With the 98th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected USC Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley. Barkley is the No. 56 overall player and No. 2 quarterback prospect in this year's draft class, according to SB Nation's Dan Kadar.
NFL Draft results 2013: Eagles select Matt Barkley to start the 4th round
The Eagles have another quarterback on the roster now.
Barkley, 21, was a highly ranked high school prospect after winning the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2007, and immediately took over as the starting quarterback at USC as a true freshman. In his final two seasons with the team, Barkley accumulated 6,801 yards, 75 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.
“He doesn’t have the strongest arm, but he can put the ball on you,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said on NFL Network. “It’s about the player, not the plays. They’re going to run plays to take advantage of his skill set.”
New head coach Chip Kelly has an interesting quarterback situation on his hands this season. The Eagles brought back Michael Vick on a restructured deal. They also have Nick Foles, who took over for a struggling Vick last season. With Barkley on the roster now, it could mean that one of the other signal callers ends up elsewhere for the 2013 season.
In a prospect profile at Big Cat Country, SB Nation’s Alfie Crow breaks down Barkley’s game:
Overall Barkley’s ceiling is likely going to be a mid-level NFL starter, like Andy Dalton, but Barkley doesn’t move around and change his launch point as well as Dalton does. A team is going to have to develop a specific offense around Barkley for him to be successful, revolving around three and five step drops in a rhythm passing game. I have Barkley as a third round pick and a primary back up, mid-range starter in the NFL.
Combine results
Height: 6’3
Weight: 227 pounds
Hand size: 10.13 inches
40-yard dash: 4.84 seconds
In Barkley's senior season, the Trojans entered the year as the preseason No. 1, but struggled, losing six games on the year and finishing the season unranked. In a November loss against the UCLA Bruins, Barkley suffered a separated shoulder, which kept him out of the final two games of the season. He finished the year with 3,273 passing yards, 36 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
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