The San Diego Chargers and the Real Mr. Irrelevant

by user Coreyisarealboy

I would like to applaud the Chargers for signing Mr. Brett Elliott.

While his name is as unfamiliar to most people as the word "talent" is to Matt Millen, the undrafted quarterback from tiny Linfield College has made quite a name for himself in the Division III ranks.

I know what your immediate reaction to the mention of Division III was: "If he was really that good he'd be playing D-IA or IAA.

Fact: Elliott started ahead of former No. 1 draft pick Alex Smith at Utah before transferring home to Linfield.

At Linfield, Elliott put up eye-popping numbers. In his junior year, he passed for 4,595 yards (a Division III record) and an all-division record 61 touchdowns (nine regular season and four playoff games) while only tossing 11 interceptions.

In his final season in 2005, Elliott passed for 4,019 yards and 49 touchdowns and only three nine picks in 11 total games.

Elliott went 23-1 as a starter at Linfield, with his only loss coming to eventual national runner up UW-Whitewater in the regional final round of the 2005 D-III Playoffs.

Now stuck behind Philip Rivers, A.J. Feeley and Charlie Whitehurst, the 2005 Gagliardi Trophy (Division III's Heisman) winner will have to work his tail off to even smell a roster spot, unless the Chargers plan on keeping four quarterbacks, which isn't entirely unheard of.

With all four being relatively young guys (only Feeley has more than two years experience), and judging by the weight the Chargers have put on Rivers being the guy, Elliott may find it even more difficult to get on the field.

That's not to say the guy isn't talented. He was a man among boys at the Division III level; the numbers speak for themselves.

Elliott will most likely be the scout team QB come camp time, and it's unlikely, given his alma mater, that he will move beyond that.

Here's to hoping he and the other D-III players signed as undrafted free agents (listed below) find success.


 * Kevin Culbert, defensive end (Frostburg State) - Cleveland Browns
 * Bob Docherty, tight end (UW-Oshkosh) - Kansas City Chiefs
 * Wyatt Gayer, defensive lineman (Anderson) - Cincinnati Bengals

Date
Wed 05/03/06, 12:03 pm EST