Gil Brandt of NFL.com has Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman ranked in the top 10 of his “Hot 100” list of draft prospects.

Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State:
Tall (6-foot-5 ¾) with a big arm… Passed for 38 TDs over the last two seasons… Started eight games as a true freshman… Smart with great work habits… Father played in the USFL… Ran for 400 yards and 14 TDs in 2008 on a poor team… Risk-reward type of player.

Considering Brandt is one of the pioneers of developing the scouting techniques used by NFL teams today, it would be unwise to bash his judgment.

That being said, what the hell is he thinking?

Freeman is one of the rawest quarterback prospects to enter the NFL draft in some time. While it’s true that he has outstanding size (6’5”, 248 pounds), a strong arm and did play in a pro style offense while at K-State, some also say that he’s a poor man’s JaMarcus Russell, which isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Freeman’s numbers in college were good, but not great. He did throw for 44 touchdowns (including 20 his senior year) in three years, but he also threw 34 interceptions and only cracked the 60%-mark for completions just once in three years. Scouts also like to note that he struggles reading defenses at times, and his footwork and mechanics have been question as well.

I think what some scouts like Brandt are trying to do is catch lightning in a bottle by projecting great things for Freeman because he does have a high ceiling. They realize that Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez aren’t elite quarterback prospects, so with Freeman ranked third and not garnering as much attention, they look at his size and say, “You know, this kid has the best shot of making it out of all the quarterbacks in this draft class.”

I hate to shed any kind of negative light on Freeman because he does have a ton of potential and from what you read in the media, he’s also a great kid. But I just can’t see him being worthy of a top 20 pick, nevertheless a top 10 pick as Brandt would have you believe.