INDIANAPOLIS — Had he entered the 2010 NFL draft, Washington QB Jake Locker almost certainly would have been a first-round selection and might have been the No. 1 overall pick. Instead he went back to campus for his senior season, where his passing yards, completion percentage and touchdowns all fell from the previous year.
Now a prospect for the '11 draft, Locker is hearing criticisms that were barely audible a year ago when he was a hotshot prospect. Critiques of his accuracy and timing, as well as his commitment to football, supposedly have dropped him on draft boards. The QB told the media on Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine that he hasn't worried about those who doubt him, and in hindsight, he's quite pleased with his decision to stay in school for his senior year as a Husky.
"As a player and as a person, I'm a lot more prepared for this process," Locker said regarding his choice to complete his college career. "Doing things like this, going through this process and being comfortable going through it. I don't think I would have been as prepared for it last year. To be able to go out and go through the workouts and have confidence in what I was doing personally. I feel a lot better after having another year playing with the coaches that I did and the system that I did. I'm very thankful for that."
Despite his drop in statistics, the '10 season was far from a failure for Locker. He led his team to some big wins over the likes of USC, California and Nebraska, and for the first time in his career he played in the postseason, helping Washington top the Cornhuskers in the Holiday Bowl. Proof that he's a leader also was shown, as Locker was voted a captain by his teammates for the second year in a row, something that he says is one of his greater strengths.
"I think that to be able to bring good character into a locker room, be somebody that guys can trust and believe in," Locker said. "And then I also believe that I also have the opportunity to kind of improvise, create with my legs and extend plays, give guys the opportunity to work downfield."
As for the question about his passion for pigskin, the former draft choice of the Los Angeles Angels said that his love for football is unquestioned. Not only was Locker happy to be in Indianapolis at the Combine because of what it could mean for his professional career, but because he's been a big fan of watching the event the past few years and couldn't wait to experience it himself.
"I'm a fan of this game and I always have been. To be a part of this process that I enjoyed watching so much as a kid, it's a cool opportunity. It's one that I'm trying not to let slip through my hands," Locker said. "It's something I'm trying to enjoy and have fun with because there's a lot of people that I think would like to be in this position, so I don't want to dread it or make it seem like it's something I have to do. It's a privilege, and I'm really excited about it.
"I've been watching this stuff, this process, since I was a little kid. I watched games on Saturday and Sunday with my dad since I was really little. It has been something that has always been a part of my life. I'm very passionate about it. It means a lot to me, and I'm going to put the work in it takes to be successful."
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