There was no doubt that quarterback Greg McElroy was going to end up with an NFL team, but many fans think he’d make a better executive than a player. They aren’t really knocking his athletic skills when saying this, but are praising the Rhodes Scholar finalist’s intelligence. The former Alabama quarterback surprised a lot of people when he aced the NFL’s Wonderlic test, which is used to test a football player’s mental aptitude, when he scored 48 out of 50 questions correctly during the 12-minute drill.
McElroy might be a bit on the small side at 6-foot2 and 220 lbs., but his many athletic accomplishments led many to believe he would have been selected higher than he was in the recent NFL draft, which was 208th overall, the fifth player taken in the seventh round by the New York Jets.
It was a pretty rich draft for quarterbacks, but it was still a bit surprising to see McElroy go so late. However, he was widely considered to be in the third-level of talent at the position with North Carolina’s T.J Yates and Idaho’s Nathan Enderle. This is mainly because he lacks the speed, arm strength, and size of the top prospects.
McElroy possesses some intangibles that coaches like though. He went 24-3 during his two years as a starter and he never sat out a game even though he suffered a variety of injuries including a concussion and fractured ribs. However, he couldn’t throw at the Scouting Combine due to a fracture in his right hand.
He also has the intelligence to run an NFL offense and wasn’t afraid to let it be known when he told the press he thinks he’s better prepared for the NFL than Cam Newton. He said he realizes he’s not as athletic as Newton, but not many people are, but he ran a professional -style offense in school and played under coach Nick Saban in an NFL-style program. McElroy said it wouldn’t be too hard for him to make the transition to the pros because of his college team’s style.
There are too many accomplishments to list for McElroy, but his passing accuracy is exceptional. His 2,987 yards set the single-season passing record and he threw 20 touchdowns in 313 attempts with just five interceptions for a 70.9 percent completion average at 222 for 313.
He might not have been the most talented quarterback in the draft, but McElroy’s the one to go with if you’re looking for somebody who work hard and who is willing to learn. He’s intelligent, stays out of trouble, and can read defenses very well.
For all of his accomplishments, it appears McElroy wasn’t given more consideration at the draft mainly due to his size and below average arm strength. Many scouts figure he can’t throw deep in the NFL, especially in the wind. Also, he didn’t stand out in any of the running and jumping tests. Of course, they could end up being wrong.
It’s not often you find a gem in the seventh round of the draft, but Tom Brady went 199th overall in the sixth round in 2000 and Bart Starr went 200th overall in the 17th round years ago. And don’t forget Tony Romo wasn’t drafted and Matt Hasselbeck went in the sixth round in 1998. McElroy could end up being a similar type player or proving his draft ranking was right. Only time will tell.
