed that he would be suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season due to a sanction related to selling signed merchandise. There have also been numerous claims, and an investigation is underway, regarding inappropriate dealings with a car dealer.
For example the NCAA would very much like to know how a college student like Pryor was able to afford the Nissan 350Z that he once drove to a team meeting and practice session in. There are also issues regarding an alleged expired driving license.
So with that amount of off the field baggage trailing behind him there was only one place that Pryor could turn as he headed towards the NFL; agent Drew Rosenhaus. Rosenhaus has since claimed that Pryor will be a number one pick in the supplemental draft, when and if it goes ahead.
This, at least to me, sounds laughable. Then I remember that the Panthers used the first overall pick on Cam Newton.
I've had a look at Pryor now and basically my opinion is thus; he's slower than Newton in pads, less agile, throws worse, makes worse reads and handles the pressure from rushing defenders worse. In summary, I wouldn't even bother offering him a place in camp.
I just can't see what all the fuss is about. Pryor didn't strike me as overly athletic even at the college level. Not against half decent defenses at least. His throwing mechanics are hideous. And yes, I know Brett Favre got away with it but that's because Favre's mechanics at least outwardly resemble - at first glance - in low light - if you squint a little - what a quarterback should look like.
Pryor permanently looks like he's throwing a halfback option pass.
He just has nothing, not a single thing that I would say remotely suggests he will be of any use as a quarterback at the next level. He may just make JaMarcus Russell and Ryan Leaf look good. That's how bad it is.
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