Fantasy Football Collective

My guess is that Sanchez will get it, mostly for reasons out of Stafford's control. First and foremost, the NFL loves a story they can sell, and - pardon me for saying so - but I believe that Sanchez will benefit from a media blitz surrounding Sanchez's minority status, intended to improve Latino viewership of the NFL. The League is always looking for new markets to invade, and Sanchez is the best prospect to come along in years capable of helping the NFL rein in America's fastest growing minority, who, it is safe to say, watch plenty of television. (ESPN's brief piece on Sanchez's support among Latino fans of USC indicated Latinos are paying attention.)

USC is also USC; always at or near the top, garnering plenty of media attention for Sanchez in their own right. And they've lost their one game of the year early, in a weak conference, which is crucial: once Penn State loses to Iowa tomorrow and Alabama's weak offense is exposed in Death Valley, it will be a cruise to the Natty Championship, again and as usual, for the Trojans. There, Sanchez will have his chance to win the Big Game, maybe even over Stafford, and complete an otherwise solid contribution to the USC dynasty, propelling himself to the top.

Outside of the media argument, which slants huge for Sanchez, he and Stafford are fairly equal, physically speaking. They are both 6'3", around 230 pounds, with strong arms. They make good reads, though Sanchez has a slight edge in desperation play; Georgia's loss to Alabama showed Stafford forcing throws, while Sanchez kept his team in the Oregon State game and was largely let down by his defense and special teams. Sanchez has quick feet that result in excellent evasiveness, a la Tony Romo. He rolls out of the pocket better than anyone in the NCAA, and can throw on the run powerfully and with accuracy; both are emerging standards of excellence for NFL QB's (see: Jay Cutler).

Sanchez's big win over the Buckeyes became his marquee game this year, going 17/28 for four touchdowns and effectively sealing the game in the first half with a late touchdown drive off a Todd Boeckman fumble. He's also benefited from an excellent offensive line performance, second in the PAC-10 in sacks allowed with nine for 57 yards (Georgia, despite the dubious play of the offensive line, has allowed eight, but for 65 yards).

A few downsides tarnish his chances, however. His more recent predecessors at USC - Carson Palmer of the Bengals; Matt Lienart of the Cardinals; John David Booty of the Minnesota Vikings - are all currently lounging on the benches, while team owners, having invested time and money in what looked to be an emerging Quarterback Pipeline, now feel burned by their investments. This trend could possibly be traced to questionable quarterback development at the professional rather than the collegiate level, but it still certainly isn't doing Sanchez any favors. (Only Matt Cassel of the Patriots has shown himself to be competent and competitive, and draft historians will remember he was second string behind Palmer and Leinart, and was the 7th round pick in 2005, nearly Mr. Irrelevant.)

The Oregon State debacle also briefly dimmed USC's bid to play in the national championship, and Sanchez's reputation by proxy. His play in the second half was near-heroic, however, especially considering the way Oregon State controlled the clock with their running game  (though Sanchez's lone interception was the game-sealer). Yet the game exposed his main physical drawback: pressure often forces him into scrambling too early (unlike Stafford, notably), and his speed and lack if an option threat make this scrambling sloppy and unthreatening.

He's also never won, or played in, a bowl; this, along with the up-and-coming recruits pushing him, will probably determine whether he enters the draft or decides to stay another year as a Trojan. If USC wins out and the BCS defies the longings of the masses yet again, you could be watching the future First QB Taken top the Bulldogs in Miami in January.