There was a moment in late January, a dark, fleeting moment seconds before Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon announced their scholastic intentions for the year 2011 when all Oklahoma State fans took a sharp breath and thought "it's too good to be true, we can't have nice things, there's no way they're both coming back."Those thoughts were quickly erased however when Weeden announced they would in fact both be returning to school (and the football field) to try and stack another block upon the 11-win foundation that was crafted last year. It was also an opportunity for both to further burden some poor NFL scout with the already-unenviable task of trying to meander his way through college football's elite to find a future NFL pro bowler.
That job, picking future NFL stars, has become increasingly difficult as college football has become increasingly important monetarily to universities across the nation. School presidents have realized that in order to procure large donations from wealthy alumni your football team and its record must be in order. And to get your football team in order you must purchase the best equipment, hire the finest trainers, and order the most protein-friendly food you can possibly find. The result? A cluster of supernova athletes bunched together at the head of each NFL draft class, each more indistinguishable (and better) than the last.
That said, let's try to distinguish them!
Justin Blackmon NFL projection:
He is, statistically, the most peerless wide receiver in the nation and, if he repeats what he did last year, will soon have had the most impressive two year run in the history of the sport. He is so preternaturally gifted physically that it's almost not fair to compare him to other Big 12 receivers. The only worthy collegiate comparison is Alshon Jeffery of South Carolina, an equally scary man gifted with equally difficult to quantify intrinsic physical attributes. I remember settling in for the Texas game last year watching Blackmon glide out to his position, arms dangling like silly putty and shoulders squared as if he could run right through the cement wall encircling the field. I remember watching him and thinking, "wow, if TO stole his uniform and was playing this game right now I'm not sure I'd be able to tell..."It's as if he simply knows "I am better at football than anyone in this stadium" and then makes the plays to back that up. He's an automatic double-cover and already a top 15 pick (and could go higher with improved footwork and route running), a notion some may scoff at considering OSU's past with NFL wide receivers. But this is not Hart Lee Dykes, Rashaun Woods, or Dez Bryant. This is Justin Blackmon, and Justin Blackmon is level-headed and Justin Blackmon makes good decisions. And mostly Justin Blackmon cannot be stopped, by one or two or maybe even three defenders. He is TO 2.0. Oklahoma State, like most schools, puts surnames above numbers on the back of its uniforms, but Blackmon doesn't need one because #81 says it all.
Brandon Weeden NFL projection:
Rewind to the Colorado game in 2009. It was senior night and Cowboy mini-icon (otherwise known as our version of Colt McCoy) Zac Robinson was sidelined with an injury. Backup Alex Cate went 0 for the first half (seriously) and Coach Mike Gundy had no choice but to go with the 3rd stringer Weeden to save OSU from nationally televised embarrassment at home. He proceeded to go 10-15 for 168 and 2 including a searing 45-yard dagger on the run to Blackmon in the back right corner of the end zone. It was a "wow, do we have a QB controversy on our hands" moment.As it were, Zac played out the season but Weeden returned last year to set school records in passing yards, total yards, and TD thrown. He has the best arm (and the best line) in college football. If there's a knock on Weeden it's that he's slow (which he is) and immobile (which he is) and a bit long in the tooth. That gifted right arm got him drafted by the Yankees out of high school where he toiled for a few years in the minor leagues before returning to test the waters of college football. Good decision as it turned out. If he wasn't approaching 30 I see no reason he wouldn't go in the top 10, but because all NFL GMs can see is Chris Weinke 2.0 (and that didn't go so well) I see him dropping to the end of the 1st round or the beginning of the second. His learning curve will be steep (because who wants to wait 2-3 years for a 28-year old to see the field?), but I could see him stepping into some sort of poor man's Philip Rivers role for a semi-contender over the next two years.
Article written by contributing writer Kyle Porter of www.pistolsfiringblog.comfollow him on twitter @pistolsguy
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