I actually remember SI's resident marxist (now at ESPN) Rick Reilly predicting back in 2000 (or so), that in 10 years the majority of the QB's in the NFL would be black and he said it would be a great thing for the game. I also remember after the Rams beat Tennessee in the SB back in Jan. 2000 that post game analyst Jackie Slater looked straight into the camera and predicted that "pocket passers would soon be extinct in the NFL",as the Rams barely escaped losing to asuperior athlete at QB. Slater forget to mention, however, the Rams won due to Kurt Warner?
Two quick points, no one has made here that I would like to bring up:
What happened in 1995 that opened up the floodgates to black QB's in the NFL?
For several decades, NFL teams had always talked about bringing in more black QB's, but for the longest time it was mainly just Moon, Cunningham and backup type Rodney Peete making any sort of impact in the league....But in 1995 it seemed the floodgates suddenly burst open and just about every team in the league, except a few -- (i.e. Colts, Jets & Giants),has selected a black "future starter"in the top rounds of the draft the last 16 years. Several teams (Tennesse & Tampa) have drafted several in that span.
But what triggered this suddenchange?
I always thought things changed when quarterbacks were givensmall radio transmitters in their helmets**. This made it easier for less intelligent QB's of all races (Jeff George, Vince Young, ect.) to get the plays. Whether I'm right or wrong here, no on candispute that the number of black QB's drafted in the top 3 rounds spiked after this change (spring of 1995)! Perhaps it was just a coincidence?
**
http://www.steelersfever.com/nfl_history_of_rules.html
Have the type of black QB's sought after in the draft changed since 1995?
I think they have. In the 2nd half of the 90's and the early 2000's NFL teams drafted a lot of smaller/thinner (5' 11" to 6' 2") "athletic" QB's that were very commonplace in the CFL and the college football (especially the Big 12) and dubbed "undefensible" by the marxistsdue to their combo ofrunning & throwing skills. Kordell was the poster boy for this supposed new/superiorbreed and many others soon followed -- Mike Vick, Shaun King, Akili Smith, Aaron Brooks, Tony Banks, Quincy Carter, ect.
But it seems NFL teams eventually figured out these types were not going to cut it as "slash players", so theygraduallychanged tact in the early to mid 2000's and starting drafting bigger black QB's (6' 5", 240 and over) that looked like TE's/DE's and possessed "cannon arms". It didn't mattermanywere leaving school too early and not quiteready for the NFL. Jamarcus Russell, Vince Young andJosh Freeman were all quickly hailed by ESPN and the other "gurus" as franchise saviorsand allrocketed up the charts from the begin of their last year in college.(By the way, Leftwich and J. Cambell wereseniors that fit this mold).
Now, with this group largely going bust, it will be interesting to see what happens next? Full-sized, "cannon-armed"(but low impact passers) collegians such as Tyrell Pryor, Cam Newton, Colin Kapernick and Jacory Harris are now, once again,being talked about as "NFL projects" or possible pro wide receivers. Five years ago, led by the draft clowns at ESPN, these guys would've been talked about as potential top 5 picks as juniors and seniors. So in that sense, things have changed, perhaps, until the next plan is put in place to change the position