Utah State QB Chuckie Keeton likely done for the year

For the second year in a row, one of the brightest stars in college football is likely to be done for the year with a knee injury. Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton missed all of last season with a knee injury and the school has announced that the senior is unlikely to play the rest of this year. Along with Ohio State’s Braxton Miller, Keeton is the next big name dual threat quarterback likely lost for the year in college football.

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Keeton can use a medical redshirt should he choose, but it is unclear if Keeton would want to stay in college for another season. After two knee injuries in back to back years, he could opt to come back and prove he is healthy before going pro. Keeton, being ready to complete his degree, may go ahead and rehab the best he can and go ahead and try to go to the next level, getting into an NFL team’s program for rehabilitation, much the same way Marcus Lattimore did out of South Carolina two years ago.

Lattimore rationalized the decision by getting paid and being able to focus entirely on rehabbing his knee after suffering a gruesome injury against Tennessee. Not only did he want to get paid as well as ensure he had medical insurance, it allowed him to put every effort into rehab as opposed to trying to focus on a course load. Keeton could make the same choice, especially if he has already secured his degree.

Keeton has demonstrated an impressive amount of ability for a potential pro career, but the concern over his knee could drastically impact how teams view him at the next level. Every team will have their medical staff go over his knee and make a judgment on how they should proceed. If teams feel the knee can be rehabbed effectively and he can maintain his athletic form, Keeton is a talented prospect that could be a substantial value as a backup or project quarterback, even if he has to be put on injured reserve for a year.

There are an increasing number of teams looking for talented dual threat quarterbacks and not only has Keeton demonstrated movement skills and athleticism, he is a smart quarterback who is able to make a wide variety of throws. His relatively small stature and the knee will be critical in evaluation by NFL teams.

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