Matthew Stafford was truly an elite prospect when he entered the NFL Draft out of Georgia in 2009. Praised not only for his unique physical tools, Stafford was lauded for his ability to read a defense, and even ESPN’s Mel Kiper had projected him as a future number one overall pick while Stafford was still in high school.
As you know, that prediction came true when the Detroit Lions chose Stafford with the first pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. One pick later, the St. Louis Rams chose offensive tackle Jason Smith, and while we can overanalyze that choice as being a “bust,” the reality is that Stafford was the only blue-chipper in 2009.