Get to Know Raiders Starting QB Matt McGloin

Nov 17, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin (14) throws a pass against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Who in the world is Matt McGloin?

Unless you’re a devout Penn State or general Big Ten fan, or if you really pay that close of attention to college football, you probably had never heard of Matt McGloin prior to his getting a start for the Oakland Raiders in place of the injured Terrelle Pryor.

As far as being prospects from high school to the professional ranks goes, McGloin and Pryor couldn’t be further apart. Pryor was the consensus number one player coming out of high school, while McGloin was a walk-on at Penn State. Pryor was selected in the third round of the supplemental draft after getting in trouble at and subsequently kicked out of Ohio State’s football program. McGloin stayed at Penn State through the ugly sanctions when he could have transferred anywhere in 2012 and went undrafted in 2013.

Pryor is a speedy QB with a rocket arm and struggles with accuracy. McGloin isn’t nearly as athletic, doesn’t have an overwhelmingly strong arm, but makes good decisions and takes care of the football.

After a three touchdown performance in the first start of his career against the Houston Texans, McGloin has earned himself another start for the Raiders against the Tennessee Titans, a team that is sort of reeling after looking okay in their first few games.

If you are still wondering who the heck McGloin is, he’s a 6’1″ 210 pound undrafted rookie out of Penn State that nobody really thought would get a look in the draft, and he didn’t. The Raiders made it a priority to bring him in, which was sort of a surprise to me because I didn’t see anything “NFL” out of McGloin in his time with the Nittany Lions. He showed some good leadership and poise leading his team and sticking with them through the NCAA sanctions last year, but aside from a good TD/INT ratio, there wasn’t anything great about McGloin as a prospect.

The Raiders obviously disagreed, and brought him in to compete for a backup job.

As is often the case with the Raiders, one thing led to another, and here we are with McGloin starting his second NFL game. So why is McGloin starting when Terrelle Pryor is healthy?

“This is a production business,” head coach Dennis Allen said.

Good luck with that, Pryor.

It’s interesting to see McGloin starting for the Raiders when I never dreamed he’d be in the NFL at all, but that’s how things work out. Crazy things happen in this league, so you just have to be ready at any time when your number is called. McGloin answered the call and now he’s getting a shot to prove it wasn’t a fluke.