Matt Barkley

In order to prepare you for the 2009 fantasy college football season properly we have invested more time than usual following the recruiting scene, and no one has stepped up more than Jason Roberts. Jason begins his survey of the top five freshman expected at QB, RB and WR – and that equals the dreaded “Freshman 15″.

Matt Barkley, QB, University of Southern California

Believed to be the undisputed #1 recruit for the class of 2009 , Barkley committed to the University of Southern California while still a junior at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. The first freshman to start at quarterback for Mater Dei since Todd Marinovich walked its storied halls (Matt Leinart and Colt Brennan are also Mater Dei QB alumni), Barkley impressed by throwing for 1685 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first year as a starter. By the end of his junior season, Barkley had thrown for 6594 yards and 57 touchdowns, with a majority coming off an outstanding 2007 performance in which he passed for 3576 yards and 35 touchdowns, all the while completing 63% of his passes. As a senior, Barkley struggled passing for nearly as many interceptions as he had touchdowns, and barely kept his Monarchs above the .500 mark. Mater Dei rallied, however, in no small part to Barkley’s leadership, and made it as far as the quarterfinals in the 2008 high school playoffs. In doing so, Barkley ended his high school career as the all-time passing leader in Orange County and accumulated a number of prestigious awards and recognitions for his abilities, including the 2007 Gatorade National Player of the Year, 2007 Glenn Davis Award, and 2007 Joe Montana Award. He also participated in the 2009 Under Armour All-American High School Football Game in Orlando, Florida, where he produced a game-high 237 yards passing and two touchdowns as the contest’s co-MVP.

Barkley was highly recruited by a number of schools, including UCLA, California, Florida State, and Tennessee before finally settling on Southern Cal. He possesses all the attributes of an outstanding pocket-passer and should fit well into the Trojans’ offensive system. He’s got good size – 6’3″ and 222 pounds – and an arm that doesn’t sacrifice accuracy for strength. Scouts note Barkley has a tremendous understanding for the game and handles the ball about as well as anyone could expect someone his age to do. He isn’t scared to take a hit in order to deliver the ball, but also has enough athleticism to get out of a jam in light of a strong pass rush off the edge or a blitz straight up the middle. Backed by a ton of experience at the high school level – as well as facing some of the best programs that the state of California has produced over the past four years – Barkley is a confident and steady thrower and should have a real shot at taking the starting job under center this fall now that Matt Sanchez has decided to make the leap to the NFL. One of the few athletes in the Class of 2009 that has the ability to make an immediate impact on his respective program, Barkley is definitely one fantasy owners will want to keep tabs on in spring and fall camps.

Russell Shepard, QB / ATH, Louisiana State University

A product of Cypress Ridge High School in Houston, Texas, Shepard has been described by one evaluator for ESPN as a “rare athlete who resembles University of Florida receiver Percy Harvin when lined up at quarterback . . .” A 6’1″, 183 pound youngster that has all the makings of an outstanding dual-threat athlete under center, Shepard uses speed and his thin frame as a nightmarishly fast and elusive rushing threat, but still has enough power in his arm to get the ball downfield to receivers on both short and long passing routes – and do so either from the pocket or while on the run. ESPN notes the Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year and first team all-state selection for Cypress Ridge in 2009 (1843 yards and 20 touchdowns throwing / 1946 yards and 28 touchdowns rushing) is reminiscent of Terrelle Pryor, but is “much further along as a passer” and more “explosive” as an all-around player then Pryor.

Like Barkley, Shepard committed to LSU in his junior year, this even though he as reported at one time to be considering some 35 scholarship offers from programs such as Michigan, Alabama, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Citing that the Tigers give him the best chance to start at the quarterback at a young age and play at one of the best sports venues in the nation at the collegiate level. Given his level of athleticism and the challenges that Les Miles’ program saw under center last year, we here at Fantasy College Blitz certainly have to agree with Shepard’s reasoning. Only hole in the theory is the emergence of Jordan Jefferson in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

Garrett Gilbert, QB, University of Texas

Supporters of the University of Texas Longhorns may be fretting life without current quarterback Colt McCoy under center after the 2009 season, but should have their fears assuaged knowing that they’ll have Lake Travis High School quarterback Garrett Gilbert waiting in the wings. A 6’4″, 195 pound youngster from Austin, Texas, Gilbert is a strong pocket-passer but adds to his overall appeal a surprising ability to move about out of the spread formation, a la former Utah Utes’ star Alex Smith. He has a quick release, but still adjusts throws according to distance and length of the field. Scouts note Gilbert’s great off play action and has strong awareness of what’s going on around him. He makes sound decisions and is considered a confident leader, and would likely have an immediate impact come this fall had McCoy gone ahead and decided not to return for his senior season. It will be interesting to see how Gilbert progresses over time, particularly if he can manifest an ability to move the ball on the ground as McCoy did in 2008.

Aaron Murray, QB, University of Georgia

Tampa, Florida has produced some outstanding quarterbacks at the high school level over the last few years, with 2009 likely to prove no exception thanks to Aaron Murray of Plant Senior High School. A 6’1″, 198 pound monster of a thrower, Murray combines an incredibly strong arm with the ability to move the ball on the ground when called to do so. Scouts are drawing comparisons to both Kyle Parker and Stephen Garcia. ESPN notes that Murray has “the best, quickest release of any passer in his class” and has the ability pass with great velocity downfield, but also into tight spots on shorter routes on the interior. His quick feet give him more than enough time to throw the ball when inside the pocket, yet Murray has proven confident and capable enough to hit targets when rolling to the outside as well.

Plant coaches allowed Murray the opportunity to improvise quite a bit and volumes have been spoken about his knack to serve as a motivating leader inside the huddle. There is some concern that he remains unpolished in some aspects of his game, but working with Mark Richt’s staff at the University of Georgia should quickly address such imperfections. If Murray progresses anywhere near the same degree as did Matthew Stafford for the Bulldogs, fantasy owners can expect Murray to eventually be considered one of the best college quarterbacks in the country.

A.J. McCarron, QB, University of Alabama

If there is a player to be gambled on at the quarterback position in the Class of 2009, than many scouts believe it is A.J. McCarron. A 6’4″, 190 pound youngster out of Saint Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile, Alabama, many who have seen McCarron believe he’s still a developing player; with the proper guidance, he could easily develop into one of the best players in nation, but he is going to need to put in work to get to that level. McCarron is a traditionalist in that he’s a pocket-passer at his best when dropping back and throwing off play-action. As a senior, he threw for 2532 yards and 26 touchdowns and led St. Paul’s to a Class 5A state title; in that, he definitely has the confidence and experience to have an impact at the next level.

Still, given that the Crimson Tide last year signed the dual-threat Star Jackson and knowing that McCarron may very well not be a level of performance adequate enough to warrant naming him a starter over the span of the next year or two, one has to wonder just how much value McCarron might actually have at Alabama. ESPN notes, “The addition of McCarron is a step in the right direction” for Nick Saban’s program, especially after the inconsistency found under John Parker Wilson; we will reserve judgment for a latter point, favoring Jackson as the starter for the Crimson Tide heading into the 2009 season.

Related posts:

1. Freshman Fifteen, Part Three: Top New QBs in College Football
2. The Freshman 15: Top new RBs in fantasy college football
3. The Freshman 15: Top new WRs in fantasy college football
4. Freshmen Fifteen, Part Two: Top New QBs In Fantasy College Football
5. Freshman Fifteen, Part Two: Top New WRs in College Football

Tags: Fresh Faces, Freshman, recruiting, Under Armour All Star