Louisville standout QB Brian Brohm has taken a backseat to some of the other quarterbacks entering this year's draft in the media. However, things appear to be changing for the signal-caller who is steadily moving up some teams' draft boards.

The NFL scouts that I have talked to share a much different view than the so-called experts who suggest that someone other than Brohm is the top-rated passer.

The way I hear it from some scouts, Brohm is the bomb and no question the No. 1 quarterback in the draft.

There are at least three teams picking in the Top 10 and eight in the Top 20 who are taking a hard look and have reevaluated Brohm since his performance at the Combine last month.

Brohm impressed a number of teams with his workout and those teams are gearing up for the school's Pro Day March 24 where he will have the opportunity to better showcase his skills. At the Combine, quarterbacks are only allowed about 12 throws so it's tough for scouts to get a good evaluation of a quarterback's passing skills. No problem.

Brohm is preparing to unveil his complete repertoire before scouts during the school workout.

He spent some time last week in Cincinnati preparing for the Pro Day hooking up with an old mentor, Clif Marshall, Performance Director of Ignition Athletes Performance Group. Marshall and Brohm go back a ways to when Marshall was an assistant on the strength staff for the University of Louisville football team and knows the quarterback very well.

"At the Pro Day, I want to put out the best product possible," Brohm said. "I want to get to know these teams and let them get to know me as well as they possibly can. I think when teams see me in person they will see that my arm-strength is stronger than what I might get credit for. Once they come in and watch film with me and talk through all the football stuff, hopefully, I can get my stock back up there."

It's a bit ironic that Brohm would be concerned with raising his draft stock. When at the same time last year he was considered a bonafide Top 5 pick in the '07 draft if he would have chosen to come out early his junior year.

Now, a year later, NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. doesn't deem Brohm worthy of being on his Top 25 prospects list. What's up with that?

One Minnesota Vikings scout sarcastically asked the question during a conversation at the Senior Bowl. How do you go from being a potential top 5 pick one year to a virtual unknown the following with the numbers that Brohm put up this season?

You don't, that's the media talking and those who are easily persuaded, buying into it. The scout added that the cream always rises to the top. He was referring to Brohm.

So why the drastic turn of events?

Could the drop in draft status hinge on the Cardinals finishing the season 6-6? If that's the case, it was no fault of the quarterback.

Despite the Cardinals' season, Brohm had his best season ever statistically as a three-year starter. He threw for 4,024 yards and 30 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.

He maintained his consistent play by completing 65 percent of his passes. Brohm passed for at least 300 yards in a league-record seven games in 2007 and had 18 300-yard games in his career.

Brohm was sacked more times this season, 24, than any other time in his career, but still managed to put up some incredible numbers.

What many of the draft prognosticators have failed to take into consideration when evaluating the quarterback is all the adjustments the team had to make under a new coaching staff. Brohm persevered and adjusted well to the new coaching philosophy and NFL teams are taking that into account.

Having an older brother, Jeff Brohm, who spent seven years in the NFL, as his quarterback coach and offensive coordinator while at Louisville, as well as in the household when he was a kid, has helped him tremendously.

"I have been playing at a pretty high-level for quite sometime," Brohm said. "I attribute a lot of that to having my brother around when I was little. It was huge for me to have him around. I always worked hard and wanted to be the best. I have been very consistent throughout my career and have gradually gotten better each year."

Under the expert tutelage of big bro, young Brohm learned the quarterback philosophy of former San Francisco 49ers legendary head coach Bill Walsh early on.

"My brother has been teaching me NFL drills since I was in the 8th grade," Brohm said. "He would have me in the backyard doing seven step drops the way Bill Walsh teaches it. We would go over footwork drills the way they did it at the San Francisco 49ers. So he really helped me to develop my game at an early age."

Brother Jeff played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1995-1997 where he was the backup quarterback to Hall of Famer Steve Young in 1997.

Brohm is considered the most technically sound of any college quarterback entering the draft. The only knock on him seems to be that he lacks the ability to run and make plays outside the pocket, earning him the label of being just a pocket passer. The same things were said about Peyton Manning coming out of college and we all know how that turned out for the Indianapolis Colts.

Manning was the first overall selection in the '98 draft, taken over highly publicized QB Ryan Leaf.

Even with all the accolades that Brohm has received throughout his collegiate career you continue to hear more talk in the media about Boston College QB Matt Ryan and now Delaware QB Joe "Rock Me Amadeus" Flacco, who has drawn a lot of praise since his performance at the Senior Bowl.

Somehow Ryan has turned into the poster child for the 2008 draft and Flacco is the quarterback known for having the big arm. Interestingly enough, Brohm had the second strongest arm on display at the Combine, throwing the ball 57 mph. But you heard no mention of that from the media. Flacco was first throwing the ball 58 mph.

Bottom line when comparing Brohm and Ryan NFL scouts believe that...

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Career (2004 thru 2007)                   Brian Brohm                         Matt Ryan

Career Pass Efficiency                      157.92 (2nd in nation)         126.31 (not in top 20)

Pass yds per game (career)              244.9 (4th)                            186.3 (not in top 20             

Comp % (career)                                 65.82 % (7th)                        59.96% (not in top 20)

TD passes (career)                             71 (8th)                                  56 (12th) 

Int                                                            24                                            37

Total yds. (career)                               10,775 (4th)                           9,313 (9th)

Yds per Comp                                      13.81                                      1.54

You can’t deny those numbers. I believe Stevie Wonder could see who is the better talent.

So what are some NFL front office personnel, coaches, and scouts saying?

A member of the Carolina Panthers front office confirmed at the Combine that Brohm is on the team's draft board and would be hard to pass on should he be available at the No. 13 selection.

Sources say Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden believes that Brohm is a franchise quarterback and would be a perfect fit for any team's offense, especially one running the West-Coast. The Bucs are a team who could trade up in the first-round if they see Brohm starting to slip.

I was told by a reliable source within the Atlanta Falcons organization that Brohm is the highest-rated quarterback on their board. It was said that owner Arthur Blank has been sold on Brohm for quite sometime and feels that he would make the team's questionable receiving corps better due to his readiness.

A Seattle Seahawks scout made the remark that he hoped teams will continue to sleep on Brohm and maybe they'll have a shot at the passer, but did state that he didn't think Brohm would make it is past Baltimore at No. 8.

Brohm had formal meetings at the Combine with Miami, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Tampa Bay, Minnesota and of all teams Washington.

Only time will tell who is the top quarterback in this class, but Brohm shows the most promise and appears to have a bright future ahead of him.

Big C's Scouting Report:

At 6-foot-3 230 pounds Brohm has a solid frame and the toughness to play through injury which he has proven in the past. He's more athletic than given credit for and has the ability to make plays when under duress.

Brohm has a high football IQ and is well prepared on game day knowing the game plan inside and out before taking the field. He's an accurate passer with good decision-making skills and poised in the pocket. He has a high touchdown to interception ratio.

Brohm is well-rounded both mentally and physically. He has a lot of experience and proved that he can get the job done year after year. He's pro ready and can come in and start right away if need be.

Things to work on... Like any other quarterback entering the pros Brohm will have to adjust to the speed of the game along with the mental challenge of the NFL. He will need to continue to work on every aspect of the game in order to perfect his craft and stay sharp.

There has been some talk around the league that teams might be turned off by Brohm's Eli Manning/Donovan McNabb laidback style, which I find absolutely absurd. Guess what? Eli is getting a ring and it's not from Jared, The Galleria of Jewelry.

Talking to some of Brohm's teammates at the Combine they assured me that the quarterback is a take-charge kind of guy in the huddle, putting all speculations of his laidback demeanor to rest. In fact, one teammate said that Brohm has a very competitive nature but disguises it well.

Brohm is a confident passer and does have that swagger one likes to see in a young quarterback.