Mark Sanchez SELECTED BY: Jets Round 1 (5)

SI Grade 4.10 GRADING SYSTEM

BIOGRAPHY: All-Conference selection as a senior, when he became the Trojans starting signal caller and posted numbers of 65.8%/3,207/34/10. Sophomore totals included 60.5%/695/7/5 when he started three games and served as a backup to John David Booty.

POSITIVES: Poised, instinctive quarterback with a terrific head for the position. Quickly sets up in the pocket, sells the ball fakes, and natural looking off the safety. Senses pressure, displays good pocket awareness, and has a nice feel for what's happening on the field. Remains poised as the pocket collapses around him, and moves around the backfield, buying time for receivers. Recognizes blitzes and immediately finds the open wideout. Keeps his eyes downfield, rolling outside the pocket, loses little throwing on the run and accurate. Does a terrific job reading defenses and finding the open holes in the coverage. Makes proper decisions, and will look away from covered receivers and then go to secondary targets. Shows terrific accuracy and pass placement in the short and intermediate field. Always in command of the situation, and keeps the offense moving down the field. Stands in the pocket and takes a hit in order to get the ball away.

NEGATIVES: Struggles getting the ball downfield, and cannot drive deep passes. The farther out to the flanks or down the field he throws the ball, the less accurate he is. Does not always throw tight spirals.

ANALYSIS: Sanchez did a tremendous job as a junior, his first year under center full-time for USC. He's a cerebral quarterback with great intangibles, and he possesses the ability to lead an offense on the NFL level. Sanchez will be best in a timing offense that plays to his strengths of accuracy and timing in the underneath coverage.

PROJECTION: First Round