NFL draft preview: Quarterbacks

Fourth in a series

The Bears plan to select a quarterback in this draft, possibly as high as the second round (with the 44th overall pick) or the third round, when they have two choices (70th and 90th).

"We've looked at that position probably as hard as we've looked at all the positions that we consider a need or we want to upgrade," Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said. "We're always looking at the quarterback position. We've got to get the quarterback position stabilized. You can never have enough good quarterbacks."

By the time the Bears are on the clock in the first round with the 14th pick, Boston College's Matt Ryan will be long gone. But he could be the only quarterback off the board by the time they pick in the second round, since there are questions about the next group of signal callers, and there is no consensus on where the next three or four rank.

Some teams have Louisville's Brian Brohm rated the second-best quarterback, others have Michigan's Chad Henne at No. 2, and some favor Delaware's Joe Flacco, who is the least known but may have the most upside.

Playing in Division I-AA, Flacco flew under the radar until the past couple months, but at 6-foot-6ˆ¨ and 236 pounds and with the strongest arm of all the draft-eligible quarterbacks, he wasn't going to remain an unknown for long. His postseason performances have elevated his status and his celebrity to the point that Flacco was a bit surprised at how much attention he received after impressive performances at the Senior Bowl and the Scouting Combine.

"I keep saying that if I wasn't myself, I don't know if I'd like myself too much right now," he said. "I'd probably be sick of myself."

Considering the lower level competition he faced at Delaware after transferring from Pittsburgh, it was more important for Flacco to show well against the big boys than it was for the more well-known quarterbacks. But he believes that completing 63.4 percent of his passes for 7,046 yards and 41 touchdowns with just 15 interceptions in two seasons at Delaware made a compelling argument for him to take the next step as an NFL quarterback.

"I don't think I have too much to prove at this point," he said. "If you watch the film, you can see enough. There are a lot of different reasons that guys play at the smaller level, but at the quarterback position I believe that the competition is all relative. There are open guys and there are covered guys, and I think that if you can play you can play."

The reason Flacco wound up at Delaware is that Tyler Palko was entrenched ahead of him at Pitt. Flacco redshirted as a freshman in 2003, threw just 4 passes in '04 and sat out the '05 season after transferring. Palko, a year older than Flacco, made the Saints' roster last season as an undrafted free agent.

"I didn't think I was going to get the opportunity to play at Pittsburgh," Flacco said. "I didn't want to leave my playing time to chance. I wanted to go somewhere where I could compete for a job, and Delaware was that place. They had recruited me out of high school, and I didn't have too many other options."

Thanks to his late surge in popularity, Flacco will get an opportunity to compete for a job in the NFL, but he's not getting overconfident because of all the attention, and he says he can thank his family for that.

"All I have to do is go home and get made fun of by all of my family," he said. "They tell me how dorky I look on TV (at the Combine), so (the attention) isn't giving me any more confidence. It's nice for my family, but other than that it's just fun."

Flacco's family will get another chance to see him on TV draft weekend, probably between the early second and early third round.

The top quarterbacks

Name, school Size 40-time

Matt Ryan, Boston College 6-45/8, 221 4.81

Bob LeGere's skinny: Complete package with great intangibles. Carried his team; weak supporting cast more responsible for 19 picks last season than inaccuracy.

Joe Flacco, Delaware 6-6ˆ¼, 232 4.93

Best size and arm strength in QB class. Faced weak competition and isn't a great athlete, but has the poise and smarts to succeed.

Brian Brohm, Louisville 6-3, 227 4.83

Productive 3-year starter; impressive 71-24 TD-interception ratio and has good touch on shorter routes but lacks arm strength.

Chad Henne, Michigan 6-27/8, 228 4.85

Tough, experienced leader with intangibles was a 4-year starter but showed marginal improvement in college and has a slow delivery.

Andre Woodson, Kentucky 6-4ˆ¼, 234 4.88

Big, sturdy, has arm to make all the throws and had a 71-18 TD-Int. ratio past 2 seasons. Lacks quick release; could take time to develop.

John David Booty, USC 6-23/8, 213 4.82

Productive pocket passer with good mechanics, an average arm and mobility. West Coast QB who struggles to complete the deep ball.

Josh Johnson, San Diego 6-2ˆ¾, 200 4.55

Faced weak competition but had incredible 43-1 TD-Int. ratio in '07. 3-year starter in pro-style offense run by ex-Bear QB Jim Harbaugh.

Dennis Dixon, Oregon 6-3ˆ½, 195 4.60

Skinny, shotgun QB will be a project despite great athleticism. Has a baseball option that could present a conflict in the future.

Colt Brennan, Hawaii 6-2ˆ¼, 185 4.75

Good touch and quick release on underneath routes but huge numbers (131 TD's, 42 picks in 3 years) a product of pass-happy system.

Kevin O'Connell, San Diego State 6-51/8, 225 4.61

Lacks a quick trigger but has a strong arm and made major strides in '07. Ideal size and good mobility for a big man if he can stay healthy.