2013 NFL Draft: Matt Barkley is Ready for His Close Up

Former USC Trojan quarterback Matt Barkley has endured a lot since he donned the cardinal red and gold four years ago.  A highly regarded prep player, Barkley demonstrated enough leadership and confidence to start as a true freshman in former Head Coach Pete Carroll’s ninth and last season. He became a leader and the face of a storied program going on probation.

Barkley’s career at USC almost reads like a movie script minus the Hollywood ending. He was a highly productive quarterback who started and played in 47 games, completing 1,001 of 1,562 passes for 12, 327 yards, a 64.1-percent completion percentage and 116 touchdowns. Had Barkley decided to enter the 2012 NFL Draft, he would have been the one of the top three quarterbacks in that class.

The moment the former Trojan announced that he had unfinished business and was returning to school for his senior season, the expectations shot through the roof. This was no surprise as USC was viewed by many as a National Championship contender with Barkley being one of 16 returning starters and throwing to arguably the best wide receiver duo in college football.

The University of Southern California was named the pre-season number one team by many and one that had the potential to end the SEC’s National Championship run. Unfortunately, the team did not reach their 2012 goals or meet the expectations laid out for them.

A common misconception is that Barkley was not as talented as advertised, thus the disappointing season. A closer look will show that the defense, injuries on the team, a young offensive line and lack of a dominant running game were the biggest reasons for the team’s demise.

There is no denying that there is a negative perception of USC quarterbacks in the NFL. There have been more busts than hits and this view will stay in place until someone comes along and changes the narrative. Barkley has the tools to do just that.

Barkley will be under the microscope as the featured attraction at USC’s Pro Day on Wednesday March 27, 2013, the first time that he will be throwing publicly since he suffered a shoulder injury in his last college season. However, it’s rare for a quarterback to have a bad Pro Day workout since they are generally throwing to familiar targets in a scripted session.

If he has a strong day as is expected, Barkley will be a first-round draft pick and the first quarterback off the board. If drafted later, some team will end up with one of the steals of the draft. History has suggested that quarterbacks will rise in the months leading up to the draft.  The NFL is a passing league. Eight of the top-ten selections in the 2012 NFL Draft were directly involved in the passing game — throwing the ball, catching it or defending against the pass.

But Matt Barkley has his doubters and there will be those willing to bet against USC’s career passing leader. The knocks on him are generally his height, his arm strength and the fact that he can appear rattled under duress or on throws under pressure.

Tough and battled-tested, Barkley has the arm strength to make all the NFL throws. He has a quick over-the-top delivery, is willing to stare down the gun-barrel and deliver the ball; and he can change his arm slot to adjust to oncoming rushers. Rarely fooled by defenses, he makes solid adjustments at the line of scrimmage.

The five specific traits a quarterback has to display to play at the NFL level are accuracy, arm strength, setup/release, reading defenses, throwing on the move and intangibles. Barkley has performed well in pro-style schemes under two NFL head coaches displaying leadership, poise, accuracy and the ability to read defenses at a high level.

Barkley’s best attribute is his accuracy to the short and intermediate levels. Like any other quarterback, he needs to play in a precision-match-up-style offense based on timing and rhythm. He is more advanced entering the 2013 NFL Draft than any quarterback in this class and is the most experienced passer. He is also a distinguished leader.