Smith, who will face MTSU Saturday, is already the Sun Belt Conference's all-time leading passer with 9,808 yards and 74 touchdown tosses.

But he is also among the league's best NFL prospects.

That is a sore subject, however, with Smith.


http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009910290314

He should downplay them, at this point there's a very good chance of him not getting drafted.

Hate to say it, but agree.......

It will be interesting to see if he gets invited to the combine. If he does, would he be the first Owl to participate in it?

He needs to finish strong and I think believe he'll get a shot.

Owlando said

It will be interesting to see if he gets invited to the combine. If he does, would he be the first Owl to participate in it?

Yes he would, we all thought Frantz would be invited last year but it's apparent now why he wasn't since no one drafted him. I too agree that there's a very strong chance he won't get drafted. Last year the QB from Texas Tech (forget his name) wasn't drafted and he surely put up better #'s then Rusty

I think there's more hype around Rusty though, Frantz was kind of under the radar, he wasn't being talked about by the media or anything…seriously, outside of us, who knew he was the #2 tackler in the nation?

Rusty has everything going for him right now, he's the right size, the right offense, and if he keeps this up, he'll have the right numbers. We'll see him get looked at quite a bit.

Jab979 said

Owlando said

It will be interesting to see if he gets invited to the combine. If he does, would he be the first Owl to participate in it?

Yes he would, we all thought Frantz would be invited last year but it's apparent now why he wasn't since no one drafted him. I too agree that there's a very strong chance he won't get drafted. Last year the QB from Texas Tech (forget his name) wasn't drafted and he surely put up better #'s then Rusty

Yeah, Gram Harrell.  However, he was also smaller than Rusty and played in a spread offense with Micheal Crabtree.  Many said he was a pure system QB.  Nonetheless, he did put up amazing numbers against tougher teams than Rusty has been able to do.

Love the guy but what it comes down to is in 4 years he's never played to the level of the elite college players when he's had his chance. He could have backed up Nebraska's debacle at South Carolina but only decided to play one half and came out of the gates like a dud in the second.

This is the NFL, how can any scout justify drafting a guy who only puts up points against the worst college football teams. When Tebow stats and tapes are reviewed do you think they look at his games vs the Sunbelt or the SEC?

Plain and simple he had his chance. He had all winter, spring and summer to get ready for a game with guys he's played with for four plus years, behind a line who gives more then enough time and he didn't have one scoring drive at Nebraska and then followed it up two weeks later with rookie mistakes in the second half vs USC and no scoring drives.

I'm still very upset how this season has turned out. Proves once again we're just a middle of the pack sunbelt team.

-And I'm not knocking the guy, I do like him as a player and his character. But in my opinion if people are going to write articles on you and your going to get the praise, both sides need to presented with facts, not just opinions. I maybe a bit negative lately but I always back it up with facts and not just opinions.

Exit39 said

This is the NFL, how can any scout justify drafting a guy who only puts up points against the worst college football teams. When Tebow stats and tapes are reviewed do you think they look at his games vs the Sunbelt or the SEC?

Hopefully, we will get over the poor start and finish 7-5 overall and 6-2 in the conference at season's end…

Looking at the remaining schedule, that "should" be the outcome.

Troy could give up losses to ULM and us, which would be the best case scenario, and put us at 7-1.

Anyway, Rusty's current NFL evaluation criterion, IMO:

1. Pass velocity and accuracy (a moderate to big positive, but erratic)
2. Pro-style game knowledge (a big positive)
3. Leadership ability (a moderate to big positive)
4. Mobility (a big negative)
5. Drill times (a moderate negative)

Draft?  Don't think so, but maybe if he "wows" the rest of the season…

Free agency is likely though…