Colbert was speaking about quarterbacks who play in spread offenses, but whether or not a college player's talent will successfully translate to the NFL can be problematic for linemen, running backs, and tight ends as well.
In the spread, blockers frequently don't get in a three-point stance and run-block; running backs don't often have to run in tight spaces; and tight ends split wide and rarely block. At many colleges that run the spread offense, tight ends are little more than beefed-up wide receivers.
Before last year's NFL draft, for example, some scouts voiced concerns about whether West Virginia running back Steve Slaton was capable of running between the tackles. He was tried at wide receiver when he performed at the NFL combine. Picked in the third round by Houston, Slaton, who starred at Conwell-Egan High, answered questions in his rookie season, running for 1,282 yards and catching 50 passes for 377.
"The first step they take is lateral rather than downhill" toward the line of scrimmage, NFL.com draft analyst Mike Mayock said of running backs in the spread offense. "It's also the tight end who's never in line with the blocker. The wide receivers don't run routes straight. It's almost every position."
Mayock offered tackle Jason Smith as an example. Smith, from Baylor, is expected to be the first offensive tackle taken in Saturday's draft.
"Jason Smith is in a two-point stance 98 percent of the time, so the NFL guys that I talk to on a daily basis are getting frustrated," Mayock said. "I'm like, it's too bad, guys, because the spread offense is not going away."
Since quarterbacks in the spread offense mostly operate out of the shotgun and frequently run, many of them must prepare for the draft simply by learning to take snaps from under the center.
