NFL Draft rumors: Zach Mettenberger medically red-flagged due to Spondylolysis

While Johnny Manziel may be the most talked about quarterback prospect in the draft, LSU’s Zach Mettenberger has been one of the most coveted. His rocket arm and pro-style skill set has made him an amazing prospect to watch and he’s been garnering a lot of attention from quarterback needy teams despite the knee injury that ended his final year at LSU prematurely.

Now another issue has popped up for Mettenberger as he was red-flagged by team doctors who are unsure about how his Spondylolysis will affect his playing career.

This is not so good news for Mettenberger as there are a few things to be concerned about here. The biggest thing to be concerned about is that Spondylolysis — which is a defect in the vertebra that basically means your spine is out of whack while still functional — is that the injury is caused by repeated trauma to the spine.

It’s a hereditary condition as well, but Mettnenberger having it may be interpreted as he’s been hit too much so far in his career to the point where his spine has basically been knocked loose, so how much more can he take? It’s clear that this is a long term issue for Mettenberger but may not mark him down too much given the skills and potential he has in all other areas of his game.