Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Throughout his football career, Matt McGloin has faced constant uphill battles. Now with the Oakland Raiders, he’ll get more of the same as he attempts to dig himself out from the bottom of the depth chart.
A former walk-on at Penn State, McGloin spent his entire college career proving doubters wrong. After only one year on campus, he earned the starting quarterback gig and began honing his skills as an NFL-worthy passer.
The typical knocks on McGloin include his size (6’1’’, 207 pounds), lack of accuracy, struggles with turnovers and average arm strength. What the critics don’t always take into account are the intangibles, which McGloin has plenty of.
While he started off as a mediocre signal caller, the biggest setback in school history brought out the best in McGloin. In the midst of the Jerry Sandusky scandal that shook the program to its core, McGloin stepped up as the starting quarterback and helped the rest of the roster rise above the adversity. He watched other top players abandon ship and kept the program afloat during its most tumultuous time.
The truly impressive part? McGloin was the first walk-on in Penn State football history to win the starting quarterback job. It was quite the feat for a player that many had written off early in his college career.
It’s going to be tough sledding for McGloin as he tries to steal a roster spot in a quarterback competition that includes Matt Flynn, Tyler Wilson, Terrelle Pryor and Kyle Padron. The Raiders likely won’t hold more than three on the active roster, which means that the Penn State product will have to surpass Pryor for a roster spot. Even if he falls short, the practice squad could be an option if he impresses during training camp and the preseason.
While the blogosphere is too busy speculating on whether Flynn or Wilson will win the starting gig, McGloin is preparing to steal the show.
Gil Alcaraz IV is a Content Planner/NFL Featured Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GilAlcarazIV, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
