Geno Smith has not played a down of college football since December 29th as the once 5-0 Mountaineers lost to Syracuse in the lowly Pinstripe Bowl, ending their season 7-6 in a rough first year in the Big12.
None of that, however, has halted the rise of Smith’s draft stock. With rookie quarterbacks like Andrew Luck, RG3, and Russell Wilson making a major impact in their inaugural seasons, there has never been a greater demand for elite quarterbacks in the first round.
Unfortunately for NFL general managers, there has rarely been a field of quarterbacks as uninspiring as this one.
That is where Smith comes in as the former Mountaineer with a strong arm, solid athleticism, and good intangibles stands head and shoulders above the other quarterbacks likely to be selected in the first three rounds such as Matt Barkley (USC), Tyler Wilson (Arkansas), Landry Jones (Oklahoma), and Mike Glennon (North Carolina State).
Regarded by most scouts as an unexceptional, but solid, NFL prospect who will likely earn a late first-early second round grade, Smith may wind up as the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft on April 25th. Particularly with Andy Reid now at the helm in Kansas City, the chances are looking pretty good that Smith will be playing in Arrowhead Stadium next season.
However, if things go south with the Chiefs at number one, Smith can rest assured of a high selection with the Jaguars, Raiders, Eagles, Cardinals, Bills, and Jets all sitting in the top ten and potentially looking for a quarterback.
On Sunday, Breitbart Sports will be releasing our inaugural First Round Mock Draft and we will break down each selection and provide first class coverage of the upcoming draft.
Follow Cole Muzio on Twitter @ColeMuzio