When quarterbacks are drafted in the NFL, you hear a lot of people talk about why they will succeed.

However, there have been many quarterbacks that just didn't end up panning out in the pros.

Some guys are all hype and no substance.

But, what it is that separates certain QB's from others?

Is it toughness? Accuracy? Making the right decisions? Knowing how to read a defense

Take the two QB's in the NFC Championship Game- Donovan McNabb and Kurt Warner are well established ad two of the game's better players.

They were guys that not a lot of people predicted greatness for- (Akili Smith was drafted in the top 5 with McNabb in 1999, yet he flamed out)

Commenting about the QBs taken in the same year or two as Donovan. Andy was a QB coach for a long time in Green Bay, not to mention the coach he was under was legendary Mike Holmgren. I think being a well-established QB coach, coaching one of the best all-time in Brett Favre, prepared Andy to make any QB from that draft class, into a star. Tim Couch was a QB in the same year and if we had taken him, I bet he would still be playing today under Andy. Donovan and Kurt are mistake free QBs with a gun of an arm. Donovan's mobility and Warner's intelligence wins them games. Romo has a gun of an arm but he's stupid and folds under pressure.

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But, what it is that separates certain QB's from others?

Is it toughness? Accuracy? Making the right decisions? Knowing how to read a defense

I think you hit the nail on the head, they need all three you listed.

I think you also need a strong arm, and the ability to withstand pressure & to want to succeed

it's not just inside, with smarts and ability to get out of the pocket when pressured, but to have a good arm, or at least to try and throw the deep ball on occassion.

I think the best QBs in the league, in general, and by all these standards we mentioned are

Tom Brady
Peyton Manning
McNabb
Kurt Warner

And POSSIBLY Romo and Marc Bulger, if we're stretching the boundaries here a little bit

I might of missed a couple guys, but all the young guys and people coming up like Matt Ryan, Flacco & Phillip Rivers are good, but haven't been in the league long enough to be on the list.

I think you need a QB that has the will to win. Someone who doesn't turn over the ball much, and sometimes takes the game manager role over 'good stats'

Guys like Brady, especially.

But I also love watching a real gutsy QB who makes some dumb decisions, but makes them with a hope. Guys like Ben and like Favre use to be.