Brandstater, Brown benefit from weak senior QB class

Originally Published: September 4, 2008

In the initial installment of the 2009 Draft Buzz, Todd McShay looks at small-school QBs Tom Brandstater and Nathan Brown and offers up Scouts Inc.'s initial list of the top 32 senior prospects.

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By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
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There were reportedly 14 NFL scouts on hand to witness Rutgers' second-half unraveling versus Fresno State in Week 1. The Scarlet Knights have a pair of attractive NFL wide receiver prospects in senior Tiquan Underwood and junior Kenny Britt, but the main attraction in Piscataway, N.J., was Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater.

Brandstater might not experience the same meteoric rise as Delaware QB Joe Flacco did last season, but Brandstater shares many of the same physical traits that led to Flacco being selected No. 18 overall by the Ravens last April.

At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Brandstater has underrated mobility and a strong arm to go along with his prototypical size. He is still learning how to fully read defenses and his patience as a passer needs improvement, but he cut his interception total from 14 in 2006 down to five a year ago, and he avoided crippling errors in the opener at Rutgers. Brandstater shook off a 5-for-15 passing performance in the first half, completing six of his final nine passes while leading Fresno on four scoring drives in the final 26 minutes of a 24-7 victory.

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