Peyton Manning, meet Sam Bradford

You just need two stats to see which QB prospects will thrive and which will fail

Originally Published: April 13, 2010
By Peter Keating | ESPN The Magazine

This story appears in the April 19 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

In 2008, renowned trendspotter Malcolm Gladwell looked at Chase Daniel, then a star quarterback at Missouri (and now a third-stringer for the Saints), and wrote, "The problem with picking quarterbacks is that Chase Daniel's performance can't be predicted. The job he's being groomed for is so particular and specialized that there is no way to know who will succeed at it and who won't."


For a glimpse at Tim Tebow's future, you must be an ESPN Insider.

Peter Keating

Peter Keating is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine, where he covers investigative and statistical subjects. He started writing "The Biz," a column looking at sports business from the fan's point of view, in 1999. He also coordinates the Magazine's annual "Ultimate Standings" project, which ranks all pro franchises according to how much they give back to fans. His work on concussions in football has earned awards from the Deadline Club, the New York Press Club and the Center for the Study of Sport in Society.

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