I know Matthew. He’ll be successful.

The one thing that really stuck out to me in the videos was how quickly Sanchez got set up and delivered the ball. I saw him hesitate once through the first 3/4 of the film, and that resulted in a sack. By and large, though, he got back in a hurry with his drop, and got the ball out so fast that not even an elite pass rush could get to him. He ended up dictating terms on offense, and that is one of the hallmarks of great QBs. Stafford, by comparison, looks like he is moving in molasses.

I watched Stafford in high school, and I was really impressed with his arm. He and Jevan Snead had a great shootout at a playoff game in Denton their senior years. Both guys were slinging 30 yard frozen ropes all over the field, but it ended up coming down to surrounding cast. Highland Park was simply a better team than Stephenville.

Who do you think was the better college team: Georgia or USC?

However, Sanchez outperforms Stafford in both categories. In other words, all else being equal, Sanchez achieves a better completion percentage and QB rating per increment pass attempt than Stafford.

What does this mean in the real world?

You can expect Sanchez to achieve better passer ratings and completion percentages per 100 passes than Stafford, all else being equal.

However, all else is never equal. As Sturm pointed out, USC QB’s seem better prepared for pro systems than others. What about line play? The key to any good QB is the protection they get.

So, going by the numbers, Sturm’s instincts seem spot on. Sanchez shows more than Stafford, but it ultimately comes down to the human element. Who has the better OL? Who goes into a system best suited to their capabilities? How quickly can each player learn the playbook? Who has the running game to take pressure off of them? Who has the wide receivers to throw to?

I will go with Stafford because of his arm and size. Successful college QBs with average arms and good decision-making rarely make good NFL QBs. Ask guys like Matt Leinart, Rex Grossman, and Jason White. If Sanchez has to have perfect timing and foot work to make some NFL throws, he won’t be successful.

Give me the tools any day. Comparing Stafford to a spare like Jeff George is insulting and uncalled for. Let the guy play in the NFL before cheap shots like that.