| Osweiler's decision to leave Arizona State after his junior year was a bit of a surprise, especially considering he was a starter for only one full season, but the towering quarterback may be vindicated with talk of a potential first-round selection. Scouts may be seduced by his arm strength and athleticism - he originally planned to play basketball at Gonzaga before choosing football - especially since his uncommon height allows him to easily see over linemen and make all the throws. Although the Sun Devils stumbled down the stretch with five straight losses to finish 2011, with Osweiler throwing a few more interceptions than usual in those games, the QB still put together a solid season by completing 63.2 percent of his passes for 4,036 yards - both school records. A foot injury prevented him from doing drills at the NFL combine, but that's unlikely to affect his draft position, which may be determined by how far scouts and coaches think Osweiler is from taking over an NFL offense. Given his limited experience in college and his relative inconsistency, there's no question he's more of a project than top QB prospects Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, but his rare combination of size, agility and arm strength may make him the third quarterback selected anyway. By many accounts, Osweiler is also a respected leader and a relentless competitor, so there's certainly a chance he develops into a solid starter within a few years. |
