Brodie Croyle QB 6’3 205 Alabama
By: Robert Davis

Brodie Croyle was a household name before he ever stepped on the Alabama campus. Before choosing the hometown Tide, he was one of the elite recruits in the country at any position. Even though he got on the field as a redshirt freshman, he has not lived up to his billing until this season. As a freshman, he threw for 1,046 yards and 5 touchdowns, but also threw 5 picks and completed less than 49% of his passes. Croyle improved on every number as a sophomore, throwing for 2,303 yards at a 53.4% clip, with 16 touchdowns and 13 picks. He was off to a fast start as a junior in 2004, throwing for 534 yards and 6 touchdowns before going down with a season ending ACL tear. Croyle finally made the early hype justified as a senior. He completed 59.6% of his passes for 2,499 yards and 14 touchdowns, to just four interceptions.

Croyle has all the physical skills to be an NFL quarterback. He’s tall, he’s athletic, and he has a strong arm. He is capable of making every throw on the football field, and when he’s on, he can carry a team on his back. He has the mobility in the pocket to elude the rush and escape to find more time to throw. Perhaps most important, Croyle has the intangibles to be successful at the next level. He has a great work ethic, is tough, and knows how to rally his troops.

The two main issues with Croyle and how he projects at the next level are his lack of bulk and his injury history. At the next level, the two will go hand and hand. He has a very thin frame, and may not be able to withstand the beating an NFL quarterback takes. In his four years at Bama, Croyle has had surgery on his left shoulder and right knee. On the field, the main thing Croyle has to do is learn to take what the defense gives him more often. He has had a tendency during his career to force throws, though he has improved a lot over the course of his career.

Croyle could have a bright future at the next level. He has always had the talent, and finally came on as a senior, putting Alabama football back on the map. He continued his success this season with a solid showing at the Senior Bowl in January, and has solidified his grade on Day One. He has an outside chance at landing in the second round.