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Throughout today, our hope is to catch a few of the more unknown quarterback prospects, since it's pretty safe to say the Chiefs will not be looking to draft a quarterback early in the first round (or even second for that matter). With the team happy with Matt Cassel in the starting role, it's possible the Chiefs may take a flier later in the draft. Early in the day today, we were able to catch up with Oregon State's Sean Canfield.
The 6'4" quarterback threw for over 3,200 yards in 2009 and held a 21/7 TD/INT ratio. The most important statistic is the completion percentage of 68% this past year. It's an impressive frame and stat pack, even if questions were raised about his arm strength at the Senior Bowl. Thus the focus of questions gave him a chance to quell those rumors.
Q: How much are you thinking about your draft stock? What are you hearing about where you could go?
A: Not too much. I think looking at the draft ever since I was growing up and then being a part of it now, it's just so up in the air as far as who's going where. Really, I've heard anything from second to fifth round as far as where I could go. So it's not really a focus for me right now.
Q: What do you think about competing against so many guys who get so much publicity?
A: It's awesome. It's fun to be a part of this. Like I said earlier, growing up watching the draft and being a part of this process, it's just a big stage and now I'm here. It's been awesome.
Q: What do you think the keys to your success are gonna be this week?
A: I think it's just staying focused, staying centered, staying within yourself. We had to wake up at 4:30 this morning to take a drug test, so I'm going on four or five hours of sleep. That's what they want to do to you. It's more of a mental test. I don't think it's a coincidence that your workout day is your last day here. I think staying mentally ready is very, very important.
Q: To those who talk about the West Coast system that you've operated in, can you talk about potentially operating outside of that?
A: Yeah, Coach [Mike] Riley operated his offense when he was with the San Diego Chargers, so it's a pro style offense. I felt like I was groomed there for five years and then ready to start a new thing in the NFL, wherever that is. I'm just excited about it. I think that maybe sets me apart from some guys who ran the spread in college -- obviously, you don't see that in the NFL. I think that's definitely a plus for me.
Q: What do you think you have to show in drills and practices?
A: Well, after talking to my agent after the Senior Bowl, one thing people want to see is arm strength. I've never doubted my own strength. I've always considered myself to have a strong arm.
Q: How does the Pac-10 prepare you?
A: I think what separates the Pac-10 is speed. The Big Ten is known for their size and the Pac-10 is known for their speed. The Big 12 and SEC gets a lot of notoriety and media coverage and I think the Pac 10 has come a long ways. It's playing with a fast tempo and making quick decisions, and, again, it's a fast league that has a lot of talented, fast players. It's kind of prepared me for this.
Q: That's interesting, because so many talk about the speed of the NFL for rookies versus the speed of the college game. So you think you're helped in that way?
A: Yeah, absolutely. Obviously, there's speed in every Division I football team, but if you look over the Pac 10, you really have that speed. I think once you get there, once you get with a team, it's about working. I've been talking to guys from Oregon State in the past that I'm friends with -- Derek Anderson and Matt Moore -- and it's about working once you get there and just knowing your role.
Q: There's a lot of talk about working out and not working out. What made you decide to work out here this week?
A: I wanna show off what I have. I've got nothing to hide. I know a lot of guys have gotten some flack for not wanting to throw or whatever the case. I've never been a guy who would not want to do something that like. The only thing I won't do is bench, but throwing is something I love to do and want to do. I want to show off that arm strength.
Q: You write right-handed, but throw left-handed. What else do you do left-handed?
A: Yes. Um, ping-pong. Bowling. I guess if I played tennis, it would be left. Anything with a throwing motion is left. And then I write with my right and eat with my right. I golf right-handed. I kick right-footed. So I'm pretty weird. [Laughs]