Vernon Adams could be next in line of small-school NFL QBs

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Thought this deserved it's own thread. More good pub for VA and EWU.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000404372/article/vernon-adams-could-be-next-in-line-of-smallschool-nfl-qbs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's well established that a quarterback doesn't need to be from a major college program to find success in the NFL.


The list of QBs that rose from outside college football's power conferences -- or even Division I in some cases -- within the past decade or so includes Joe Flacco (Delaware), Colin Kaepernick (Nevada), Ben Roethlisberger (Miami Ohio) and Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois). The latest signal-caller trying to follow their lead is New England Patriots rookie Jimmy Garoppolo (Eastern Illinois), a second-round pick earlier this year who threw his first career touchdown pass Monday night in relief of Tom Brady.

Who could be next in the pipeline from the less-heralded ranks?

My list starts with Eastern Washington's Vernon Adams Jr.

...

 

[Rjones61]

Excellent article! I love the buzz that's starting to surround Vernon Adams. I doubt we will have a quarterback like him for a very long time. All only during his Junior year! We are going to have many NFL scouts in Cheney come 2015.

 

[dudeitsaid]

I just hope to heck VA sticks around for his senior season. I think we've got some solid back ups, but VA is a special player. The way TJ and BK left with all of the buzz surrounding them make me wonder, especially if the draft boards and NFL scouts really start showing a lot of interest.

Love seeing our players and school get the attention we are seeing these days. It's unprecedented for our school. We need to build on this momentum, and get something done facilities-wise that will keep us at the top for a long time to come.

 

[Rjones61]

I just hope to heck VA sticks around for his senior season. I think we've got some solid back ups, but VA is a special player. The way TJ and BK left with all of the buzz surrounding them make me wonder, especially if the draft boards and NFL scouts really start showing a lot of interest.

Love seeing our players and school get the attention we are seeing these days. It's unprecedented for our school. We need to build on this momentum, and get something done facilities-wise that will keep us at the top for a long time to come.

Yes, I hate to think this, but in terms of longevity our current talent isn't very sustainable. Our facilities don't bring in players. We aren't the top dog in Washington state, so we don't have the homer pride that the Montana's do. Hell, even our education system isn't enticing. Cheney isn't all that exciting (sorry guys, but it's not exactly a thrill ride for a young football player).

Baldwin and his coaching staff and our recent success are the only things that bring in talent. Where are we going to be when they decide to move on to bigger salaries? Without facility upgrades, I don't believe we are sustainable. In 4-5 years, we could easily slip back into a middle of the pack team.

 

[tomq04]

I just hope to heck VA sticks around for his senior season. I think we've got some solid back ups, but VA is a special player. The way TJ and BK left with all of the buzz surrounding them make me wonder, especially if the draft boards and NFL scouts really start showing a lot of interest.

Love seeing our players and school get the attention we are seeing these days. It's unprecedented for our school. We need to build on this momentum, and get something done facilities-wise that will keep us at the top for a long time to come.

Yes, I hate to think this, but in terms of longevity our current talent isn't very sustainable. Our facilities don't bring in players. We aren't the top dog in Washington state, so we don't have the homer pride that the Montana's do. Hell, even our education system isn't enticing. Cheney isn't all that exciting (sorry guys, but it's not exactly a thrill ride for a young football player).

Baldwin and his coaching staff and our recent success are the only things that bring in talent. Where are we going to be when they decide to move on to bigger salaries? Without facility upgrades, I don't believe we are sustainable. In 4-5 years, we could easily slip back into a middle of the pack team.

Are you suggesting that we are living in the Glory Days??!?!

 

[Rjones61]

Are you suggesting that we are living in the Glory Days??!?!

If we don't have facility upgrades, yes.

 

[EWUSigep447]

If we don't have facility upgrades, yes.

+1

 

[eaglesfootball]

I just hope to heck VA sticks around for his senior season. I think we've got some solid back ups, but VA is a special player. The way TJ and BK left with all of the buzz surrounding them make me wonder, especially if the draft boards and NFL scouts really start showing a lot of interest.

there's an outside shot VA could end up on an NFL roster if he has another strong year in 2015. TJ and BK are not good comparisons. in Jones case the shelf life of an NFL rb is not that long, so in that case it made sense. BK had already completed his degree and wanted to give the nfl a shot but in his case it would have made much more sense for him to play another year at the collegiate level. In the case of VA, I can pretty much guarantee he will be playing next year. Look at Garrapalo, Armenti Edwards, Flacco, Romo, all those guys played for 4 years in college.

 

[dudeitsaid]

I just hope to heck VA sticks around for his senior season. I think we've got some solid back ups, but VA is a special player. The way TJ and BK left with all of the buzz surrounding them make me wonder, especially if the draft boards and NFL scouts really start showing a lot of interest.

there's an outside shot VA could end up on an NFL roster if he has another strong year in 2015. TJ and BK are not good comparisons. in Jones case the shelf life of an NFL rb is not that long, so in that case it made sense. BK had already completed his degree and wanted to give the nfl a shot but in his case it would have made much more sense for him to play another year at the collegiate level. In the case of VA, I can pretty much guarantee he will be playing next year. Look at Garrapalo, Armenti Edwards, Flacco, Romo, all those guys played for 4 years in college.

I agree, that's what gives me the hope to see him back. Just seems that leaving early is becoming more and more frequent at the FCS level.

 

[tomq04]

If Baldwin and crew leave this year, might make sense for VA to take off as well...

 

[DefendtheRed]

I just hope to heck VA sticks around for his senior season. I think we've got some solid back ups, but VA is a special player. The way TJ and BK left with all of the buzz surrounding them make me wonder, especially if the draft boards and NFL scouts really start showing a lot of interest.

there's an outside shot VA could end up on an NFL roster if he has another strong year in 2015. TJ and BK are not good comparisons. in Jones case the shelf life of an NFL rb is not that long, so in that case it made sense. BK had already completed his degree and wanted to give the nfl a shot but in his case it would have made much more sense for him to play another year at the collegiate level. In the case of VA, I can pretty much guarantee he will be playing next year. Look at Garrapalo, Armenti Edwards, Flacco, Romo, all those guys played for 4 years in college.

I agree, that's what gives me the hope to see him back. Just seems that leaving early is becoming more and more frequent at the FCS level.

I can't think of many. West, the running back from Towson we played last year left early. Even at the FBS level you don't see guys leaving to the extent that you see in other sports, like college basketball. Now that is ridiculous.

 

[dudeitsaid]

I just hope to heck VA sticks around for his senior season. I think we've got some solid back ups, but VA is a special player. The way TJ and BK left with all of the buzz surrounding them make me wonder, especially if the draft boards and NFL scouts really start showing a lot of interest.

there's an outside shot VA could end up on an NFL roster if he has another strong year in 2015. TJ and BK are not good comparisons. in Jones case the shelf life of an NFL rb is not that long, so in that case it made sense. BK had already completed his degree and wanted to give the nfl a shot but in his case it would have made much more sense for him to play another year at the collegiate level. In the case of VA, I can pretty much guarantee he will be playing next year. Look at Garrapalo, Armenti Edwards, Flacco, Romo, all those guys played for 4 years in college.

I agree, that's what gives me the hope to see him back. Just seems that leaving early is becoming more and more frequent at the FCS level.

I can't think of many. West, the running back from Towson we played last year left early. Even at the FBS level you don't see guys leaving to the extent that you see in other sports, like college basketball. Now that is ridiculous.

Last year, there were a record 103 early departures for the NFL draft. At least four of those were from the FCS. It may be just remembering their was a high number of players leaving early, but I don't remember hearing much about FCS players leaving early for many years. Now it's about every year. But maybe I just didn't hear about it then. I'm having trouble finding info about early FCS draft declarations for past years.

In any case, I'd love to see him stay healthy, and play his senior season, and set records so high in the FCS, they may never be broken! :nod:

 

[luckyintheorder]

I just hope to heck VA sticks around for his senior season. I think we've got some solid back ups, but VA is a special player. The way TJ and BK left with all of the buzz surrounding them make me wonder, especially if the draft boards and NFL scouts really start showing a lot of interest.

Love seeing our players and school get the attention we are seeing these days. It's unprecedented for our school. We need to build on this momentum, and get something done facilities-wise that will keep us at the top for a long time to come.

Yes, I hate to think this, but in terms of longevity our current talent isn't very sustainable. Our facilities don't bring in players. We aren't the top dog in Washington state, so we don't have the homer pride that the Montana's do. Hell, even our education system isn't enticing. Cheney isn't all that exciting (sorry guys, but it's not exactly a thrill ride for a young football player).

Baldwin and his coaching staff and our recent success are the only things that bring in talent. Where are we going to be when they decide to move on to bigger salaries? Without facility upgrades, I don't believe we are sustainable. In 4-5 years, we could easily slip back into a middle of the pack team.

Are you suggesting that we are living in the Glory Days??!?!

:rofl: Rjones sounds like an old man. 20 something going on 70, Rjones? EWU has had good football teams at the FCS level for 20+ years. Baldwin didn't start with a bare cupboard when Wulff left and it certainly isn't bare now. The Eags are capable all over the field and even though it's nice to have freshman come in who can make a contribution, at the FCS level, coaches still need to evaluate players who can be grown into the players they need over the 5 years they get them. Don't disagree it would be nice to avoid the sine wave that has been a staple of EWU football (until recently) and a facilities upgrade would possibly make that easier, is it the end all be all? My Eastern Washington upbringing is probably showing. We make do.

Our athlete's fit a certain mold that I have seen in their communications on twitter and behaviors on the the field: god, family, team. Not sure that we want that to change too much. Open question for sure.

 

[Rjones61]

:rofl: Rjones sounds like an old man. 20 something going on 70, Rjones? EWU has had good football teams at the FCS level for 20+ years. Baldwin didn't start with a bare cupboard when Wulff left and it certainly isn't bare now. The Eags are capable all over the field and even though it's nice to have freshman come in who can make a contribution, at the FCS level, coaches still need to evaluate players who can be grown into the players they need over the 5 years they get them. Don't disagree it would be nice to avoid the sine wave that has been a staple of EWU football (until recently) and a facilities upgrade would possibly make that easier, is it the end all be all? My Eastern Washington upbringing is probably showing. We make do.

Our athlete's fit a certain mold that I have seen in their communications on twitter and behaviors on the the field: god, family, team. Not sure that we want that to change too much. Open question for sure.

I'm not saying we would turn into a bad team. I'm not saying we never had good teams. Before 2010, our program averaged playoffs every 5.7 years. Most of those years, we were bumped out in the first or second round. That's what middle of the pack teams do. They get a good team going, land playoffs as a bubble, lose early, then have to sit back a few years and rebuild the team. You're right, it wouldn't be the end all be all. However, we could easily fall back into the 90s levels. Only two playoff appearances in a decade.

 

[luckyintheorder]

:rofl: Rjones sounds like an old man. 20 something going on 70, Rjones? EWU has had good football teams at the FCS level for 20+ years. Baldwin didn't start with a bare cupboard when Wulff left and it certainly isn't bare now. The Eags are capable all over the field and even though it's nice to have freshman come in who can make a contribution, at the FCS level, coaches still need to evaluate players who can be grown into the players they need over the 5 years they get them. Don't disagree it would be nice to avoid the sine wave that has been a staple of EWU football (until recently) and a facilities upgrade would possibly make that easier, is it the end all be all? My Eastern Washington upbringing is probably showing. We make do.

Our athlete's fit a certain mold that I have seen in their communications on twitter and behaviors on the the field: god, family, team. Not sure that we want that to change too much. Open question for sure.

I'm not saying we would turn into a bad team. I'm not saying we never had good teams. Before 2010, our program averaged playoffs every 5.7 years. Most of those years, we were bumped out in the first or second round. That's what middle of the pack teams do. They get a good team going, land playoffs as a bubble, lose early, then have to sit back a few years and rebuild the team. You're right, it wouldn't be the end all be all. However, we could easily fall back into the 90s levels. Only two playoff appearances in a decade.

Would love to see the Eags maintain a high level of success. Another Natty this year and next would go a long way to getting fiscal commitments. Chicken, egg...