1 of the biggest undrafted names in college football has his new team - report

By Joe Setyon May 1, 2018 at 11:41am

The majority of NFL quarterbacks playing today heard their name called at one point or another during the NFL draft.

Just because you never heard your name called at the podium, though, doesn’t mean you don’t have the talent to succeed in the NFL.

If statistics are any indication, former Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett certainly has the tools to do well in the pros.

He ended his college career with 104 passing touchdowns — a Big Ten record — and over 9,400 total yards. In 2014, his freshman season, he accounted for 45 touchdowns — 34 in the air, 11 on the ground — and finished fifth in the Heisman voting.

He’s also a proven winner, accumulating a school-record 38 victories over his college career, including two Big Ten titles.

And it’s not as if Barrett saw a big drop-off in his senior year. He threw for 2,939 yards last season, adding another 732 yards on the ground. He tossed 35 touchdowns compared to just 10 interceptions, and rushed for another 10 scores.

So it was a bit surprising that Barrett, a dual-threat quarterback from a powerhouse program, was not among the 13 quarterbacks selected in this year’s NFL draft.

It would appear, however, that one team likes what Barrett brings to the table.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Barrett is going to sign with the New Orleans Saints. He had previously gotten an invite to work out for the Indianapolis Colts, but apparently seemed to think he’d be better off in New Orleans.

Former Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett is signing with the Saints, source says. Had an invite to try out for the Colts and had interest from other teams. Heads to New Orleans where it’s Tom Savage and Taysom Hill behind Drew Brees.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 1, 2018

Unless something happens to incumbent starter Drew Brees, Barrett has little chance of seeing much, if any, playing time with the Saints.

However, his chances of winning a backup job are higher with the Saints than with the Colts.

Do you think J.T. Barrett has what it takes to be a successful NFL quarterback?

If Andrew Luck can return to the field in 2018, he will be the Colts’ unquestioned starter, while Jacoby Brissett is likely to be the backup.

On the other hand, the backup situation in New Orleans isn’t set in stone, with Taysom Hill and Tom Savage set to compete for the job.

As neither of those quarterbacks has done a whole lot to prove himself in the past, it’s possible Barrett could win the job.

It’s not much, but Barrett doesn’t seem to be willing to give up being an NFL quarterback.

Now, we’ll see what he can do when given the chance to prove himself in the pros.

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Tags:

NCAA, New Orleans Saints, NFL, Ohio State Buckeyes

Joe Setyon

Deputy Managing Editor, Editorial

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Joe Setyon was a deputy managing editor for The Western Journal who had spent his entire professional career in editing and reporting. He previously worked in Washington, D.C., as an assistant editor/reporter for Reason magazine.

@JoeSetyon

Joe Setyon was deputy managing editor for The Western Journal with several years of copy editing and reporting experience. He graduated with a degree in communication studies from Grove City College, where he served as managing editor of the student-run newspaper. Joe previously worked as an assistant editor/reporter for Reason magazine, a libertarian publication in Washington, D.C., where he covered politics and wrote about government waste and abuse.

Birthplace

Brooklyn, New York

Topics of Expertise

Sports, Politics