Quarterback

Florida State

6-2 229

Draft Board Overall Prospect Rank: #130

Draft Board Overall Quarterback Rank: #7

Overall rating: 61 (late 4^th)

40 time: 4.67

2/16/11: Christian Ponder’s stock is on the rise after the Senior Bowl. Ponder silenced his critics who said he wasn’t healthy, but he failed to silence his critics who said he doesn’t have the arm strength to be an NFL caliber quarterback. Everything 15 yards out in the Senior Bowl was horrible, just as it was on the few occasions he tried anything long at Florida State, in their dink and dunk offense.

Everything 15 yards or closer was very impressive however and most impressive was how good his footwork and timing were. He didn’t play under center a lot at Florida State, but he had the under center footwork down very well for his age at the Senior Bowl. He appeared very well coached. His timing was also impressive because he had only been working with those receivers for a few days. He was accurate and threw guys open and maybe believe he could be a starter in a West Coast offense.

I still don’t believe he’s a starter. His arm is just too weak. He can be a solid backup. He’s cerebral, well coached, and has a strong grasp of the fundamentals of the short game, but he’s going to throw too many picks when he has to force things downfield. He’s got solid mobility and can scramble better than average quarterbacks and his pocket footwork is very refined for his age, as he displayed at the Senior Bowl, but he’s too inconsistent downfield. He was inconsistent downfield all year and during the Senior Bowl. His deep ball is limp and slow.

NFL Comparison: Charlie Frye