No one is under more pressure than Matt Barkley heading into the 2012 college football season.
Heisman favorite, National Championship favorite, and #1 overall pick favorite.. The NFL prospect Triple Crown.
Barkley’s resume is already one of the most impressive in all of college football. No one would have been surprised if he had decided to leave after his junior season with the USC Trojans. However, he decided to finish what he started when he graduated high school early to get a head start at USC.
So can Barkley go the distance, starting the year as the projected #1 pick, and finishing in that same spot?
He certainly has the ability. Barkley’s technique is very mature and he seems to have bucked the trend of fundamentally unsound USC QB’s who have success throwing to a litany of top prep prospects. While many will certainly question him because of how talented his surrounding staff is, I believe this is a rare case where the USC QB makes the other guys look even better than they are.
Barkley’s best trait is his footwork, which leads to him throwing quick passes very accurately. He keeps his feet active, he is aware of the pocket around him, and he has the athleticism to escape if needed.
Like all prospects, Barkley is not perfect, and he does have areas where he needs to grow this season.
As good as his footwork is, he tends to shift his center of gravity and throw off his back foot when it comes to the deep ball. This is very common for college prospects and is more just about fighting the instinct to lean back and throw ‘up’ when throwing the deep ball. It is a minor issue, but he does tend to float some deep balls and doesn’t put as much spin on them as necessary.
His size is his only other concern. He is listed at 6’2” tall and 230 lbs. If that is his actual size then he is perfectly built. However, most schools are overly generous about their players’ size, so it is possible that Barkley comes in at around 6’1”. One inch may not seem like much, but the only projected starting QB’s in the NFL this season who are shorter are Drew Brees, Michael Vick, and Russell Wilson.
As a prospect, Barkley has little to add to his resume. He has been looked at as a future top draft pick long before he even graduated high school. He has the physical attributes, the mental makeup, and an excellent personality. He is a fiery leader on the field and is the type of player that can come in and be the savior for a struggling franchise in the NFL.
He is also a great person off of the field. For all of the love that Tim Tebow gets for his mission work and philanthropy, Barkley is right there with him. He has been helping with various missions and charity groups his entire life, and will be a great NFL role model.
It certainly looks like the sky is the limit for Barkley. In regards to his NFL future, he just needs to stay healthy and not take a step back. For his college future, it will be interesting to see if Barkley can go the distance and finish what he came to do at USC.