ASU's Osweiler rising up NFL draft boards, UA's Foles trails

After all, why leave school just to become a late-round selection, when another year of seasoning at the collegiate level could vault you to first-round status?

Well, what if Osweiler is already there? ESPN NFL Draft expert Todd McShay said he'd take the ASU signal caller with a late first-round pick.

"I popped in the tape and I'm watching this guy," McShay told ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike. "I'm not sure he can move, his mechanics are awful, he's falling off at the end of his throws.

"The more I watch, the more I love him. He's a competitor, he does move well...and he's accurate despite unusual mechanics and that unusual release."

Osweiler only started one season in college, completing 63.2 percent of his passes for 4,036 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, but has seen his potential trump inexperience.

Because, while McShay has been on the Osweiler bandwagon for a while now, he's been joined by fellow draft analyst Mel Kiper, who ranks the Sun Devil as the third-best QB in the draft.

That puts him ahead of Arizona QB Nick Foles, who Kiper says is worthy of a second-round selection.

"Has the size, he has the arm to be a second-round draft pick," Kiper said of the Wildcat. "What concerns me, though, is inaccuracy at times."

Kiper said Foles could be a very good NFL quarterback if he irons out a couple of his issues, but that he grades him lower because he did not see the QB take his game to an elite level in his senior season.

Then again, Foles did post career-best numbers last season, completing 69.1 percent of his passes for 4,334 yards while throwing 28 touchdowns and 14 interceptions for a team that struggled to run the ball and protect the passer.

The 2012 NFL Draft is still a couple months away, and a lot will happen between now and the time names are called. But as of now, it appears Osweiler made the right call in leaving school early. But will his name be called before Arizona's star?