I always loved Tuel while he was with the Cougs. He played for some pretty awful teams but always showed promise and was an excellent leader throughout a very difficult time. Things never quite worked out the way we hoped they would at Wazzu, but he's a classic example of a guy who might be able to have more success in the pro's with better players around him.
I'm worried about his durability in the pro's. The injury bug seemed to find him a lot while he was at Wazzu and I'm actually a little surprised the NCAA wouldn't give him another year of eligibility. Maybe it's for the better. Along with his great leadership and nice intangibles, Tuel's got very nice athleticism for a QB. Good size (6'3" 218) and an above average arm. Not the strongest arm in the world but it'll get the job done if he ever gets a shot at serious playing time in the NFL. I think he'll get drafted in the later rounds since he's been generating a nice amount of interest as of late. In my mind, with a few years on the bench plying his craft, he could end up being a solid starter or at least a good backup. Also, his escapability can not be overstated. Great pocket presence and ability to keep his head down field and keep plays alive by moving around in the pocket. Despite the fact that he rarely ever had a pocket considering WSU had some awful O-Line's during his career.
I have a feeling he'll end up in San Francisco though as a developmental QB. I told pe this a few weeks ago, but Tuel reminds me of Alex Smith. They're basically the exact same size, have similar "sneaky" athletic ability, and throw well on the run. The reason I think he ends up in San Fran is because Paul Wulff, the head coach who recruited him to WSU, is now working on the 49ers staff. He'd be a fine developmental prospect for any team and I'd love it if he ended up in Seattle.
He was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise miserable team. He looked great as a true freshman, I thought he was going to be a monster but the team sucked and the O-Line couldn't keep him upright/healthy. He's a great kid though, so I'm pulling for him.
Tuel Time!