• Everyone is expecting a record number of underclassmen to enter the 2010 NFL Draft. If that happens there will likely be quite a few surprises and one to watch out for is Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett.

    Coming out of high school Rivals.com had Mallett rated as the #4 recruit in the entire country, regardless of position, and awarded him their coveted five-star grade. Mallett began his college career at Michigan and actually played extensively as a true freshman in 2007, despite the presence of Chad Henne. Mallett wound up seeing action in eleven games that season, including three starts, and on the year he threw for 892 yards with 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. It appeared as though Mallett had a bright future in Ann Arbor. However, head coach Lloyd Carr retired after the season and Michigan chose to replace him with Rich Rodriquez. Mallett, a prototypical pocket passer, was obviously a terrible fit for Rodriguez’s signature spread offense so he chose to transfer. After evaluating all of his options Mallett decided to join Bobby Petrino at Arkansas and was forced to sit out the 2008 season per NCAA rules. Mallett took over the Razorbacks starting job in 2009 and expectations were running high but so far he has not only lived up to all the hype but in many ways he has surpassed it. Through 8 contests Mallett has completed 54.4% of his passes for 2,148 yards with 18 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions. Mallett has had a number of impressive performances at the helm of Petrino’s high-flying offense this year but he enjoyed his coming out party in mid-September against Georgia, when he lit up the Bulldogs for 408 yards and 5 touchdowns. Arkansas lost the 52-41 shootout but that game served as notice that Ryan Mallett was a star in the making.

    An imposing physical specimen, Mallett checks in at 6-7 and 238 pounds and possesses arguably the strongest arm in all of college football. As a young player Mallett still struggles with his accuracy at times and he needs to continue to improve his footwork. With that said he has a quick release, can make all of the throws, appears to be very tough and is a load to bring down. While not a finished product by any stretch of the imagination Mallett is already one of the best quarterbacks in the country and his potential is virtually unlimited.

    Mallett is only a redshirt sophomore but since it’s been three years since his high school class graduated he could technically enter the 2010 NFL Draft. As a general rule scouts, coaches and general managers prefer for quarterback prospects to use up their eligibility and get as much experience as possible but there are always exceptions. Mallett is already the early front-runner to be the #1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft but with a potential rookie wage scale on the horizon perhaps he will opt to strike while the iron is hot. If he were to enter this upcoming draft Mallett wouldn’t be the first signal caller selected and probably not even the second or the third. However, when you consider Mallett’s rare physical tools and tantalizing upside it would not be a total shock if some team decided to pull the trigger on him in the latter part of round one.

    Although rare it’s certainly not unheard of for prospects to go pro after their redshirt sophomore seasons, with Michael Crabtree and Knowshon Moreno being two recent examples. It’s much more uncommon for a quarterback to enter the draft that early, especially if they’ve only been a full-time starter for one season, but there is a precedent with guys like Tommy Maddox and Michael Vick. For all intents and purposes Alex Smith, the #1 overall pick in 2005, was a redshirt sophomore when he came out as well because he only played in two games and attempted four passes his first year with the Utes. So far there has been absolutely no indication that Mallett is considering leaving for the pros after this season but it is definitely something to keep an eye on. One thing is certain: If Mallett does opt to play for pay next year it will add yet another layer of intrigue to what should already be a very exciting and talent-laden draft.