Sugar Bowl - Russell vs. Quinn

I'd like to award the MVP of the Sugar Bowl to the BCS at-large bid of Notre Dame.

Seriously, who the hell thought this was actually going to be a game? Notre Dame got smoked by the only two teams in LSU's class that they played this year. I can only hope this spanking combined with their 9 straight bowl losses will prevent the BCS from giving them automatic bids in the future.

I said going into this game that this would be a great showcase for the NFL scouts to see the two best QB prospects go head to head. Now the playing field wasn't exactly even as LSU's defense was far superior and LSU was essentially playing a home game, but even then Russell looks to be the much better prospect. This could give him a Vince Young type catapult into a top draft spot in the 2006 draft. He has an absolute cannon for an arm and also possesses deceptive mobility given his 6'6, 230 pound frame. The situation between these two QBs is eerily similar to Leinart-Young last year. Quinn, like Leinart, played in a very pro-friendly offensive system surrounded by quality WR talent. He's a pure pocket passer and spent several years underneath a coach with NFL experience. Russell, like Young, has outstanding raw skills, albeit he's not nearly the threat Young is running the football. Quinn is better than he played tonight, although his struggles this year against the three quality defenses he played is cause for concern. 24-48, 234 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs versus UM, 22-45, 274 yards, 3 TDs versus USC, and 15-35, 149 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs versus LSU. Still, he remains a quality QB prospect, although probably a bit overrated.

I'm sure scouts from the Raiders and Lions were watching this game intently. Russell could breathe life into an Oakland offense desparate for a QB of the future and into the suicidal fan base. The Raiders defense really came into its own this year, so there's no doubt in my mind they'll look for offense come draft day. Andrew Walter is not the answer, and Aaron Brooks suffers from some sort of mental retardation. Promises of drafting Russell might keep Moss interested in staying in Oakland, although it's probably too late. Moss is a much better fit on a team primed for a playoff run than a young, rebuilding team anyways. I don't think he'd be any good for Russell's development. Since Jerry Porter is as good as gone, if Moss leaves that will leave the Raiders bereft of WR talent, so I'm sure they'll take a hard look at Calvin Johnson. Barring a meltdown at the combine, Russell should enter as the favorite for the #1 pick, so if the Raiders settle on Johnson they'd be smart to move down a spot or two. Regardless, it's Al Davis we're talking about, so who the hell knows.

As far as Detroit is concerned, Quinn strikes me as more of a Martz kind of QB. He seems to prefer the standard pocket passer rather than a raw athlete at the QB position as evidenced by his history with Trent Green, Kurt Warner, Marc Bulger, and Jon Kitna. I'm not sure he'd know what to do with an athlete like Russell. Martz seems dedicated to Kitna for another year, and given the extreme complexity of his offense, it'd allow him to develop Quinn on the sidelines for a year. This is Detroit and Matt Millen, though, so they'll probably draft Calvin Johnson and hope he turns out more like Roy Williams and less like Charles Rogers and Fat Mike Williams. How does that moron still have a damn job anyways??

Fantasy Impact: None, at the moment. I don't see either of these QBs getting much playing time other than at the end of their first season as they'll probably be drafted onto teams where they won't have to start immediately. Russell looks to be a better bet for dynasty leagues, however, depending on the offenses they're drafted into.