Editor's Note: Below is the excerpt on Brett Favre from Mel Kiper Jr.'s 1991 "Draft Report."
I had Brett Favre as the 17th highest-rated player in the 1991 NFL draft. In my final first-round mock draft, I had Favre going 21st overall to the Kansas City Chiefs (Kansas City drafted LSU running back Harvey Williams). In fact, Favre was not the first QB taken in 1991 -- Dan McGwire went 16th overall to the Seattle Seahawks. Favre was a second-round pick, going 33rd overall to the Atlanta Falcons (I had both McGwire and Favre with the same grade, 9.2).
Here's the write-up on Favre from my 1991 "Draft Report":
After a nightmarish spring and summer, it appeared Brett Favre would have to consider sitting out the 1990 campaign. His run on bad luck began with elbow surgery to his throwing arm that sidelined him the entire spring practice session. While rehabilitating that injury, Brett was involved in a single-car accident on July 14 that resulted in a variety of injuries, including a gash on his knee, a concussion, as well as severe bumps and bruises to most of his body. After talking to Brett and his family at the Senior Bowl, he was fortunate just to survive the accident, let alone return to the gridiron this season. You see, the car he was driving was in the process of falling down a hill into a creek, before the car was stopped in its tracks by a tree. Had the car fallen into the creek, Brett would have more than likely drowned, since he was unconscious then. His brother, who was in a following car, pulled Brett out of the wreck, where he lay on the side of the road until an ambulance arrived to take him to a hospital.
After leaving the hospital, he was still not feeling even close to 100 percent. As Brett explained, "It felt like a knife was jabbing me in the middle of my chest." He twice went to see a doctor, before being returned to the hospital for further evaluation. On Aug. 8, he underwent surgery to remove a 30-inch portion of the lower end of his smaller intestine. During the ordeal, he lost between 25 and 30 pounds, weighing in at only 193 pounds before the start of the football season in late August, early September.
Remarkably, Brett was able to dress for the season opener against Delta State on Sept. 1, although he didn't return to action until the second game against Alabama. During the middle portion of the campaign, Brett began to regain his lost weight and strength, leading the Golden Eagles to victories over the likes of Louisville and Auburn. He closed out the campaign with a fine effort against NC State in the bowl game, throwing for well over 300 yards against one of the top secondaries in college football.
He has a strong, powerful arm, throwing the 15- to 25-yard intermediate routes across the middle as well as any quarterback to come out in the last few years. The Southern Miss baseball coaches have practically begged him to play the last few years. In high school, his fastball was clocked in the 90 mph range. Delivery is outstanding -- he snaps the ball right off from his ear, cutting through the wind that is a factor to deal with in the late fall/winter months.
One negative I saw during practice sessions was that he tends to hang his deeper passes, allowing CBs the time to react and get in a position to make a play on the ball. Although not a scrambler, he can sidestep the initial pass rusher, and learn to deliver the ball accurately rolling to his right.
* This kid is a competitor, possesses above average physical skills, and did his damage against top competition during his four years as the starter. To a certain extent, he is still recovering from the painful injuries he sustained in the car accident and ensuing surgery. I really believe strongly that he has the natural ability and overall attitude to make the successful transition to the NFL. Would be ideal for a club looking to develop a starting quarterback of the future, thus allowing him the time necessary to settle in at the pro level.
Combine Note -- Brett was the most impressive of the quarterbacks throwing the football, but didn't run for the clock, still a little banged up from the all-star game.
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