Zach Mettenberger NFL Draft Stock Uncertain After Torn ACL; Why Teams May Still Be Interested In the QB
BySo very close to the end of his college football career as LSU, senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger's knee injury sustained against Arkansas Saturday is a torn ACL.
According to ESPN, Mettenberger also sprained his MCL, but in following school policy, LSU confirmed the injury and did not go into any further detail. This will rule the QB out of the Tigers' bowl game and the Senior Bowl.
Mettenberger is the second senior quarterback at the end of this season to suffer a torn ACL just months before the NFL draft. Georgia's Aaron Murray is also set to go through rehabbing his knee while preparing to enter the pros.
Mettenberger and Murray are also part of group of senior quarterbacks in a class that could be highlighted by underclassmen. Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater, UCF's Blake Bortles and Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel would be occupy nearly every top-five QB draft board should they commit.
Mettenberger, Murray, Alabama's A.J. McCarron, Clemson's Tajh Boyd and Fresno State's Derek Carr may end up needing to figure out ways to break into those top-five lists.
ESPN's college football expert Todd McShay said on "SportsCenter" both Mettenberger and Murray "really could have benefitted" from playing in the Senior Bowl. While it remains unclear how either QB's stock will be affected, McShay also said Mettenberger still has highly desirable qualities for an NFL prospect.
He is tall with a strong build, has no previous track record of serious injuries and has a strong throwing arm. Mettenberger and Murray may be able to throw in workout activities leading up to the draft, which would be an opportunity for both.
Their draft stock also depends heavily on the decisions of Manziel, Bridewater and Bortles.
"We are very disappointed for Zach," LSU head football coach Les Miles said in a statement Wednesday. "He's been a tremendous leader for our team and he's as competitive a guy as I have ever been around. He's had a great impact on our program."