Perspective of The Common Man

Terelle Pryor….. 6”6, 31-4 NCAA College Football, 177 passing yards with 57 touchdowns, 2,164 rushing yards, a proven winner. While he has tremendous upside and tons tanglible assets such as size and speed, is he worth the risk??

Pryor has already started off on the wrong foot with the media and the general population. Instead of standing his ground and taking the NCAA 5-game suspension in which he recieved as a result of selling sports memorabilia , return and show people that he can come back and be productive, he decided to take the high road and forgo his senior season. As a result of his actions, many people believe that he caused former Ohio State Football coach Jim Tressel to step down from his coaching position, leaving a bitter taste in the mouth of the Ohio State fans and tarnishing the illustrious reputation of the University.

Besides the personal mishaps Pryor has put upon himself, many say that he has professional shortcomings as well. Many believe that he will NOT be a professional quarterback when he enters the NFL. He is seen as a Pat White, Atwaan Randle-El,or Brad Smith type of player who will only be good for certain packages such as the wildcat, or ultimately transition himself into either a wide reciever or tight end sometime in his career. While the verdict is undetermined as of right now, all signs point to this occurring. Pryor is only seen as a runner and someone who’s passes are inconsistent and sometimes look weak. He has a lot to prove.

To Pryors Negatives, there are positives. Hiring Drew Rosenhaus as an agent while he enteres his name in the 2011 supplemental draft is a big plus. Rosenhaus has a reputation of sticking up for his clients and putting his neck on the line for them. He also has a knack for boosting his clients stock to potential suitors, often getting them drafted or paid higher then analysts and scouts belived they could or should be (ex. Willis Mcgahee 23rd pick in the first round to the buffalo bills with knee injury concerns from 2003 Fiesta Bowl). As a matter of fact Drew Rosenhaus has already been seen sitting beside Pryor during his recent press conference, stating that his agent is a “first round pick” which reassures his dedication to his clients.

Another thing Pryor has which cannot be taught is height, speed (4.4 in the 40 yard dash), a winning record, and accountability for his actions. His Record is 31-4 in one of the most widely recognized conferences within NCAA Football, the Big Ten. While he has his shortcomings at the quarteback position, his will and determination to win is unmistakable and he has the record and championships to prove it (Big Ten, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl). What he said at his press conference will gain him some respect. Statements such as “”To Coach Tressel, I regret the fact that you’re not there anymore and I’m not there anymore. I’d like to come back and graduate and finish my degree as a Buckeye,” and also stating that he loved his coach as a father and didn’t want this to happen will show people that he can handle adversity. Whether you like the man or not, you have to respect someone who owns up to their actions.

We know of his past transgressions and what’s going on with him in the present. What the future holds for him, only time will tell. His actions from now on will determine his legacy and how he’s seen when his career comes to an end.