Who here Agrees Matt Barkley is Vastly OverRated?

[LEBills]

RGIII is an elite talent who makes everyone around him better.

If you put the 2011 version of RGIII on the 2012 USC Trojans, they go 13-0 and win the National Championship.

Barkley on the other hand lost 4 games....

Barkley, like RG3, wouldn't have played defense for USC which was their biggest problem this year.

Not saying Barkley is RG3 or even close but I think you are overrating how good USC was this year.

[jrober38]

Barkley, like RG3, wouldn't have played defense for USC which was there biggest problem this year.

Not saying Barkley is RG3 or even close but I think you are overrating how good USC was this year.

They were the consensus preseason #1 and NC favorite because they're loaded with talent.

Then they finished 7-4 in games Barkley started despite playing only 2 games against ranked opponents, winding up unranked after his injury...

[LEBills]

They were the consensus preseason #1 and NC favorite because they're loaded with talent.

Then they finished 7-4 in games Barkley started despite playing only 2 games against ranked opponents, winding up unranked after his injury...

They have lots of talent but Monte Kiffin stepped down for reason, their defense couldn't stop teams when they needed to. And Lane was just awful all year too.

But with Barkley USC did put up as many points on Stanford as Oregon did, put up nearly 500 yards and 5 touchdowns against the ducks (and only got 131 yards rushing from his team compared to Oregon who ran for 426 yards). I'm not saying that Barkley was perfect or even that he is the second best QB prospect in this draft but its hard to put the losses squarely on Barkley.

[jrober38]

They have lots of talent but Monte Kiffin stepped down for reason, their defense couldn't stop teams when they needed to. And Lane was just awful all year too.

But with Barkley USC did put up as many points on Stanford as Oregon did, put up nearly 500 yards and 5 touchdowns against the ducks (and only got 131 yards rushing from his team compared to Oregon who ran for 426 yards). I'm not saying that Barkley was perfect or even that he is the second best QB prospect in this draft but its hard to put the losses squarely on Barkley.

Although I mentioned it, the losses don't bother me a ton.

I just don't like guys who play with elite supporting casts.

Reality is that his offensive line was still better than most in college football and USC still has a ton of good running backs who were highly recruited. Then the kicker is that he was throwing to two wide receivers who could start for most NFL teams right now.

Then I look at Barkley the prospect and I don't see anything special about him. Average arm, below average deep ball, decent but not great accuracy and ball placement and minimal mobility. The only thing he really has going for him is his intangibles. He seems to be a good field general but I'm not sure he's the type of player to go to the NFL and succeed immediately because he's going to have to adjust to the throwing windows getting considerable smaller than when he was throwing to Woods and Lee who were mostly being covered by guys who are never going to sniff the NFL.

I like guys who played with nothing around them and still 'looked' good. That's why I like Glennon. No supporting cast whatsoever and he got hit all the time, yet he stood tall in the pocket, went through his progressions and would consistently put the ball on the money regardless how much heat was in his face.

Small school guys are used to throwing into tight windows.

Guys with elite supporting casts around them are not.

[LEBills]

Although I mentioned it, the losses don't bother me a ton.

I just don't like guys who play with elite supporting casts.

Reality is that his offensive line was still better than most in college football and USC still has a ton of good running backs who were highly recruited. Then the kicker is that he was throwing to two wide receivers who could start for most NFL teams right now.

Then I look at Barkley the prospect and I don't see anything special about him. Average arm, below average deep ball, decent but not great accuracy and ball placement and minimal mobility. The only thing he really has going for him is his intangibles. He seems to be a good field general but I'm not sure he's the type of player to go to the NFL and succeed immediately because he's going to have to adjust to the throwing windows getting considerable smaller than when he was throwing to Woods and Lee who were mostly being covered by guys who are never going to sniff the NFL.

I like guys who played with nothing around them and still 'looked' good. That's why I like Glennon. No supporting cast whatsoever and he got hit all the time, yet he stood tall in the pocket, went through his progressions and would consistently put the ball on the money regardless how much heat was in his face.

Small school guys are used to throwing into tight windows.

Guys with elite supporting casts around them are not.

I understand what you are saying and I prefer guys from non traditional powerhouses too. What I'm saying is that USC isn't the same USC anymore. And really, Robert Woods isn't that good. Maruise Lee is amazing but his best game of the season they lost. And though they do get more separation than other WRs would I have seen Barkley make enough tight windows that I wouldn't say he cant do it in the pros.

I agree Barkley isn't special. Arm doesn't have enough velocity, not big, not fast but I think he could come in and be a good QB. Everyone says Andy Dalton and I think that is a very good comparison. Similar years experience starting, similar size, I like Barkleys arm a bit better and Andy has more mobility. And remember, though Dalton didn't have all star receivers he was in a great scheme, in a bad conference where he didnt have to thread a ton of needles. I do like Barkley's release, his arm really whips around well and I think he is mobile enough and his arm will be ok in the NFL. I would probably rate him a little higher than Glennon just because I think his lack of mobility will get him in trouble in today's NFL. Gotta love that arm though. Again look more into Tyler Wilson, right now he is my #1 qb.

[Buffalo716]

There is one huge difference with Barkley and other USC QB's. Barkley didnt have an all world offensive line and running game. The defense at USC also went from top 5 to very average all 4 years. Barkley went through some tough times at USC with the probation of the program also. I would guess Barkley is a little more prepared mentally then 1 year starter Mark Sanchez and 2 years starter Matt Leinart. Barkley is a 4 year starter.

So we can give Barkley a break a little, it was not the same USC talent other QB's played with. Yeah, the WR's are 1st and 2nd rounders, but many QB's drafted had WR's rated 1st and 2nd rounders. RG3 had 3 of them. Geno Smith has 3 of them also.

He has Very Good RB's and Offensive Line. He is playing with NFL players All around him

[Buffalo716]

Matt Barkley is a legitimate NFL prospect....not to just make a team, but start in the NFL.

To directly answer a few of your observations:

Soft: Hmmm....other posters recognize that he gets hit alot and it's not just because he lost Ryan Kahlil at LT this year, it's that he is willing to take the hit under pressure in Kiffin's down-field schemes that take time to develop. Alot of Marquis Lee's production is YAC; however, a considerable amount of the completions were well beyond 10 yard averages as measured by NFL standards. Can Barkley release quickly??? Sure, and he does in the bubble-screens, etc.etc.

Noodle-arm: Hmmm....guess you haven't seen enough USC games in his career to know that he has one of the strongest arms in the PAC-12, let alone the NCAA and is very accurate, with alot of "touch" on his passes.



He has all the intangibles and IS a leader on offense....no question. The best since Carson Palmer and regardless of what you think of Palmer of late, he was solid at USC.


Barkley is gritty, smart, and very competitive....don't doubt this kid, because he declined on going pro last year for a reason to win a National Championship and there was no lack of effort on his part. He had to outscore every opponent this year and did....yes, he has talent at WR but someone had to deliver the ball and he has done so since he became the starter.

He's progressed into a very good QB and held his own equally against Luck last year....great highlight film to accurately critique his true talent vs. maybe the best QB prospect of the last decade in Luck.

He has A Good arm for College. NFL Balls are Bigger. USC Preseason #1. Loads of talent. He will be better than Leinert, not Palmer. Who hasnt been good in years

[bonethugz83]

barkley will be a bust dont understand the hype behind this guy.

[George C]

If this team drafts Barkley, I quit!
His small hands won't cut it here, he's just another oooooverrated USC QB, just like the rest of the losers who can't cut it in the NFL that came before him...

[Buffalo90]

He has Very Good RB's and Offensive Line. He is playing with NFL players All around him

His offensive line sucks.

[LINDA_D]

Interesting point, I always though the same thing. Was it a factor of him being so young, not lifting enough? How did he develop his arm so late in life? Recall his underwear photo at the combine, looked like any other college kid.

Actually, he looked pretty spindly in that combine pic. He didn't seem to have all that good an arm in 2001 or 2002 but seemed to develop more power later.

[Buffalo716]

His offensive line sucks.

There is NEVER a Bad offensive Line at USC. They Build the Trenches. Just cus you dont know their names dont mean there not good. Its USC. Top 10 recruiting classes EVERY YEAR. Scoring like 40 points a game with a Bad O-Line haha

[SWBillzbacker]

He has A Good arm for College. NFL Balls are Bigger. USC Preseason #1. Loads of talent. He will be better than Leinert, not Palmer. Who hasnt been good in years

Ok....that was funny, even if it wasn't intentional.

FYI: NFL Footballs are the same size as the NCAA's....according to Wilson, the official supplier of the NFL since 1941.

The notion that NCAA Division I utilizes two different sizes wasn't even a concept and keep in mind that all of the footballs utilized in each game, are checked in 'pre-game' by an official, before they start the game(s).

It was a vicious rumor that supposedly implicated the equipment manager, according to blogs etc.....no evidence exists, in truth and didn't appease disappointed USC fans, whose season rested on any hint of a defensive presence in maintaining consistent leads Barkley produced at the helm of the preseason #1.

Gotta give him (Barkley) alot of credit for hanging-tough, taking shots from defenses and the media. Period.

[Buffalo90]

There is NEVER a Bad offensive Line at USC. They Build the Trenches. Just cus you dont know their names dont mean there not good. Its USC. Top 10 recruiting classes EVERY YEAR. Scoring like 40 points a game with a Bad O-Line haha

His offensive line sucks.

[SWBillzbacker]

Lastly about Barkley, I find it hard to fault a guy willing to fore-go a guaranteed TOP-10 pick just a year ago....in hopes to lead his team to another NCAA Championship at USC.

It meant something to him to stick it out and certainly anyone who voted for this team pre-season didn't expect the collapse and it truly wasn't for lack of effort on his part.

He had some bad games with talent....yet the majority of the games he had to produce at a high-level just to keep the Trojans in the game(s).


With any and I mean ANY production out of Monte's "Tampa-2" scheme(s)....this team should have had a shot at a title of at least the PAC-12; they put up 50+ on Oregon and still lost, for example.


Seriously....this kid hung tough this year.

In fact, throughout his collegiate career he reminded me of the demeanor/competitiveness of Matt Stafford and pocket-presence of Drew Brees.



Great potential to be a "polished" NFL starter, IMO.