Brady Quinn or Troy Smith?

Alright, I need to go on record here, because with the exception of Stewart Mandel, I think the whole world is going crazy. So mark my words: Troy Smith will be a better NFL quarterback than Brady Quinn.

Despite the fact that Quinn will be drafted in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft and Smith will not, and despite being four inches shorter than Quinn (who's 6'4"), Smith is a better NFL prospect. Why? Because height aside, Smith tops Quinn in every QB category. He's faster, stronger, smarter, and is just a better athlete than Quinn. Additionally, Smith has actually won the big games (Michigan, Texas, Notre Dame) and can back it up with a 25-2 record and a Heisman Trophy to boot. (What big games has Quinn won?) Moreover, anyone who followed Smith on and off the field last season knows the the maturity he possesses as a player and a person well beyond his 22 years of age. On the contrary, we've all seen how exasperated Quinn gets when he throws a bad pass, never taking the blame.

Somehow, despite these truths, everyone is automatically heralding Quinn as one of the top draft picks while Smith is being relegated to the third or fourth round. I understand that height is key for NFL quarterbacks, but does Quinn's four extra inches truly trump his relative weaknesses and give him an obvious advantage over Smith?

Not everyone thinks so. Rob Rang, a senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, said that the size issue is minimized by the fact that Smith has legitimate arm strength and accuracy.

"Drew Brees is the same size and he was arguably the NFL MVP this season," he said. "Michael Vick is 6'1", but not by much. Doug Flutie was successful. I don't think it's quite the problem that some make it out to be."

"He's probably a third-round pick," said NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock. "But I think that two to three years from now, he's so athletic and smart and tough, he'll have an opportunity to play. He has an NFL arm, and I think he's come further than any quarterback in college football over the last three years."

As for Quinn, Mayock had this to say.

"To me, there's one issue with Brady Quinn, and I've watched just about every game tape," he said. "I run the tape back about eight times and say, 'Why did he miss that throw?' He misses a couple wide-open receivers every game.

"In the NFL the windows get smaller, not larger. There's an accuracy issue, which I believe is real. Then there's a perception he's not a big game player."

Yes, it's all about perception. Give Smith and Quinn a few seasons and we'll judge the accuracy of my soothsaying.