NFL

Quinn not conceding top pick to Russell

'I’m the most prepared collegiate player in the draft,' Irish QB claims

Michael Conroy / AP

Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn answers questions at the NFL Combine on Friday.

Not surprisingly, college teammates of Quinn and Russell at the combine take opposing views.

“I definitely believe he (Quinn) is the quarterback in the draft by far,” said running back Darius Walker, who played at Notre Dame. “Nobody has the ability he has to read defenses and the experience in the system that he’s played under.”

Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, who played with Russell at LSU, counters: “He’s ready to get things rolling and make an impact on any team he’s going to.”

Ultimately, the decision rests with the team’s decision-makers.

Cleveland general manager Phil Savage, who has known Russell since he was in the seventh grade, likes Russell’s skills, but maybe not enough to trade up from the No. 3 spot to pick him.

“He is coming out as a junior, which would lead you to believe there might be some upside, and he’s played in a pro-style system,” Savage said.

But Quinn remains confident he can win this debate.

“It’s hard to slip when you haven’t done anything,” he said. “I’ve been thinking ’Did someone see me miss a rep in the weight room or something?’

“We worked out in Tempe, Arizona, together and, obviously we played against each other in the bowl game. There’s a competitiveness there, but you can’t control what a team does. You can only put yourself in the best possible position to succeed, and that’s what I intend to do.”

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