PHOTOS: AJ McCarron at AlabamaREAD: AJ McCarron talks 'chip' on his shoulderVIDEO: McCarron's combine workoutREAD: QB Watch - AJ McCarronAUDIO: Texans 24 Hour Radio Podcast DRAFT CENTRAL
Over the coming months, HoustonTexans.com will be doing weekly draft profiles, as we examine the top rated players in the upcoming NFL Draft. This series is part of our Texans 'On the Clock' draft coverage, provided by Papa John's.
Next up is Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron.
Bio
Name: AJ McCarron
Position: Quarterback
School: Alabama
Class: Senior
Hometown: Mobile, Ala.
Measurables
Height: 6-4
Weight: 214 (via Alabama athletics website)
40-yard dash: 4.94 (at NFL combine)
Stats
| Passing | Attempts | Completions | Percentage | Yards | Pass Eff. | TDs | INTs |
| 2013 | 336 | 226 | 67% | 3063 | 167.2 | 28 | 7 |
| 2012 | 314 | 211 | 67% | 2933 | 175.3 | 30 | 3 |
| 2011 | 328 | 219 | 67% | 2634 | 147.3 | 16 | 5 |
| 2010 | 48 | 30 | 63% | 389 | 151.2 | 3 | 0 |
| Totals | 1026 | 686 | 67% | 9019 | 162.5 | 77 | 15 |
Awards2013• Maxwell Award winner
• Unitas Golden Arm Award winner
• Second team All-SEC
• AP honorable mention All-SEC
2012
• Led NCAA in efficiency rating (175.28)
• Unitas Golden Arm Award finalist
• Davey O'Brien semifinalist
• AP third team All-American
• Second team All-SEC
• Alabama school record 30 TD passes
2011
• Led team to 12-1 record
• Won National Championship
• Posted second highest completion percentage (67%) in school history
• Went a school record 152 pass attempts without throwing an interception
Prospect Rankings
Scouts, Inc.: N/A
CBS Sports: 89th
Draftek: 85th
Bleacher Report: N/A
Mel Kiper's 'Big Board': N/A
ESPN.com/Todd McShay: N/A
Outlook
At the NFL level, quarterbacks are often judged by winning. Whether fair or not, in most cases a signal caller's professional legacy rests on Super Bowls and victory totals. By that rationale, there hasn't been a better collegiate quarterback in the past four years, or perhaps the last 20, better than Alabama's AJ McCarron.
The Mobile native went 36-4 as a starter for the Crimson Tide, including two National Championship seasons. The Tide lost more than one game only once during McCarron's career and that came in the form of an 11-2 campaign in 2013. He lost just one road game in his career, as the Tide fell to arch rival Auburn in the now infamous 'kick six' game this past season. A quick search of 'McCarron' in the Alabama record book brings up his name 48 times. Keep in mind that is the 2012 record book, which doesn't include McCarron's senior year. AJ McCarron is definitely in the conversation in terms of the greatest quarterback to ever play at Alabama.
McCarron's numbers are strong as well. He completed 67 percent of his passes during his tenure, and had an impressive 77 touchdowns while throwing only 15 interceptions. McCarron ranked in the top eight last season in passing efficiency with a mark of 167.2. He led in nation in that same statistic in 2012.
Most draft experts peg McCarron as a second day selection, with projections ranging from the second to third rounds. During a recent podcast interview with ESPN's Alex Scarborough, he compared the Alabama senior to an 'Andy Dalton' type of quarterback.
