Like Barkley, our mystery passer was a multiyear starter at a major college… this passer missed a full year with an injury and had to redshirt, which led to concerns from scouts about his injury history, just like today’s scouts have with Barkley. Those scouts also questioned that quarterback’s arm strength and noted that it was “average,” just like … you get the idea.

Most notably, though, both of the quarterbacks in question were coming to the NFL to play in offensive systems under new head coaches that were designed to make a quarterback’s life easier, specifically by building an offense around spreading the field and making quick, short throws that beat the pass rush. Barkley can only hope that it works out as well for him as it does for our mystery passer, Joe Montana.

Bill Barnwell, Grantland