The results are in.
And after compiling the 26-27-60 data for 44 NFL quarterbacks, we can conclude … that Kyle Boller had a really, really lousy completion percentage at Cal (47.8?!)
Truth be told, 26-27-60 is a fine guideline and a wonderful conversation starter at your next cocktail party (Stan, it’s an interesting thing about Chad Henne’s Wonderlic score …), but it doesn’t quite unlock the mysteries of the college-quarterback-evaluation universe.
Sure, it can reasonably said that most successful NFL quarterbacks can check two items off the list (a Wonderlic of at least 26, at least 27 college starts, a minimum 60 percent completion rate). But so can many ordinary NFL quarterbacks (see Palko, Tyler; Davis, Nate).
The list below includes most of the NFL’s starting quarterbacks mixed in with a few surprises (Max Hall is like the Ted Williams of 26-27-60) and some fan favorites (Kevin Kolb, Matt Flynn, Josh Johnson).
Kansas City’s Matt Cassel, who ranked eighth in the NFL in quarterback rating last year, isn’t on the list because he didn’t start a game at USC and threw just 33 passes during his college career. Of course, 26-27-60 didn’t see that coming:
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Sam Bradford: 36 Wonderlic, 31 starts, 67.6 completion percentage
Drew Brees: 28-37-61.1
Rex Grossman: 29-32-61.0
Max Hall: 38-39-65.3
Kevin Kolb: 28-50-61.6
Matt Leinart: 35-39-64.8
Eli Manning: 39-37-60.8
Peyton Manning: 28-45-62.5
Philip Rivers: 30-51-63.5
Tony Romo: 37-35-62.1
Matt Schaub: 31-30-66.9
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Kyle Boller: 27 Wonderlic, 39 starts, 47.8 completion percentage
Tom Brady: 33-25-62.3
Colt Brennan: 24-35-70.4
Jason Campbell: 23-40-64.6
Jimmy Clausen: 23-34-62.6
Jay Cutler: 26-45-57.2
Nate Davis: 11-34-60.3
Joe Flacco: 27-26-63.3
Josh Freeman: 27-32-59.0
Matt Hasselbeck: 29-21-55.6
Josh Johnson: 24-34-68.0
Byron Leftwich: 25-38-65.1
Colt McCoy: 25-53-70.3
Kyle Orton: 26-36-58.8
Carson Palmer: 26-45-59.1
Tyler Palko: 18-35-60.0
Patrick Ramsey: 32-32-58.9
Aaron Rodgers: 35-22-63.8
Ben Roethlisberger: 25-38-65.5
Matt Ryan: 32-32-59.9
Brady Quinn: 29-29-58.0
Mark Sanchez: 28-16-64.3
Alex Smith: 40-22-67.5
Troy Smith: 15-28-62.7
Matthew Stafford: 38-34-57.1
Tim Tebow: 22-41-66.4
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Chad Henne: 22 Wonderlic, 47 starts, 59.7 completion percentage
Derek Anderson: 19-38-50.7
David Garrard: 14-38-57.0
David Carr: 24–26-62.8
Matt Flynn: 38-13–56.1
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Shaun Hill: 25 Wonderlic, 14 starts, 59.3 completion percentage
Michael Vick: 20–19–56.4
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