For the past couple of years we have touched on two well known rules or tests when drafting a quarterback. These rules are the 26-27-60 rule and Bill Parcells test. The 26-27-60 rule refers to an NFL prospect who scores at least a 26 on the Wonderlic test, starts at least 27 games in his college career and completes at least 60 percent of his passes, there's a good chance he will succeed at the NFL level. While the Parcells test follows this criteria:
- The quarterback must be a senior. . .because you need time and maturity to develop into a good professional quarterback
- He must be a graduate. . .because you want somebody that takes their responsibilities seriously.
- He must be a three-year starter. . .because you want to make sure his success wasn't a fluke and to know that he has been "the guy" for a significant period of time.
- He must have 23 wins. . .because big numbers don't mean a whole lot if you don't win.
Obviously we don't know the Wonderlic scores yet, but who can be weeded out already from these rules?
Andrew Luck, Senior, Stanford
26-27-60: PASS, 37 career starts, 66.4 Completion Percentage
Parcells: PASS, Eligibility wise Luck is not a senior, but he is listed as one due to his early graduation. He has 31 career wins and has been the starting QB for the Cardinal for 3 years now.
Robert Griffin III, Junior, Baylor
26-27-60: PASS, Griffin will likely finish his Baylor career with 41 career starts and currently has a 67 completion percentage.
Parcells: FAIL, Griffin needs to win Thursday against Washington to reach 23 career wins. He's a junior eligibility-wise because of a medical redshirt, so he should fit all other Parcells criteria.
Ryan Tannehill, Senior, Texas A&M
26-27-60: FAIL, Tannehill will finish his career with 20 career starts, he does have a 62.3 completion percentage though.
Parcells: FAIL, Tannehill has only been the stater for a year and a half. He's also 12-7 in that time period.
Nick Foles, Senior, Arizona
26-27-60: PASS, Foles has 33 career starts and a completion percentage of 66.9%.
Parcells: FAIL, Foles is a three year starter but only has 15 wins as a Wildcat.
Kirk Cousins, Senior, Michigan State
26-27-60: PASS, Cousins has nearly 40 career starts and has a completion percentage of 64.6%.
Parcells: PASS, Cousins squeaks by with 25 career wins.
Brandon Weeden, Senior, Oklahoma State
26-27-60: PASS, The Fiesta Bowl will be Weeden's 27th career start. He has a career completion percentage of 69.5%.
Parcells: FAIL, Only two years as the starter in Stillwater disqualifies Weeden. He is 23-3 as the Cowboys starter though.
Landry Jones, Junior, Oklahoma
26-27-60: PASS, A career completion percentage of 62.7 and 37 career starts more than qualifies Jones.
Parcells: FAIL, Being a junior disqualifies Jones but he does have 28 career wins.
Russell Wilson, Senior, Wisconsin
26-27-60: PASS, Wilson has 48 career starts between Wisconsin and NC State, he also barely qualifies with a 60.7 career completion percentage.
Parcells: PASS, 30 career wins for Wilson puts him over the top.
Ryan Lindley, Senior, San Diego State
26-27-60: FAIL, Lindley does have 49 career starts, but his completion percentage is 55.5% disqualifying him.
Parcells: PASS, Lindley barely passes Parcells' criteria with 23 wins as an Aztec.
Chandler Harnish, Senior, Northern Illinois
26-27-60: PASS, 44 career starts and a career completion percentage of 62.3 more than qualifies Harnish
Parcells: PASS, Harnish has 27 career wins.
Kellen Moore, Senior, Boise State
26-27-60: PASS, No problem for Moore who has a career completion percentage of 69.6 and has started every game in his college career (52).
Parcells: PASS, Moore may be the definition of the Parcells rule, he is a four year started and is also 50-3 in his time as a Bronco.
Case Keenum, Senior, Houston
26-27-60: PASS, 56 career starts and a completion of percentage of 69.5 qualifies the super senior.
Parcells: PASS, Keenum has won 38 games in his time as a Cougar.