USC quarterback Matt Leinart didn’t have an easy road to where he is now. Leinart was born cross-eyed and had to have corrective surgery at a young age. He had a hard time as a young child being overweight and having to wear glasses, but he found he had a talent for sports. Matt Leinart had to sit out his sophomore year in high school due to a rotator cuff injury he sustained on his throwing arm. Matt returned as a junior and started at quarterback his final two years in high school, completing 342 of 542 passes for 5,270 yards and 43 touchdowns with just 16 interceptions. Coming out of high school, Matt Leinart was one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation and committed to play football at USC. Leinart sat out the 2001 season as a redshirt and saw little action in 2002 as the teams’ third string quarterback. Matt Leinart didn’t throw a pass at USC until his redshirt sophomore year when he won the starting job. He went on to pass for 6,878 yards with 71 touchdowns and just 15 interceptions the next two years, leading the Trojans to back-to-back national championships. Matt earned All-American honors both seasons and won the Heisman trophy in 2004 after finishing sixth in the voting the previous year. Leinart had good chance to be the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft, but opted to return to USC for his senior season.

The left-handed Matt Leinart has all the intangibles you look for in a quarterback. Leinart served as team captain at USC and has proven to be an excellent leader both on and off the field. Matt is an intelligent player who takes what the defense gives him and rarely forces the ball into coverage. Matt Leinart knows how to read a defense and does a good job of going through his progression. Leinart displayed his toughness in 2003 when he injured his knee against Arizona State and returned in the second half to lead the Trojans to victory. Matt has good size for a quarterback and the frame to add strength and bulk. Matt Leinart lacks a quick release and doesn’t have a cannon for an arm but he does have enough arm strength to make all the throws. Matt is an extremely accurate passer who hits his receivers in stride and usually places the ball where only the receiver can catch it. Leinart does posses the ability to get out of the pocket and make an accurate throw on the run but he lacks the athleticism to make a play with his feet when needed. Durability could be a cause for concern at the professional level due to the rotator cuff injury Leinart sustained on his throwing arm in high school and the tendonitis surgery he had on his throwing elbow in January 2005. Matt Leinart is a franchise quarterback who has a good chance to be the first overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft.