NY Times article on Adrian McPherson

[RobbleRobble]

NY Times Article on McPherson

Ex-Seminole Hopes for New Start in Draft
By FRED BIERMAN

Published: April 14, 2005

By the fall of 2002, Adrian McPherson had taken over as the starting quarterback at Florida State and had won three of the first four games he started. Although he was only a sophomore, he would never have the chance to start a fifth game for the Seminoles.

With a powerful arm and eye-popping elusiveness, McPherson was one of the most promising young quarterbacks in college football. But on Nov. 25 of that year, he was kicked off the team. Within days, he was arrested on a felony charge related to a stolen check, and he was later at the center of a gambling investigation on the campus and would be accused of betting on his own team's games.

McPherson had been considered one of the most talented high school athletes in Florida history, the only player in the state named Mr. Basketball and Mr. Football. But by the end of 2002, for the first time in his life, he was not playing football.

The next July, McPherson pleaded no-contest to gambling and theft charges and received 30 months of probation, 25 hours of community service and 90 days on a county work detail.

"It was tough," he said of his time without football. "I was lifting weights, and sometimes I questioned why I was even lifting weights when I don't know if I'm going to be able to play again. But at the time, my dad told me to keep working for a second opportunity."

Now, at 21, McPherson says he has done all he can to earn that opportunity and to convince people that he has matured since his time at Florida State. At the National Football League draft on April 23 and 24, he will see just how far he has come.

Last year, McPherson played in the Arena Football League for the Indiana Firebirds. He threw 61 touchdown passes and just 5 interceptions on his way to being named the league's rookie of the year. The Indiana Firebirds disbanded after the season.

Gil Brandt, the former personnel director of the Dallas Cowboys and a contributor to the N.F.L.'s Web site, said he believed McPherson could be selected in the third or fourth round of the draft.

"I think the only pronounced weakness that he has is inexperience," Brandt said. "I think that down the line he has a chance to be a starter and be a very, very good football player. He's got a live arm. He can move with the ball. He's a lot like Donovan McNabb was coming out of Syracuse, except that McNabb played for four years."

The agent Leigh Steinberg contacted McPherson after the Arena League season and asked to represent him. Ever since, McPherson has been working with the former N.F.L. quarterback Warren Moon and the quarterbacks coach Steve Clarkson.

It did not take long for Clarkson to realize that he was working with a special player.

"It started with the very first pass he threw in front of me," said Clarkson, who runs clinics in California and has worked with quarterbacks like Matt Leinart of Southern California, last season's Heisman Trophy winner. "He threw a skinny post, which is a very difficult pass to throw if your mechanics aren't tight, and he nailed it. I thought to myself, 'Oh, this is going to be easy.' "

At the N.F.L. combine in Indianapolis in February, McPherson opened some eyes even though he was slowed by a hamstring injury. But at a private workout in his hometown of Bradenton, Fla., with scouts and coaches from nine N.F.L. teams watching, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound McPherson ran two 4.5-second 40-yard dashes and made a 40½-inch vertical leap. He also threw a 72-yard pass while standing flat-footed.

Although McPherson created a buzz with his obvious talents, he faced lingering questions about his character.

"I think that teams are always concerned about the past," Brandt said. "In his case, he went through a battery of interviews in Indianapolis, and I think that he convinced everybody that he made a mistake and owned up to it and that he's been a model citizen, which he has. As far as the background and as far as the gambling thing, I think the teams are satisfied that this is no longer an issue."

Although it was a painful episode in his life, McPherson said he had learned from his mistakes.

"I know what it's like to be on the bottom, and I don't want to be on the bottom anymore," he said. "I think what happened, happened for the best, because I know what it's like not to have football in my life for a year or two. I appreciate football a lot more than I did in the past, and I worked a lot harder than I did in the past."

Clarkson said McPherson could make his mark on the N.F.L.

"With the quarterback position, you're always looking for the next John Elway or the next Joe Namath," Clarkson said. "At some point in time, I think they'll be saying that someone's the next Adrian McPherson."

 

[RobbleRobble]

We take this guy in Round 3 and I'm going to dance around the room. From what I've read it sounds like he was a kid that made a stupid mistake as opposed to being a bad-character guy.

He's raw, but 6'3", 230lb QBs that run 4.5 40s and can throw 70+ yards flat-footed are worth a 3rd round choice IMO. The kid is a good football player too, not just a good athlete. Sure it was arena football, but 61 TDs vs. 5 picks?

Let's draft this guy. He's the real deal.

 

[MadCardDisease]

The McNabb comparison is bogus! McPherson doesn't have the intelligence that McNabb has. I really don't belive McPherson will succeed in the NFL. I hope the Cards don't select him.

 

[Grand Canon]

Better than McNabb

He has much more talent than McNabb and secondly, he scored very higher on the wonderlich than McNabb as well- SO I dont know why you think he is dumb. I believe in the right system, he will be a cross between Culpepper and Vick ( A quicker Steve Young). I would reach and pick this guy in the second round!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1-Antrell Rolle
2-Adrain McPherson
3-JJ Arington

What a great start to the draft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JeffGollin]

Adam Schefter had an interesting take on McPh last night on NFL Network. He said that one of the best markers for determining which QB's will be successful is whether Lee Steinberg represents them.

I think he pointed out that Steinberg represented Peyton Manning and not Ryan Leaft during that draft. He quoted Steinberg last year as saying Roethlisberger should be rated the #1 QB prospect last year (over either Manning or Rivers).

Who's Lee representing this year? You got it: McPherson.

 

[earthsci]

The McNabb comparison is bogus! McPherson doesn't have the intelligence that McNabb has. I really don't belive McPherson will succeed in the NFL. I hope the Cards don't select him.

What Anquan is to receiving, this kid will be to QBs. He was the #1 rated football player in Florida coming out of high school (just like Anquan).

He will be better than Vick.

 

[Russ Smith]

Adam Schefter had an interesting take on McPh last night on NFL Network. He said that one of the best markers for determining which QB's will be successful is whether Lee Steinberg represents them.

I think he pointed out that Steinberg represented Peyton Manning and not Ryan Leaft during that draft. He quoted Steinberg last year as saying Roethlisberger should be rated the #1 QB prospect last year (over either Manning or Rivers).

Who's Lee representing this year? You got it: McPherson.

Ooh that would have made a great take too if Schefter were right but he's dead wrong. Steinberg DID represent Ryan Leaf, Manning's agent was Tom Condon. At the time Leaf was drafted Steinberg had 12 NFL starting QB's in his roster including Aikman, Bledsoe, Steve Young AND Jeff George.

So he not only had king bust Leaf, he had the Qb everyone loves to hate, Jeff George. Steinberg is also the guy who negotiated Ricky Williams new deal with Miami after the trade.

He may have been confused, Steinberg lost a bunch of his clients in a "coup" a few years back and Leaf ended up with David Dunn, but his original agent was Leigh Steinberg.

Here's a quote from Steinberg on Leaf before that draft, pretty funny now.

Leigh Steinberg, Leaf's agent, said his client possess all of the qualities to be a number one quarterback and step in to contribute immediately.

"With Ryan, you've got someone that has tremendous leadership qualities, whose teammates love him, who's unselfish in terms of spreading the praise around. He's as ready to go as any young quarterback can be, meaning that there's still going to be a learning curve."

 

[JPlay]

I don't think we're interested. The Cards didn't show up to his pro-day.