Draft Profile: Tony Pike

NAME – Tony Pike

Position – Quarterback.

College – Cincinnati.

Status – Red-shirt senior.

Size/Weight – 6-5¾, 223 pounds

Important numbers – 4.9 seconds in 40-yard dash, 28.5-inch vertical jump, 9-foot broad jump.

Age – 24.

Honors – First-team All-Big East offense ‘09 … second-team All-Big East offense ‘08.

College career – Over his first three years at his hometown school, Pike barely got on the field, throwing 20 passes in that time. He finally got his opportunity in ‘08, with 10 starts. Pike overcame a fractured left forearm during the season that required surgery. He returned three games later and finished the season. He missed four games in ‘09 when the plate in his arm needed repaired. But Pike finished with more than twice as many TD passes than INTs.

Stats of note – 27 games/19 starts … completed 421 of 682 passes for 5,018 yards, 49 TDs and 20 INTs … ran 94 times for 128 yards and 2 TDs.

STRENGTHS – Tall and lanky, he has good down the field vision … high football IQ and he’s a quick decision maker … very accurate passer (61.7 %) including throws down the field … has the arm strength to make every NFL throw.

WEAKNESSES – Pike is not especially athletic … not a scrambler and does not throw well on the run … needs to add muscle to his upper body if he is to survive the NFL … lacks extensive playing time over his college career … worked out of the spread offense.

THE RIGHT 53? – There’s no question that he’s a tough guy, coming back in three weeks from a broken forearm and playing in pain for the rest of the season. By fighting through inactivity early, he showed his determination as well.

What he said: “The comparison I’m getting is a little bit of Joe Flacco. But I’ve grown up admiring what Peyton Manning has done in the game, mentally. So mentally…studying the game, he’s someone I’d like to model my game after.”

End game – It’s hard to consider Pike an elite prospect, although he may go on to have a long NFL career. One draftnik compared him to Todd Collins and that’s probably a good description. He’ll go in the second or third round, but doesn’t rank with Bradford-Clausen-Tebow-McCoy.

ON THE CHIEFS LIST? – Doubtful, given the needs at other positions. If he’s still around in the fourth or fifth round, I think the Chiefs would give serious consideration to selecting him.