Before the start of the 2009 season, Christian Ponder was hardly on the college football radar let alone that of NFL front offices.
Fast-forward two months, and the Florida State quarterback has NFL types salivating. And who can blame them?
Through eight games, the redshirt junior has completed 69.4 percent of his passes (206 of 297) for 2,453 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s the the No. 14 passer in efficiency ratings; his completion percentage is No. 4 in the country and, to show he’s not just a dink-and-dunker, his 8.3 yards per attempt is tied for 18th.
Combine that with his athletic ability -- he’s rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns -- and leadership skills the FSU coaching staff raves about, and the Seminoles could very well be facing a 2010 season without Ponder under center. As it stands now, though, head coach Bobby Bowden doesn’t seem concerned that the program will lose the rising, under-the-radar star.
In fact, Bowden seems to think Ponder is leaning toward a return to Tallahassee.
“It’s too early to worry about that,” Bowden said of the QB’s future. “It could always happen. Ponder to me is on the verge of being a celebrity. ... Knowing him, I would think he’s leaning on staying no matter what.”
What Bowden doesn’t address, though, is “The Bradford Effect”.
With Sam Bradford eschewing a chance to be a high first-round pick in last year’s draft in favor of returning to Oklahoma, and subsequently suffering a season-ending injury, it would stand to reason that high-profile players -- especially quarterbacks -- would think harder than they ever have about making an early jump to the NFL.
Add in that this could be the final draft without a cap on rookie contracts, and it would seem that Ponder, and others college players like him, will be facing a very tough decision between the end of the season and January 15.