AJ McCarron says his best attribute is ‘being a winner’
Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron is a winner, and you only hate him because he’s a winner. Those are his words, not ours.
When asked by a reporter what his best attribute is at the NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron simply replied, "I would think being a winner."
That wasn’t all, as he continued by saying that he feels as though he’s been disrespected “my whole college career because I’ve won.” He’s never been shy about proclaiming his confidence in his ability or being particularly bitter in regards to analyst opinion, but he’s not backing down from the talk at the combine, where character really comes into play for a lot of teams.
Critics have pointed to Alabama’s loaded roster when talking about McCarron’s college production, noting that McCarron has been surrounded with “NFL talent” during his time with the Tide. McCarron addressed that issue with a confusing answer. “Everybody says I play behind NFL talent at Alabama. Well, usually at the NFL is NFL talent, so I don’t know how that’s a knock.”
It’s unclear at this point if McCarron was being intentionally obtuse or if he really didn’t understand the question.
On top of all that, he talked about potentially getting drafted by the New England Patriots. He suggested that New England is "almost like" the "Alabama of pro football." He said that it would be "almost deja vu in a way."
Unfortunately, he didn't come out and say that he's better than Tom Brady or anything, saying that he would love the chance to "go there and sit behind Brady for however long and learn from one of the best to ever play the game."
Speaking of Tom Brady, McCarron reference the Patriots quarterback when asked who he would compare himself to. “The last time I made a comment like that I got criticized,” McCarron said. He then went on to point out the similarities between himself and Brady, noting perceptions about the former Michigan signal caller’s size and arm strength.
For what it's worth, the latest 2014 NFL Draft quarterback rankings from SB Nation's own Matthew Fairburn place McCarron down at No. 11. That's halfway down the list of those ranked, with Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville, Blake Bortles of Central Florida and Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M leading the way on top.
