Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick, The Draft Study
"Trainer Chip Smith, who has worked with top-shelf players for 20 years, believes Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick is a better athlete than Cam Newton. Smith has spent quite a bit of time with both players. “Colin is actually a little bit better athletically,” said Smith. “He’s a little faster — I’ve clocked him as low as a 4.4 — and there isn’t a quarterback in this draft who throws the ball with the velocity that Colin does. Colin is a better athlete, and he understands the game better … Of the 56 quarterbacks I’ve worked with, Colin is the most prepared for the NFL.” Apr 19, 2:11 PM"
The 2011 NFL Combine’s Strongest Arm? per Pro Football Talk:
"Kaepernick’s best throw registered 59 miles per hour to lead the field of 16 quarterbacks that opted to participate. (Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert refused. Alabama’s Greg McElroy was injured). Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett was second behind Kaepernick with a 58 miles-per-hour throw. Auburn’s Cam Newton came in third at 56 miles per hour."
Face it, Gabbert and McElroy wouldn’t have been close. A comment at the bottom of that article mentions that now Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler threw 49 mph at his combine. I can’t verify it, but that would really put it in perspective as Cutler has one of the fastest and hardest thrown footballs in the NFL.
Now, what DO you think?
-Brandon Clark