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Pros: A prototypical pocket passer, Ainge has the size and arm teams look for. At nearly 6’6” Ainge easily sees over the linemen and when he has a clean pocket to throw from, he looks the part of an NFL signal caller. Using the entire field, Ainge knows how to spread the ball around and he has made major leaps in his decision making under offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe. He did a good job of running the no-huddle offense this past season after getting some friendly advice from former Volunteer Peyton Manning, which showed when he led the game-winning drive in the Senior Bowl. Not a scrambler by any means, Ainge is mobile enough to make throws on the move and even get a first down if need be.

Cons: For his height, Ainge has a skinny frame and he could stand to pack on a few more pounds. His reputation for being injury-prone is a bit of concern. Ainge has suffered an assortment of injuries but seems to bounce back fast and is a quick healer. He needs to do a better job of reacting when the opposing team gets into the backfield—Ainge must improve upon getting the ball off quicker in the pros. He has never really put together a successive string of games, battling inconsistency throughout his career. He needs to clean up his mechanics, particularly when he is forced to react quickly. His body language at times comes into question, as it appears he is apt to get down on himself.

Factoid: As a junior in 2006, Ainge was named the starter heading into spring practice for the first time in his career and was able to take all of the first team reps throughout the preseason. He also had a new position coach and offensive coordinator when David Cutcliffe replaced Randy Sanders.

X-Factor: Ainge had an up and down career from beginning to end, with peaks and valleys in each season. Who is the real Ainge? And how much is he to blame? He has been better since Cutcliffe returned to Rocky Top, but the supporting cast has not been the same, with the program consistently under a microscope throughout his career. During his sophomore struggles, drops were a big issue among the receiving corps and during his senior season, they clearly lacked true playmakers at the position. Coupled with inconsistent play along the offensive line and in the running game, Ainge has had a rocky ride as a collegian. Is he already programmed to deal with falling short of expectations or will the adversity he went through playing in Tennessee make the Oregon native stronger for the experience?

Overall: While his decision-making process has vastly improved during his tenure at Tennessee, Ainge still needs to show more consistency. He managed to play through the first half of the season with a broken pinkie and did an excellent job of minimizing the affect it had on his throwing accuracy.

Medical Examiner:

03/09/07—Suffered torn right meniscus during spring ball which required surgery; missed spring ball but began throwing the ball a month after surgery.

10/28/06—Suffered a right ankle sprain against South Carolina that caused him to miss parts of two games.

11/06/04—Separated right shoulder; missed final four games of season.

Highlights of Accomplishments:

• Set a single-season school record with a 67% completion percentage in 2006

• 2005 Academic All-SEC

• Freshman All-SEC Coaches

• SEC Offensive Freshman of the Year The Sporting News

• 2004 Freshman All-America The Sporting News (2nd)

Personal: Ainge has been known to shy away from teammates off the field and tends to isolate himself from the group.

Bloodlines: Nephew of former NBA & MLB player and current General Manager of the Boston Celtics, Danny Ainge

High School: Was an All State selection in both football and basketball; also played baseball.

Major: Political Science

Murphy’s View: At times, Ainge looks to be the top guy in the SEC and a first-round pick. But he is inconsistent and has failed to deliver in several big situations. He is still only 21, so there is time for him to mature and develop. His raw athleticism might be too much to pass over if he improves in other areas.

Mogollon’s View: Ainge has good size and arm strength with intriguing potential, so much so that many in Knoxville were saying that he brought back memories of a young Peyton Manning as a freshman. Obviously, those comparisons were overstated, but he does remind of another NFL record setting quarterback, Vinny Testaverde. Ainge is long and lanky, when he is on, not many throw a prettier pass and he looks like a future NFL star, however when he is off his game, he looks like he should not be in the starting lineup. He can be successful, but must fall into the right system, where he will not have to carry an offense. If managed properly with a strong coaching staff and supporting cast Ainge can do well, but will be mistake prone if asked to do too much.