Georgia Bulldogs: Top 10 quarterbacks in team history

Nov 26, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws the ball during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles of a NFL game on Thanksgiving at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

4. Matthew Stafford (2006-08)

Matthew Stafford was one of the most highly prized high school recruits in some time. His rocket arm from Highland Park, Texas was the envy of all in college football in the high school class of 2006. Stafford opted to sign with the University of Georgia to play for Mark Richt.

Stafford’s arm was the most powerful howitzer I’ve ever seen in Red and Black. As a true freshman, he won the starting quarterback gig after Joe Terershinski lost to Vanderbilt in 2006 and Stafford never looked back. He led the Dawgs to the 2007 Sugar Bowl and beat Hawaii badly in New Orleans. His 2007 team would have certainly made the College Football Playoff had it existed at that time. UGA finished 2007 as the No. 2 team in the country.

In Stafford’s junior season, Georgia entered the season as the No. 1 team in the nation and while he didn’t lead the Dawgs to an SEC or National Championship in his time in Athens, he did enough as a pocket passer to become the first overall draft pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 NFL Draft.

While at UGA, Stafford threw for 7,731 yards, 51 touchdowns, 33 interceptions, and completed 57.1 of his passes in two and a half years as a starter. He would have easily eclipsed 10,000 career passing yards had he not left a year early, but could you really blame a guy that went No. 1 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft? I still miss his powerful arm, toying with defensive backs, trying to complete the deep back shoulder fade to his stellar wideouts of Mohamed Massaquoi and A.J. Green among others.

Next: 3. Eric Zeier