NFL draft: Quarterbacks

THE CREAM ...

MATT RYAN, BOSTON COLLEGE

Ryan stands at the top of a relatively weak crop of quarterbacks. It's possible he could go as high as No. 3 to Atlanta, but this could be the first time in eight years that a quarterback is not among the first three players selected.

Ryan threw for 4,507 yards in the tough Atlantic Coast Conference last season, good for third-best in the nation. But fair or otherwise, Ryan has been tagged as a prominent player whose intangibles -- leadership, ability to find ways to win -- outweigh his physical attributes.

The chief complaints of his critics: He has average arm strength and, at 6-5, doesn't have the mobility NFL coaches crave.

In a representative view, here's how Vikings coach Brad Childress evaluates Ryan: "Armwise, I wouldn't say he has a buggy-whip arm. But he's a very anticipatory thrower, and a lot of times it's more important to throw early than to throw hard."

It's hard to imagine Ryan falling out of the draft's top 10, although stranger things have happened. Baltimore, picking at No. 8, is a logical landing place.

... AND THE CROP

1. JOE FLACCO, DELAWARE

A Pitt transfer whose 6-7 frame and rifle arm have titillated scouts this offseason. But why wasn't he good enough for Pitt? And how many 6-7 guys start at quarterback in the NFL? (Answer: none.)

2. BRIAN BROHM, LOUISVILLE

Once considered the No. 1 prospect of this draft, he is now being unfairly labeled a "systems" quarterback with limited NFL potential. You wouldn't think he would fall into the second round, but ...

3. CHAD HENNE, MICHIGAN

Everyone likes a Michigan quarterback, even one who will need a short-range passing game to be successful. Will probably fit best with a West Coast offense.

SLEEPER

DENNIS DIXON, OREGON

A remarkable athlete who tore an ACL last fall, he could prove a steal for a team willing to wait on his recovery. When healthy, he is a dual threat along the lines of a young Donovan McNabb.

PURPLE FEVER

Three top Vikings officials attended Ryan's Pro Day workout on the Boston College campus, while Flacco and Brohm visited Winter Park for additional interviews. But after signing Gus Frerotte as Tarvaris Jackson's backup, the Vikings aren't likely to take a quarterback high in the 2008 draft.

More likely, they will follow Childress' preferred path and seek a lower-round value as a developmental project. That was their plan in 2007 with seventh-round pick Tyler Thigpen; they lost him to Kansas City after trying to sneak him through waivers last September.