Where Does NIU Quarterback Jordan Lynch Fit as an NFL Player?

Nov 13, 2013; DeKalb, IL, USA; Northern Illinois Cardinals quarterback Jordan Lynch (6) smiles after he scored a touchdown in the 4th quarter against the Ball State Huskies at Huskie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Over the last two years, it’s hard to argue that there are more than maybe one or two college football players better or more productive than Jordan Lynch, the quarterback at Northern Illinois.

The Huskies are 10-0 this season, ranked 15th in the nation, and with two regular season games remaining, you’ve got to think that Lynch is one of the top three or four guys that should be up for the Heisman Trophy.

Yet, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Even though Lynch has two straight years of 2,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing, he’s not really mentioned much when you talk about Heisman front-runners like Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston, but he’s putting up just as good of numbers and is winning just as many games.

Okay, okay, so it’s not against elite level competition, but Lynch led NIU to a victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes, which aside from their bowl game last year is the last team to beat the Huskies.

Lynch puts up video game (ridiculous) numbers on a weekly basis, but often goes unnoticed because of the team he plays for. He’s a smaller QB at 6’0″ 216 pounds, but he is an elusive runner and does enough to be more than effective as a quarterback. I have seen Lynch make NFL throws, but scouts question his ability to sustain at the position in an NFL offense because of his size and lack of ideal arm strength.

When push comes to shove, I think Lynch will give QB a shot in the NFL but ultimately most pundits feel like he is going to have to change positions to be successful. This is a guy who has a very unique skill set that isn’t routinely used by NFL teams, as is evidenced by the lack of Tim Tebow on an NFL roster.

Actually, aside from Tebow being bigger, stronger, and more athletic, Lynch is a very similar prospect to what Tebow was. He is a good runner for a QB, but he doesn’t have blazing speed by any means. He can make throws when he needs to, but NFL teams question whether or not he can do it at the level he needs to to be successful in the big leagues.

I think it’s going to be interesting to see if an NFL team takes a late-round or free agent shot on Lynch. If coached properly, he could develop into a heck of an H-back or weapon offensively that can be used in a variety of ways. You’d have to be creative, but a guy that’s as productive as Lynch has been shouldn’t simply go by the wayside when he tries to make it to the NFL.

Most people don’t think he’ll be a quarterback, but you have to think that Lynch is going to get a shot to make a career out of this football thing.