Oklahoma QB Josh Heupel did a little of everything against Florida State to lead the Sooners to the national title.

2. Drew Brees, Purdue -- Did a great job of directing Joe Tiller's sophisticated pass offense, but in the NFL, Brees will be looking to overcome his lack of ideal size and top arm strength. A major plus with Brees is the fact that he has all the necessary intangibles you look for. He's a tremendous competitor, always maintains his poise and has the resiliency to forget about the bad plays and move on. He's a also a winner who responds to challenges on close games that could go either way. Over a four-week period last season, Brees led the Boilermakers to come-from-behind victories over Michigan, Northwestern, Wisconsin and Ohio State while directing the Boilermakers to their first Rose Bowl since way back in 1966. In the end, I would view Brees as an excellent early second-round choice. Drafted by San Diego, second round (32nd)

3. Chris Weinke, Florida State -- After being away from the game for six years while pursuing a career in major league baseball, Weinke quickly shook off the rust while overcoming a neck injury that occurred during the latter portion of the '98 season. Leading the Seminoles to a national championship and also winning the Heisman Trophy is a testimony to his perseverance and work ethic. He has shown the necessary arm strength, improved his mobility over the last year and also became a much more accurate passer during the latter stages of his career. By going back to FSU for the 2000 season, Weinke elevated his draft position by three to four rounds. Drafted by Carolina, fourth round (106th)

4. Jesse Palmer, Florida -- He flashed future NFL ability during his stay with the Gators, but his performance at the Senior Bowl practices is the primary reason he's being touted as a second- or third-round possibility. Palmer threw the ball exceptionally well, with his tight spirals and accuracy turning plenty of heads. You also have to be impressed with his confident approach as well as the professionalism he'll bring to an NFL team. Heading into the 2000 season, I viewed Palmer as an undrafted free agent, so it goes without saying that he's improved his draft position as much as any player in the draft. Drafted by NY Giants, fourth round (125th)

5. Mike McMahon, Rutgers -- Even though he completed only about 50 percent of his passes with the Scarlet Knights, McMahon has been enjoying a steady rise up the draft board since the Blue-Gray game. He can overpower the ball and has a quick release while also clocking in the 4.50 to 4.55 range on a consistent basis. At the pro level, McMahon will need to improve his touch and gain consistency throwing the football. At Rutgers, he tended to run a little hot and cold, although you have to take into consideration the questionable supporting cast he was working with. Rutgers was 0-11 during his freshman campaign, 1-10 in '99 and 3-8 this past season, with the only victories coming against Villanova, Buffalo and Navy. McMahon definitely has the arm strength and mobility that offensive coordinators in the NFL are looking for, but whether he has the answers to the questions I touched on will determine if he realizes his full potential. Drafted by Detroit, fifth round (149th)

6. Marques Tuiasosopo, Washington -- While his overall stats weren't up to the level of the '99 season (completion percentage dropped from 58 percent to 52.6), the 6-foot-1, 220-pounder engineered a remarkable eight comeback victories. In the process, he became the only player in the history of Huskies football to pass and rush for over 1,000 yards in his career. Tuiasosopo plays a smart game, brings energy to the huddle and has a feel for when it's best to tuck the ball away and scramble for significant yardage. While he won't wow you with his ability to throw the football, Tuiasosopo has the grit and all-around ability to lead a team into battle as the starting QB. I could also see him operating as a change-of-pace type, seeing action in short yardage and goal-line situations to give defenses a new look. Drafted by Oakland, second round (59th)

7. Sage Rosenfels, Iowa State -- Did a great job contributing to the turnaround of the Cyclones football fortunes, even though he completed just 52 percent of his passes and threw more interceptions than TDs. Rosenfels is a quality all-around athlete with the smarts and size you look for. He won't overpower the ball, but he throws a catchable pass and is tough to contain when he gets a hot hand. In the right situation, I could see Rosenfels pushing for a starting job. That's why he could bring decent value in the middle to later portion of Day Two. Reminds me some of former Michigan Wolverine and current Baltimore Raven Elvis Grbac. Drafted by Washington, fourth round (109th)

8. Josh Booty, LSU -- Seemed to be coming on strong during the second half of the 2000 season, tossing 10 TD passes compared to just three interceptions over a four-game stretch. However, after struggling against Georgia Tech in the Peach Bowl, Booty was replaced by Rohan Davey, who proceeded to direct the Bayou Bengals to the come-from-behind upset victory. Booty has the raw physical ability but has to shore up his game from a decision-making standpoint. Last season, despite the strong finish during the regular season, Booty still tossed 15 interceptions. He could have used another year at the collegiate level, but by leaving now, the 26-year-old Booty is viewed as more of a developmental signal caller who figures to be a late rounder or priority undrafted free agent.

9. Quincy Carter, Georgia -- After two years in the Chicago Cubs organization, Carter returned to the gridiron in '98, quickly making his mark as one of the more impressive signal callers in the country. Then, as a sophomore, he threw for over 300 yards in five games. Last season, though, Carter's numbers slipped noticeably; then he missed four of the last five games of the regular season due to shoulder and thumb injuries. Carter lacks top arm strength, but he throws underneath well, shows the necessary vision when it comes to spotting third options and has the 4.55 speed to frustrate defenders when he leaves the pocket. While the sub-par final campaign pushed his final grade down, if you look back at his first two seasons with the Bulldogs, you would have to be impressed with his future potential. Drafted by Dallas, second round (53rd)

10. Cleo Lemon, Arkansas State -- Has the size (6-2, 223), smarts and arm strength to rank as an intriguing pro prospect. Unfortunately, he played on a team that finished 1-10 last season, allowing over 30 points in nine games. Lemon worked behind an offensive line that was overmatched for the most part, yet he still threw for nearly 2,000 yards, completing 56.5 percent of his passes and tossing 13 TD strikes compared to seven interceptions. With a little more assistance from his teammates, you may have been looking at an early second-day choice. Now, he'll likely have to battle his way onto an NFL roster as a late-rounder or priority free agent.

11. Josh Heupel, Oklahoma -- Enjoyed two outstanding years with the Sooners, culminating with Heupel leading OU to the national championship. While he was a top-of-the-ine collegiate signal caller, his questionable arm strength prevents me from viewing Heupel as a future starting QB in the NFL. With that said, he is an accurate passer, knows how to bide his time in the pocket and does a good job distributing the football. I consider Heupel to be strictly backup material at the pro level. Drafted by Miami, sixth round (177th)