M. Vick (Not Who You Think)

When you think Virginia Tech QBs, who do you think of? I bet the first name that comes to mind is Vick. After all, no ACC player accounted for more total points for his team than Vick did for VT. He had an ACC-best 6 rush TDs for a quarterback, to go along with 17 passing TDs, 2nd in the ACC. Unfortunately, Vick went undrafted in the 2006 NFL Draft. I’m talking about Marcus Vick, of course, the younger brother of Michael by 4 years. So what happened to this replica of the 2001 Draft’s #1 overall pick? They are both scrambling quarterbacks, they both run a sub-4.50 40-yard dash, they both led Virginia Tech to 11-win seasons, and together scored 61 TDs at Virginia Tech in three seasons. If you look purely at the stats, you could argue that Marcus was the better quarterback of the two. In his only season with Virginia Tech, he completed 61.2% of his passes for 2393 yards and 17 TDs, all three numbers trump those of his older brother’s two seasons at VT.

If Marcus was a better passer on the field, he was worse off the field. His amazing junior year in college should have made him a lock to go in the first few rounds. However, his on-field and off-field demeanor were too foreboding for anyone to give him another chance at football. Countless traffic offenses, speeding tickets galore, possession of marijuana, charges of rape, and unsportsmanlike conduct on the field resulted in his permanent dismissal from the Virginia Tech football program. “It’s not a big deal, I’ll just move on to the next level, baby,” he said—the next level being the 2006 NFL Draft, where he told ESPN that he considered himself better than 1st rounders Matt Leinart, Jay Cutler, and his brother Michael Vick. Apparently NFL front offices didn’t think so, as all 32 teams passed on him. What I should say is that NFL front offices acknowledged his talent, but did not anticipate him staying out of legal troubles as he continues his football career, and thus were not consider signing him a good idea. He did end up signing with the Miami Dolphins as a WR/QB/returnman, but played only one game in the NFL. Since the ’06 Draft, those owners, GMs, and coaches who passed on his proved their wisdom. He’s been charged with several traffic violations, including driving with a suspended license; brandishing a firearm, which he claimed was actually his Blackberry cell phone, mistaken for a gun; DUI, eluding police, reckless driving, and driving with a suspended license—all in one night; no wonder he’s not playing professional football! As for his brother, that remains to be seen.