Ex-Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell's Downward Spiral Lands Him in the CFL

NCAA record-setting quarterback Graham Harrell has seen his career take some unthinkable twists during these last nine months.

Who could blame Harrell if he felt cursed?

The former Texas Tech quarterback went from being a serious Heisman Trophy contender to not even being invited to New York. It was thought he might be Mike Leach's breakthrough quarterback and perhaps go in the first or second round of April's NFL Draft, but he never heard his name called during the two-day draft.

Harrell was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns and went through mini-camp but wasn't offered a contract. That forced Harrell into his latest attempt at a professional football career when he signed Thursday with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL.

It wasn't the move most thought Harrell would have to make last season as he became the NCAA's all-time leader in touchdown passes. But it could be his best chance yet to finally prove himself to NFL general managers who doubted his arm strength and chalked up his two 5,000-yard plus passing seasons as a byproduct of Leach's quirky quick-strike passing offense. It worked well for for players like Doug Flutie and NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon, who both had to head North before getting their chance in the NFL.

Sure, the Roughriders are already two games into their season and are stocked with quarterbacks, but starter Darian Durant, a former North Carolina quarterback, is very unproven.

But it does seem odd that Harrell did everything he could to prove himself a worthy NFL quarterback prospect. He made the throws short, intermediate and deep. But Leach's offense is primarily geared toward short quick passing routes with the receivers doing most of the damage after the catch.

Leach fumed after April's draft when players who accomplished a lot less than Harrell in his starting run from 2006-08 were drafted. The most difficult to swallow was the Dallas Cowboys selection of Stephen McGee, who lost his starting job during his senior season.

Prior to Harrell's three-year starting stint, Leach went through four straight senior quarterbacks: Kliff Kingsbury (2002), B.J. Symons (2003), Sonny Cumbie (2004) and Cody Hodges (2005). All put astronomical numbers. None were able to translate that into NFL success.

It will be interesting to see if Harrell ever gets a chance to change that track record.