West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Kansas State Wildcats NFL Draft Preview

Oct 13, 2012; Ames, Iowa, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein (7) drops back to pass against the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half at Jack Trice Stadium. Kansas State defeated Iowa State 27-21. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-US PRESSWIRE

Kansas State vs. West Virginia is a huge game involving two big time college football quarterbacks, potentially two guys on very different NFL tracks. Mountaineer QB Geno Smith is arguably the top prospect right now in most draft circles, and K-State’s Collin Klein is almost a draft afterthought, though both guys are competing for a Big 12 title and spot in the national championship.

There are some big time prospects in this game outside of the two quarterbacks, and NFL Mocks has the coverage. Here is a full report on our top prospects for West Virginia and Kansas State, as well as a little taste of both posts.

"7 Collin Klein, Quarterback/Athlete, Senior  6’5″ 225 poundsKlein is a really interesting prospect. He’s kind of similar to Tim Tebow, but Tebow was a more prolific passer in college and Klein is more of a runner. He is a former wide receiver and you’ll probably want to find a spot for him on your football team if you can afford it. He’s having a pretty good year passing the ball, and like Tebow, all Klein does is win football games, one way or another. In 2011, he had over 1,100 yards rushing including 27 rushing touchdowns, and threw for 13 more. He has transitioned to being more of a passer as a senior, and if he can continue to improve in that area, he can elevate his draft stock. His stock will be pretty dependent upon what he shows teams at the Combine and at his pro day in terms of overall athletic ability. If he’s just a power running quarterback, he may have to sneak on an NFL roster as a tight end/h-back."

"12 Geno Smith, Quarterback, Senior 6’3″ 214 poundsSmith is one of the top senior quarterbacks in his class. He doesn’t lack any particular trait you look for in a quarterback prospect, except for the fact that his offense is almost overly pass oriented and he doesn’t have a ton of experience from under center. He has the ability to make plays with his legs and can hit all the throws. In Dana Holgorson’s offense, he really thrived as a junior throwing for 4,385 yards, 31 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He had a pass efficiency rating of 152.6 this past season, so he is very careful with the ball. He has had a couple of elite receivers to throw to over the last two seasons, and that should help him be even more productive as a senior. He has really good footwork, and a quick, low release which can at times get knocked down at the line of scrimmage because he appears to release the ball right around his ear or slightly below. Sometimes he doesn’t go through all of his progressions and will settle for his first read, which is normally okay but he will need to work through some things as he progresses as a player. Smith has the ability to fit the body into tight windows, and when he hits his groove he can get really hot. Leads an explosive aerial attack, which will translate well to the NFL. Really productive player who I think has a chance to be a Pro Bowl caliber player at the NFL level."